Record Store Day date set

Record Store Day will hit Annapolis on Saturday, April 18, 2026, and local shops are preparing for early lines before doors open. (recordstoreday.com) (eyeonannapolis.net) The official Record Store Day release list says this year’s special titles arrive at participating stores on April 18, with more than 365 exclusive and limited-run records highlighted in national coverage. (recordstoreday.com) (yahoo.com) In Annapolis, Eye On Annapolis reported that shops are expecting heavy foot traffic, giveaways, and collectors looking for hard-to-find albums. Annapolis-area coverage also named KA-CHUNK!! Records and Third Eye Comics’ Music and Video among stores planning for the rush. (eyeonannapolis.net) (nationaltoday.com) Record Store Day is built around independent shops, not big-box chains. The organizers say the event was conceived in 2007 by record store owners and employees, and the first Record Store Day was held on April 19, 2008. (recordstoreday.com) The event now spans nearly 1,400 independently owned stores in the United States and thousands more internationally, according to the organizers. Record Store Day says not every participating shop carries every title, which is why buyers often line up early for the most wanted releases. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) That scarcity drives the day’s ritual: fans study the release list, make wish lists, and hope their local store received enough copies. The official 2026 release database lists each title with a format, label, and quantity, including runs as small as 2,000 copies for some albums. (recordstoreday.com) Third Eye Music and Video has listed its Annapolis Record Store Day event for April 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 209 Chinquapin Round Road. The national Record Store Day store finder also tells shoppers to check directly with stores about what they will stock. (thirdeyecomics.com) (recordstoreday.com) For Annapolis buyers, the next four days are the planning window. By Saturday morning, the question will be less whether the crowd shows up than which records are still in the bins when the line reaches the door. (eyeonannapolis.net) (recordstoreday.com)