Record Store Day
Why I'm not participating this year, the value of perspective, and the importance of supporting online sellers
In case you live under a rock, Record Store Day (RSD) is next Saturday 20 April.
Described as the biggest new music event of the past decade, RSD is an annual affair, typically held on the third Saturday of April, to celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store.
Exclusive releases are available for purchase on a “first come, first served” basis at participating record stores on the day. They cannot be sold online —officially, that is—until 8pm on the following Monday (i.e. 22 April).
To mark the event, some stores will be hosting special performances, meet-and-greet opportunities, and other fun revelries to thank patrons for their loyalty.
Turnout has been gaining momentum. Last year some folks camped outside stores the night before. That’s called dedication!
RSD takes place in the US, UK and a bunch of other countries. You can search for participating stores near you (US) (UK).
I won’t be joining the celebrations this year. To start with, there isn’t a single release for which I would be ready to queue for hours on end.
Above all, though, I feel some of the rhetoric and overall messaging surrounding RSD have taken on a slightly militant and borderline sectarian tone in recent years.
If you’ve never experienced RSD, and feel like going, maybe you should try it. But if the prospect of queuing for hours in order to get into a crowded record store (which you can visit on any other day) makes you want to cringe, I get you.
There’s always a lot of excitement surrounding RSD, which is awesome, but let’s not forget our beloved passion tends to attract a large proportion of folks who might struggle with social anxiety or would simply prefer to spend an afternoon at home chilling with their records. And that’s cool.
There’s also the no small detail that some record collectors live far from main city centres, so their only viable option is online.
If you struggle with crowds, live far from stores, and/or for whatever reason you would much rather buy records online, in your own time, from a professional seller who is friendly and attentive but gives you the space you need,
has got you covered. Make sure you check out his online store, Latin Gold Records.If you’re in the UK and want a similar experience —calm browsing, professional seller, friendly-but-not-in-your-face kind of service— I recommend Juno Records, Bridge of Weir, Electricity Records, Laurie, and James and Neil.
Why am I recommending online sellers in the run-up to RSD? The very good ones deserve our praise, love and attention. Now more than ever.
They have built their stores without the infrastructure, convenience and “pull” of a physical establishment to attract customers. They work insanely long hours, especially sole traders, with little or no help. And many get a bad rep every April simply because there are some “scalpers” out there (i.e. people who buy RSD releases at the retail price and immediately resell them online, especially on eBay, at a much higher price).
There’s a lot of confusion, prejudice and “baddies and goodies” mentality going on. Not every online seller is a scalper. Not every independent record store owner is a saint. Record trading is a passion and a business. One doesn’t exclude the other.
This is why I keep saying buy from multiple sources. Big chains, indie stores, sole traders, and more. For vinyl to survive, we need them all. Demonising one or the other is toxic, counterproductive, and stupid. You are unlikely to get everything you want at the best price from one single source. Plus, this way you support the vinyl ecosystem as a whole.
Ironically, I often get better prices online. While the ritual of going to a physical store is sacred for many of us, it’s not for everyone. We should by all means celebrate physical stores, but without punishing hard-working online sellers who bring records to those who cannot reach them.
At the end of the day, this is what RSD should be all about: buying physical records and supporting independent sellers. Everything else is just noise.
Thanks for reading/listening. Happy spinning!
Good points all around- especially the reminder that we need all parts of the ecosystem to survive.
I have to admit that last year, a couple of scalpers really soured me on it all. It’s silly, and it shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. It felt like a real “this is why we can’t have nice things” moment, and it took a while to shake off my annoyance.
More importantly: a huge +1 to sellers like Kadrian! Whatever scalpers are, sellers like him are the polar opposite. I’ve now picked up two records from him, and the customer service was top notch. He’s one of us, so I expected the usual things- fast shipping, well packed, etc. But he added a few extra flourishes that made it all the difference.
Imagine my surprise as I did my regular Sunday ritual of reading your newsletter while drinking coffee and listening to my latest vinyl purchase (now spinning: Love Special Delivery by Thee Midniters - highly recommend if you want some great oldies from Whittier, CA) and I see my name and Latin Gold Records!
Andres, first I’m truly humbled by your kind words and shout-out. Thank you so much for the support.
Secondly, I fully agree with everything you’ve said. The factory machine that has become Record Store Day has gotten a little too trend-wagoning here. A few RSDs ago, I was in a record store that is best known for its punk selection, and multiple people came in asking if they had the Taylor swift album. They had run out so they left instead of doing what record store day calls for - digging!
There is a lot of value to online sellers and there’s of course to the sacred third place that we call the record store. Record Store Day in my opinion is every day but diversifying where and from whom you purchase is essential. Even buying from diverse owners. Last RSD i wrote an article about supporting BIPOC owned stores as their curated selection is more expansive than your typical shop. I don’t support the waiting in the long line but there are a ton of stores at least in LA that celebrate the day with great deals, in-store shows, and more and don’t carry the RSD exclusives. Those are the more fun ones in my opinion because we go out to show love for the community with the community. I make it a whole day for myself to say hi to all my friends at various establishments.
My plan this year is to host an online sale on Latin Gold Records in the morning and then go visit some of my favorite shops around town. Your line that for vinyl to survive, everyone needs to succeed is the key to keeping our passion growing.
This is the longest comment I’ve ever written so I’ll stop now. Thank you again for the shout-out!!!