Record Store Day · Guide
How Record Store Day works: a first-timer’s guide
The short answer
Record Store Day is an event where participating independent record shops sell special releases, in person, on the day. You can't pre-order, each shop gets different quantities, and many unsold copies go online the day after. Make a short list, check your shop's plans, and don't pay resale if you miss something.
Before
- Make a short list and a backup list
- Check each record’s category and quantity
- Find participating shops
- Check opening times and queue plans
- Ask your shop what they’ve ordered
On the day
- Bring your list, cash and water
- Check the shop’s limits
- Know what you want before you reach the crates
- Look beyond the RSD crates
After
- Check shops’ websites the next morning
- Try the official RSD marketplace
- Wait before paying resale
- Watch for RSD First titles coming back
What Record Store Day is
Record Store Day started in the US in 2008 as a day to celebrate independent record shops. Labels make special releases for it: reissues, live albums, coloured vinyl, records that have never been on vinyl before. They’re sold only in participating independent shops, in person, on the day. There are two a year: the main one in April and RSD Black Friday in November.
How the list works
Each event has an official list, published a few weeks before the day. Every release has a category (Exclusive, RSD First or Small run / regional) and a pressing quantity. Read both. The category tells you whether the record might come back later. The quantity tells you how many copies are spread across lots of shops, not how many your shop will get. Listings can change before the day, including tracklists, so check again the week before.
What the categories mean →Before the day
Make a short list of what you really want, and a backup list. Then check whether your shop is taking part, using the official store finder, and look at the shop’s website or socials. Many shops say which titles they’ve ordered, when they open and how the queue works. A day or two before, some post what actually arrived, because shops don’t know for sure until the delivery comes. If a record matters to you, ask them.
Choosing a shop
The biggest city shops draw the longest queues. Fans often have better luck at the next tier of shops, or in smaller towns, where the line is shorter and the stock is nearly as good. If there are several shops near you, it’s worth visiting more than one: something sold out in one shop can still be in the racks at another.
On the day: the queue
Queue times vary wildly. For most records you won’t need to arrive at dawn; for the most popular titles, people camp out overnight. Some shops hand out numbered tickets so you can leave the line. Bring your list, a backup plan, water and something to eat. Bring cash too, as card machines can struggle in busy shops. Most shops limit each title to one per person.
Queue etiquette
Know what you want before you reach the crates, because people are waiting behind you. One copy per title means one copy for you, not one for everyone in your family to sell on. Be patient with the staff; it’s their longest day of the year. And look beyond the RSD crates: lots of shops put out fresh used stock, and it’s often the best part of the day.
After the day
Missed something? Don’t panic and don’t pay a reseller on day one. Many shops put unsold copies online the next morning, and the official RSD marketplace lists leftovers from lots of shops. RSD First titles may come to other shops later. Resale prices are usually highest in the first days and often drop.
What to do after Record Store Day →Get the next list and our picks in the weekly email.
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FAQ
No. They’re sold in person on the day. Ask your shop what they’ve ordered instead.
It depends on the record and the shop. For most titles, an hour or two before opening is plenty; for the most popular ones, people queue overnight.
No, only participating independent shops. Use the official store finder for your country.
Try another participating shop, then check shops’ websites and the official RSD marketplace the next day.