Record Store Day
Record Store Day: dates, releases and how to get the records you want
An independent guide to Record Store Day. When the next one is, how the day works, the releases worth knowing about if you love indie, shoegaze, post-rock and post-punk, and what to do if you miss a record.
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Next event
Record Store Day Black Friday 2026
- Date
- Friday 27 November 2026
- List
- Out now
- Where
- Participating independent shops, in person
- Leftovers
- Often from Saturday 28 November
Upcoming events
- List out
Record Store Day Black Friday 2026
Friday 27 November 2026
Our picks → 
List not out yetRecord Store Day 2027
Saturday 17 April 2027
What we know so far →- DATE TBC
RSD Black Friday 2027
November 2027
What is Record Store Day?
Record Store Day is an event for independent record shops. Labels put out special releases that are sold in participating shops, in person, on the day. There’s a main event in spring and a second, smaller one on Black Friday in November, each with its own list. Many shops put unsold copies online the day after.
How Record Store Day works →How a Record Store Day works
- List announcedThe official list is published, usually weeks before the day.
- Shops place ordersEach shop chooses what to order. They don't always get everything.
- Final detailsTitles can still be added, dropped or changed.
- The daySold in participating shops, in person. No pre-orders.
- Leftovers onlineMany shops list unsold copies from the next day.
- Things settleRSD First titles may come to other shops. Resale prices often drop.
Missed a record? Don’t pay the day-one markup.
Most RSD records are still at retail price somewhere the morning after, and many come back later. Check independent shops first, then the official RSD marketplace, and give it a few weeks before you pay a reseller.
What to do if you missed out →Don't assume you have to pay resale
A record selling out on the morning doesn't make it rare for good. Leftovers often go online the next day, RSD First titles can come back, and resale prices often drop once the first rush passes. Our Vinyl Report found resellers asking an average of +473% over retail across 51 records, nearly six times what fans paid in the shop.
Read the Vinyl Report →Love the shops, not the scramble.
Record Store Day keeps a lot of independent shops going, and it can be a great day out. It can also mean queues before dawn, prices above the usual, and records turning up on resale sites by lunchtime. You don’t have to take part to support your local shop, and you don’t have to pay a reseller to prove you wanted a record.
Is Record Store Day worth it? →The next list, the records worth knowing, and where to buy them.
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Record Store Day guides
- GuideHow Record Store Day works: a first-timer’s guideFrom the list to the queue, and what to do after.
- GuideRSD First vs RSD Exclusive: what the categories meanExclusive, RSD First and Small run, and what to queue for.
- GuideMissed it? What to do after Record Store DayWhere leftovers go online, and why it's worth waiting before resale.
- GuideIs Record Store Day worth it?What fans love, what frustrates them, and an honest view.
- GuideHow Record Store Day works for record shopsHow shops order, and why yours might get one copy or none.
Record Store Day FAQ
An event for independent record shops, with special releases sold in participating shops on the day. It started in the US in 2008 and now runs in many countries, each with its own organisation and list.
The next one is Record Store Day Black Friday on Friday 27 November 2026. The main spring event is Saturday 17 April 2027. See our event pages for the latest.
Yes. There’s the main event in April and RSD Black Friday in November. They’re separate events with separate release lists.
No. Only participating independent shops sell RSD releases. Check the official store finder for your country, and your shop’s own website or socials for opening times and queue plans.
No. RSD releases are sold in person on the day, and shops aren’t meant to take pre-orders or hold copies. Some shops will tell you in advance what they’ve ordered, which is worth asking.
It depends on the shop and the record. Popular titles and big city shops draw early queues; many fans get most of their list by going a little later or to a smaller shop. Ask your shop how they run the day; some hand out numbered tickets.
Exclusive titles are only released physically through independent shops. RSD First titles are in independent shops first and may come to other shops later. Small run / regional titles are sold in particular regions or pressed in runs under 1,000. Full explainer →
Many shops put unsold copies on their own websites from the day after, and there’s an official RSD marketplace. Prices there should be retail price. What to do if you missed out →
Some are, some aren’t. Compare the price with the standard edition and ask whether you’d want the record without the RSD sticker. Our honest take →