April 22nd: a day where music lovers and vinyl collectors alike rejoice. This day is none other than Record Store Day, which is dedicated to celebrating independent record stores in the U.S. Wondering how to get the most bang for your buck on this glorious day? Here are some of the best limited edition RSD releases and what record stores in NYC will be participating.
Exclusive Record Store Day Release Highlights:
According to the official Record Store Day website, these are a small portion of the releases that will be available exclusively on Record Store Day, at participating stores.
- The Beatles, “Strawberry Fields Forever,” 7”
- David Bowie, BOWPROMO LP Box
- The Cure, Greatest Hits 2 x LP
- Ken Kesey The Acid Test LP
- Iggy Pop, Post Pop Depression: Live At The Royal 3 x LP
- Spoon, Hot Thoughts 12”
- Pink Floyd, London 1966-1967 12”
Record Store Day First Release Highlights:
A handful of the brand-new releases that will just seeing the light of day on RSD.
- Animal Collective, Meeting of the Waters 12”
- The Flaming Lips, The Flaming Lips Onboard The Internat LP
- Iron and Wine, Archive Series Volume No. 3 7”
- Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World, LP
- The Head and The Heart, Stinson Beach Sessions LP
Participating record stores in Manhattan/Brooklyn:
Where you can go to get your hands on all of these special releases.
- Academy Record Annex (Brooklyn)
- Captured Tracks (Brooklyn)
- Earwax Records (Brooklyn)
- Fifth Avenue Record Shop (Brooklyn)
- Halcyon (Brooklyn)
- Material World (Brooklyn)
- Norman’s Sound and Vision (Brooklyn)
- Norton Record Shop (Brooklyn)
- Permanent Records (Brooklyn)
- Rough Trade Shop (Brooklyn)
- Superior Elevation Records (Brooklyn)
- Vinyl Fantasy (Brooklyn)
- A1 Records (Manhattan)
- Academy LPs (Manhattan)
- Black Star Music & Video (Manhattan)
- Disc-O-Rama Music World (Manhattan)
- Downtown Music Gallery (Manhattan)
- Generation Records (Manhattan)
- Jazz Record Center (Manhattan)
- Record Runner (Manhattan)
- Rock And Soul Records (Manhattan)
- Second Hand Rose Music (Manhattan)
- Turntable Lab Storefront (Manhattan)
- Village Music World (Manhattan)
- Good Record NYC (Manhattan)
- In Living Stereo (Manhattan)
You have your printed sheet of limited edition releases, but where do you go from there? Here are a few tips on how to celebrate Record Store Day like a pro:
Go Early
On Record Store Day, stores open earlier. Permanent Records (Brooklyn) and Academy Records Annex (Brooklyn) are set to open at 10:00 a.m., an hour earlier than usual.
Location Location Location
Not living like a rockstar in Manhattan? Or chilling out in Brooklyn? And commuting on a Saturday sounds like a pain? No problem. Before you jump on a train, check out your local record stores first.
Tunes — Hoboken, NJ
Iris Records — Jersey City, NJ
Music Country — Cliffside Park, NJ
Majors Records & Video — Staten Island, NY
Know What You Want When figuring out where to go on RSD, look for the exclusives first. Stores like Academy LPs, and Deep Cuts Record Store are known for their rare finds. When it comes to the big deals, leave that for the bigger stores. Stores like Rough Trade, Bleecker Street Records, and Academy Records Annex are perfect for looking for vinyl on a budget.
Where’s The Music?
For some stores, RSD is an event, not just a day for deals. Stores like Rough Trade and Halcyon are known to celebrate RSD with live music and food and drinks. For a package deal, check out the RecordStoreCrawl. For $60, you can join a group of vinyl enthusiasts on a journey around the city to different record stores, with exclusive gifts and deals.’
Illustration by Sanika Phawde