One of our favorite holidays here at Selby is right around the corner… Record Store Day 2024! We’ll take any opportunity we can get to show our appreciation for turntables and the vinyl industry, and there’s no better time than Record Story Day (RSD). As we get ready for the 17th annual RSD coming up on April 20th, let’s take a moment to talk about how the holiday got started in the first place and the impact that it’s had on the industry since its conception.
For those of you who haven’t heard of Record Store Day, you’re in the right place. We’re excited to share the history of one of the largest music events in the world, and we invite you to celebrate with us by checking out our sales on all-things-vinyl for a limited time only.
Okay, let’s get into it:
What is Record Store Day, and how did it all begin?
Record Store Day was first conceived in 2007 when a group of independent record store owners gathered for a brainstorming session in Baltimore, Maryland. Originally pitched as a concept similar to Free Comic Book Day, the event was intended to drum up enthusiasm about vinyl in the community. After putting their heads together, shop owners Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Brian Peohner, and Don Van Cleave officially founded the holiday.
The event quickly gained traction and is now celebrated at record stores globally. Hundreds of recording and musical artists participate in the festivities by holding performances, special appearances, meet & greets with fans, and even fundraisers for community non-profits.
Each year, a musical artist is chosen as the official ambassador of Record Store Day to help spread awareness and excitement for the event. Typically the ambassador is a big name in the music industry, with some of the early ambassadors being Ozzy Osbourne, Jack White, and Dave Grohl. The first female ambassador was St. Vincent in 2017. In 2022, Record Store Day announced the first-ever global ambassador, Taylor Swift. This year, two ambassadors have been named, Paramore and Kate Bush.
One of the more exciting facets of Record Store Day is the release of exclusive vinyls and CDs, which has become an extremely popular practice among participating artists. For example, Paul McCartney released his debut solo album, McCartney, in a limited edition half-speed mastered vinyl pressing on RSD 2020. Vinyl fans wait with baited breath for the 2024 releases of their favorite artists. In fact, the holiday has received some pushback from critics for causing disruptions in the record supply chain due to this popular practice — but we know that won’t stop vinyl fans from celebrating.
Marc Fayd’Herbe, the sales manager at Universal Music, has described Record Store Day as “the single best thing that has ever happened” for independent vinyl shops. The event has frequently been credited with the highest U.S. vinyl sales in a single day; RSD 2016 produced the biggest entire week of LP sales since the introduction of SoundScan.
Overall, we’re seeing nothing but positive energy coming out of Record Store Day, as it gives people an opportunity to celebrate vinyl and to celebrate music — and music should always be celebrated. Every participating record store will be holding their own events and promotions, so we encourage you to visit your local shop on Saturday and show support for the vinyl industry. As vinyl-lovers ourselves, we have a host of limited-time sales happening on the Selby site, so check out everything from turntables to cartridges to our own collection of records.
