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What Is Record Store Day?


April 21 | Article Written By Kirsten Moreton


Record Store Day (RSD), the three words music fans will have been hearing everywhere recently, but what exactly is it? Celebrating 15 years in 2022, RSD is the one day of the year for all things vinyl. On this day, 260 shops across the Uk come together along with music lovers to celebrate the record collecting community and the shops which help keep that community alive.

The event started in 2007 with the first RSD taking place in 2008. The idea was originally to help get the word out about and to promote independent stores, something that is becoming increasingly important with the growing popularity in websites such as Amazon. Since 2008, RSD is now a global event with countries all over the world taking part in honouring the soulfulness of independent record shop’s.

The organisation which created RSD works with large labels and small artists to create unique and special release vinyls for partaking shops to sell exclusively, in turn, encouraging customers old and new to come in for a browse.

RSD is an incredible way of supporting artists and shops as the creation of these special releases help to promote both the artist and independent shops. For customers there is also usually a collection of second hand, on sale, and rare records to be found.

Record Store Day 2023 takes place on April 22nd so make sure to get involved! A full list of the stores taking part in RSD 2023 can be found on the official UK Record Store Day website.

Our list of incredible shops to support, is also available here, so make sure to check it out!

Follow The Music Mag for updates here.

Check our our guide to Scotland’s Record Shops here.

Check out our Exclusive RSD interview with the owner of Red Robin Records here.

Check out our Exclusive RSD interview with the owner of Thirteen Records here.