Record Store Day 2025

[NancyJohnson]

Just had a perusal of the list, despite the fact I'm definitely not going to be dipping my toe back into record buying as that ship sailed decades ago.  It's a shame not more of the list is being released on CD.

 

Just by way of observation, once again I feel there's too much of an incursion onto the list by artistes that don't need to (or shouldn't) be on the list.  Queen.  Prince.  Motley Crue.  The Rolling Stones. The Cure.  Fleetwood Mac. The fecking Eurythmics.

 

RSD started off as this well intended programme to get people into record shops; now it's just a big-corp money for old rope production, ultimately lining Brian May's already brimming over pockets with more ££ from the first vinyl release of five demos recorded half a century ago (which have been in circulation for years).

 

Surely it's time for some new RSD rules?  Make it a bit more exciting.  Only release new material.  If you play sold out stadium gigs, RSD is not for you.  If you were signed to a big label and made a career out of music 30-years ago, RSD is not for you.  If you played Live Aid, RSD is not for you.  Limit in store purchases to two records per person (check eBay RSD afternoon to witness what RSD means to a lot of punters).

 

 

 

 

Edited Friday at 08:27 by NancyJohnson
Why did Live Aid come out as Liverpool Aid? Possibly same thing. 😄

[LowB_FTW]

RSD isn't - or at least shouldn't be - about the artists.

Yes, they've co-opted the whole dam thing these days, but it's still about getting bodies into physical record stores, that's why it was create, and that's what still happens.

I hear your argument about CD's and other formats, but as long as it's keeping bodies moving through the doors of physical shops, whoever participates is just helping the cause.

 

Mark

[itu]

Should the RSD be March 3rd for LPs? Optionally February 2nd, and 14th for singles. For older music March 19th?

 

(33th, 45th, and 78th day of the year. Yes, I excluded 16 rpm records, as they are so rare.)

[LowB_FTW]

38 minutes ago, itu said:

February 2nd, and 14th for singles

I see what you did there. 😂

 

Mark

[BigRedX]

15 hours ago, LowB_FTW said:

RSD isn't - or at least shouldn't be - about the artists.

Yes, they've co-opted the whole dam thing these days, but it's still about getting bodies into physical record stores, that's why it was create, and that's what still happens.

I hear your argument about CD's and other formats, but as long as it's keeping bodies moving through the doors of physical shops, whoever participates is just helping the cause.

 

But you don't bodies into record stores unless they have something worthwhile to sell hence it is as much about the artists as it is about the shops.

 

The problem with record shops is that no matter how hard they try they can't compete with the whole of the internet. They were fine in the 60s 70s and 80s when everyone's musical knowledge was pretty much limited to what the music press wrote about and what got played on broadcast radio. It was easy to keep on top of all the new releases. Even Virgin Records in Swansea were able to get most of the records that John Peel was playing in 1979.

 

Also because these days the whole model of selling recordings on physical media in bricks and mortar shops makes the price of these recordings unnaturally high. For an independent artist it is impossible for your local record shop to sell your product at a sensible price. I know because I have tried it. The mark up that all the record stores wanted to add to our album (on vinyl) would have meant that even if we let them have have copies at cost they would have been at least 25% more expensive than the maximum price we could consider charging at gigs and through Bandcamp. 

[12stringbassist]

The big acts have their place in Record Store Day.
Just as much as the 'second division' acts and independents.
They get bums on seats. Can't see why they should be excluded.

Looking at what I have bought in the way of RSD stuff in recent years...
Del Amitri Sense Sickness picture disc 45
Cheap Trick Gimme Some Truth 45 / Found more parts / Live album
Slade Ballzy and Power Supply albums
Ian Hunter Dandy 45 / Defiance part II 2LP
Ultravox instrumental version CD's
Nick Lowe Pure pop for now people LP

There are probably a few more...

[LowB_FTW]

7 hours ago, BigRedX said:

The problem with record shops is that no matter how hard they try they can't compete with the whole of the internet.

And this, for me, is the main problem I have with RSD.

Have you actually tried to go to a participating store on the day and get what you want? There's such limited quantities of participating releases sent to each store that you have to get there super early in the day, and even then there's likely a queue to join, so by the time you get to the counter the one/s you want are likely all gone.

In previous years (I haven't checked this year's store locations) the nearest participating store to me is 35 miles away, there's no way I'm getting up at the crack of dawn just to travel that distance for disappointment and frustration, so the Internet it has been.

I've had more luck with RSD from the 'net than in-store purchases anyway.

The one time I got what I wanted from in-store the only copy they had left had a damaged cover, all the RSD web purchases I've made have arrived in pristine condition.

 

I know physical stores have it tough these days, but for some (me included) the Internet is just a much better option.

 

Mark

[NancyJohnson]

3 hours ago, LowB_FTW said:

And this, for me, is the main problem I have with RSD.

Have you actually tried to go to a participating store on the day and get what you want? There's such limited quantities of participating releases sent to each store that you have to get there super early in the day, and even then there's likely a queue to join, so by the time you get to the counter the one/s you want are likely all gone.

In previous years (I haven't checked this year's store locations) the nearest participating store to me is 35 miles away, there's no way I'm getting up at the crack of dawn just to travel that distance for disappointment and frustration, so the Internet it has been.

I've had more luck with RSD from the 'net than in-store purchases anyway.

The one time I got what I wanted from in-store the only copy they had left had a damaged cover, all the RSD web purchases I've made have arrived in pristine condition.

 

I know physical stores have it tough these days, but for some (me included) the Internet is just a much better option.

 

Mark

 

I only bothered once, about five or six years back for a Tears For Fears at Massey Hall live CD.

 

We had a little record shop in a craft centre about a mile from me so I thought I'd give it a punt, so I rocked up 8.30am, stupidly of the allusion I'd be home by 9.00am.  On previous visits the shop it had been empty, in fact, I'd never seen anyone in there, but on RSD, nooo. 

 

I reckon there were 200 middle-aged men queueing all clutching pieces of paper with lists of albums; the shop owner was giving everyone raffle tickets and letting a couple of people in at a time, each of those people were coming out with carrier bags of vinyl.  It was a shambles.

 

It was just a classic case of Dad's Army-esque organisational incompetence.  I went home clutching said raffle ticket and returned a few hours later and was still some way off entry.  There was no whiteboard showing what was left (thus, no indication of whether it was still worth queueing) and when I finally got in, the proprietor advised me they didn't actually get any copies of the album I was after.

 

I got home, fired up the inter web and ordered it from Sister Ray on condition it was still in stock on Sunday night, it would be mine.  It arrived midweek.  

 

Waste of time.

 

 

[LowB_FTW]

11 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

Waste of time.

Same outcome I had as well.

It's all well and good saying supporting local independent stores is what we should be doing, but when the process is as frustrating and, ultimately, disappointing as documented here, it's no surprise we turn to online retailers and sellers.

 

Mark

[madshadows]

Me and my son Joe queued for a few hours at Casbah Records in Greenwich last April For the 2LP limited edition of Ian Hunter's Defiance Part 2 - Fiction which had three tracks not on the original release. It was an OK experience and they had someone from the shop coming down the queue whenever a RSD release sold out so that anyone wanting it could bugger off !!. I got a copy which I was glad of, the kicker is I don't have a turntable so I haven't even to be listen to the three tracks 😂 but I am a bit of a completist when it comes to Mr Hunter who's my favourite songwriter !!  

 

John 😎 

[BigRedX]

There is also a danger that the RSD experience (as described in previous posts) could put a lot of punters off going into those shops at other times.

 

I have to admit RSD is not for me. AFAIK none of the bands I really like have ever participated in it and if they did I don't think I'd be prepared to queue for the privilege. Even then I'd probably happy to wait until the record or CD surfaced on eBay or Discogs a few years later when all the fuss has died down and it was priced at a more appropriate level.

 

Also I'd rather buy recordings directly from the band at one of their gigs

[AMV001]

I've only ever wanted three RSD releases (Killing Joke's Absolute Dissent remaster, Screaming Trees Live At Egg Studios and Helmet's Betty) and all of them were US only, despite been on the lists of RSD exclusives that were widely distributed by shops in the UK.

 

 

Edited Sunday at 10:44 by AMV001
Spelling

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

There is also a danger that the RSD experience (as described in previous posts) could put a lot of punters off going into those shops at other times.

 

I have to admit RSD is not for me. AFAIK none of the bands I really like have ever participated in it and if they did I don't think I'd be prepared to queue for the privilege. Even then I'd probably happy to wait until the record or CD surfaced on eBay or Discogs a few years later when all the fuss has died down and it was priced at a more appropriate level.

 

Also I'd rather buy recordings directly from the band at one of their gigs

 

In answer to your first paragraph I'm of the belief that RSD just brings out several groups of people;

1. Those that have little desire to buy/consume music the rest of the year but see RSD as a reason for going to a record shop,

2. Those that see RSD as a means to turning a quick profit,

3.  Genuine fans whose purchases are usurped by #1 & #2 above.

 

While I have little (cough, zero) interest in vinyl, I don't mind looking around record shops should the occasion arise, although I find the whole experience (to use a '90s metaphor), like going to Gap.  It's the same stuff everywhere.  I just find the RSD fever all a bit exasperating.

 

 

 

[AMV001]

5 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

1. Those that have little desire to buy/consume music the rest of the year but see RSD as a reason for going to a record shop,

I thought that was the whole idea of RSD?

[BigRedX]

2 hours ago, AMV001 said:

I thought that was the whole idea of RSD?

 

I thought the idea of RSD was to entice people into record shops and hopefully they will come back when it isn't a RSD as well. Otherwise they are going to need something like RSD at least once a month and not just once a year. If RSD continues to be the unappealing experience that it seems to be then it becomes self-defeating IMO.

[LowB_FTW]

4 hours ago, AMV001 said:

4 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

1. Those that have little desire to buy/consume music the rest of the year but see RSD as a reason for going to a record shop,

I thought that was the whole idea of RSD?

Noooo, not in my case anyway. There's a few bands I really try to by the records of, so if they release new stuff - one has already released an album this year - I'll really try to get it on record, but otherwise, I download at least one new item (be it album/ep/single) a month.

I have enough items on my iTunes wishlist alone to continue doing this for a few more years. 😂

 

Mark

[Andermtc]

Unlike some it seems, I actually enjoy RSD, I get there early, usually around 4am, meet the same hardy souls who are there every year, never see them any other time of the year, (for the record, mostly men but not all). Stand and chat rubbish about all sorts of music for 4 hours and then spend too much money, go to McDonalds for breakfast and then drive home.

I have a good relationship with the store so have already sent them a list of what I'd like, said shop will order in everything on my list, there have been occasions where they wouldn't have ordered a copy if I hadn't asked. I'm not guaranteed to get it if I get there late but the others in the queue in the 1st 10+people will have done the same. As such it's usually okay and I get everything I'm after. They can also order in US releases if they have enough warning and your prepared to pay silly money for the import. I've done both where I've got US release, but also where I'd got the price and said no, don't order for me.

Where I am becoming more disillusioned as the years go on is what the actual releases are. I used to enjoy random live albums like the REM Bingo Hand Job release a few years ago, or records never released on vinyl as it was from when no-one was releasing vinyl. However, you now get a release that's in a different colour vinyl. Probably 3 releases on the list this year from bands I like that I would normally try and get but as I already have it as a black LP, as such I have no desire to pay an inflated price to get it again as it is an identical release except the vinyl colour or a picture disc.

 

[BigRedX]

Just had a look at what is going to be available and I have to say that I was surprised to find that there are a few that I might be interested in provided that they came on CD or with a download code for an uncompressed digital file. However I would want to hear them first or at the very least get a track listing. Unfortunately for the two releases I am most interested in, one brings up an error page and other simply won't load. Not impressed.

 

Edit: the page that was being slow has finally loaded to reveal... no actual track listing.

Edited 9 hours ago by BigRedX