Record Store Day acts as a beacon within the vinyl trade. Vinyl is the most hands-on, physical manifestation of music. It is a celebration of physicality in art. It is material, yet also is a materialistic: an item to be collected, with the ‘special edition’ adding an element of vinyl class war into the world of music fandom.
But with vinyl sales rising anyway, one could question whether Record Store Day still serves a purpose. The debate is more relevant than ever given the way Ebay looms over the profitability of the independent record store like a cloud.
But you can’t help but feel the excitement as the list of this year’s releases is published, carrying with it the promise of some special vinyl you never thought you’d get your hands on.
So regardless of what the day does and does not represent, the new releases are an undebatable highlight. These include everything from limited heart-shaped editions of Phoenix singles, an Arcade Fire’s EP, and golden oldies from Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones, to newer releases from artists such as Sigrid, and obscure motion picture scores. What’s on offer is various, exclusive and often slightly obscure. Some of it looks as if the only reason it’s there is that some label is desperate to shed some new light on a fast fading career. On the other hand, there are plenty of releases that are thrilling enough for people to queue up for and cherish – if they manage to get their hands on them that is.
Like it or hate it, Record Store Day isn’t going anywhere.
