Behind The Counter Returns for 2025

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere…

Last weekend saw independent record shops across the UK and Ireland come together to celebrate Record Store Day on Saturday 18th April. Over 300 independent record shops took part, hosting live performances, signings, DJ sets and special events to mark the occasion. Many record shops collaborated with fellow retailers on their high streets including coffee shops, restaurants, pubs and community centres, as well as collecting donations for local charities. For example, Dash The Henge (London), Vinyl Fetishes (Manchester) and The LP Café (Watford) hosted multi venue festivals, Thorne Records (Edinburgh) had support from their neighbourhood pizza restaurant, Vox Box (Edinburgh) teamed up with their nearby brewery, Rotten Records (Cornwall) offered discounts at their local coffee shop and there were a host of other initiatives designed to support their local communities. With the 19th annual celebration gaining momentum every year, Record Store Day reported their largest ever event with sales up 25% on 2025 and record-breaking footfall through independent retailers' doors. Kim Bayley, CEO of the digital entertainment and retail association, ERA, which organises RSD on behalf of the nation’s independent record shops, said: “This year’s Record Store Day demonstrated as never before the emerging role of record shops as cultural hubs on the high street, bringing together music fans across generations and breathing new life into town centres. Congratulations to all the shops who took part and thanks to all the artists, labels, sponsors and countless other partners who made it possible.” Thousands of cross-generational vinyl collectors began queuing from the day before to get their hands on the 500 special limited-edition releases, which saw high streets become buzzing hubs for music fans. Queues at many stores circled the block with many shops reporting that queues were still ongoing late into Saturday afternoon. Slow Century Records took part in their first Record Store Day, owner John Ellis said: "Our first ever Record Store Day was phenomenal, we had a blast. We had no idea how it would all pan out on the day, thankfully the day was a massive success and great for the wider high street too. We had music all over the high street in all sorts of venues from opening at 8am until 11pm, our own IPA in the bar two doors down. We were extremely fortunate to have support from BBC Radio Birmingham too!" Resident Music, Brighton saw their largest crowds in 2026, owner Natasha Youngs said: “The Saturday itself beat all previous years in terms of attendance and sales. The RSD weather gods took good care of us again and the sunshine added to a brilliantly buzzy day of fulfilled wish-lists, shared fandom, laughter, new friendships, live music, artist signings, DJ sets and general good vibes. The days following the event have also been insanely busy, with our highest ever post-RSD sales instore. And then the online after-party delivered another bumper boost to sales.” Sister Ray, Soho has participated in Record Store Day every year, owner Phil Barton said: “Busy, busy, busier than ever. RSD once again brought the party to a packed Soho. Everyone benefits from RSD. Us, the other record stores, the community and the other businesses that embrace our day as their own.” Regular Record Store Day queuer, Jack White said: “I met my friends Chris and Beth in the queue outside Sister Ray on Record Store Day 2017 and we’ve kept in touch ever since. We’ve met up for RSD a few times over the years to grab lunch and chat about how our years have gone. Such a brilliant example of how RSD and more broadly music can bring people together!” Record Store Day would like to thank its official partners - BBC 6 Music, Bowers & Wilkins, Breed Media, Jack Daniel’s, Jubel, Lagom, Metropolis, Tribe and War Child for their support. Next year will see Record Store Day mark the 20th anniversary of the independent record shop event.

Record Store Day takes place this Saturday, 18th April, with over 300 independent record shops set to celebrate across the UK and Ireland. Record shops will host live performances, signings, DJ sets and special events to mark the occasion. Vinyl lovers will join record shop queues for a chance to get their hands on the special limited-edition releases, turning high streets into a huge celebration of music and community. Hundreds of artists are supporting independent record shops with a range of exclusive vinyl releases, including titles from Charli XCX, CMAT, Primal Scream, Robert Plant, The Streets and Wolf Alice, which are available in-store only on the day. BBC Radio 6 Music Official Media Partner, 6 Music returns to join the festivities, with Huw Stephens broadcasting live from Monorail Music in Glasgow on Friday 17th April (4-7pm). The broadcast will feature special appearances from Teenage Fanclub, Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, and Phoebe I-H from BBC Introducing in Scotland. Across the weekend, the station will also present a ‘Vinyl Weekender’, featuring a range of live performances, interviews, and vinyl-focused programming. Huw says: “Record Store Day is a huge deal, and Glasgow certainly loves its records. I’ve been to Monorail Music a few times over the years and having Teenage Fanclub play there, along with a chance to talk to a range of guests during the show, will be very special indeed.” Selected Live Music & DJ Sets, Special Events, Festivals & Giveaways Dash The Henge, London – Two-day festival across 4 venues with 40 bands, DJs, and exclusive RSD releases, all on one wristband. Venues include Dash The Henge Store, The Old Dispensary, The Bear Camberwell, and HENGE Brixton, running Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th April. Good Vibes, The False Widow, Leith – Full-day of live music curated by Lost Map Records and Play Nice Presents, featuring Acolyte, Isa Gordon, Tony Morris, Buffet Lunch, and a special guest, followed by an evening vinyl DJ set and live performance from Comfort. Jacaranda Records, Liverpool – Live music, free hot drinks, a BBQ for early arrivals, and an exclusive Kula Shaker single-sided 7” record for the first 100 people in the queue, including a special recording of Day for Night made using a 1948 Voice-O-Graph and lathe-cut at Fat Monkey Studios. Le Freak Records, Dundee – Full-day event from 10am - 6pm with vinyl DJ sets and prize giveaways, followed by a takeover at Canvas Dundee from 7 PM–late with more DJ sets and dancing. LP Cafe (The), Watford – Mini festival of local bands featuring acoustic sets, vinyl DJs, and a drum workshop with Will Taylor, spread across five local venues. Featuring The Social Club, Lakes, The Ilario Ferrari Electric Trio, Awake Mother, El Bingo!, Ghost Tapes, Legends of The Seven Golden Vampires, and Happy Neighbours. Phonica, London – All-day event from 9am - 9pm, featuring a wide selection of RSD exclusives, a secret special guest line-up across the shop floor and basement, with beverages provided by JUBEL and sound by Zion Audio. Resident Music, Brighton – Afternoon and evening event from 4pm – 7:30pm, featuring a meet & greet and signing with Paris Paloma, DJ sets from Public Service Broadcasting and Steve Mason, the Annual Charity Raffle, and a stripped-back set from Blood Wizard, with beers supplied by Permit Room. Rough Trade East, London – Hosting a full day of live music and DJ sets beginning at 10:00 AM. The lineup includes DJ sets from Kate Goodrum and Borokov Borokov, followed by live performances from Ella Raphael, Ashaine White, Eaves Wilder, a surprise guest (TBA), Long Distance Runner, Cabin, Daytime TV, Alabama 3 and headliners DOTWAVNOTWAVE, with music continuing throughout the day in-store. Soul Brother, London - Celebrating 35 years of Soul Brother Records, Georgie B (Groove Association) from the UK 80s Soul/Jazz-Funk band Second Image will be signing copies of his new album 'My Time to Shine' in the shop from 2pm - 4pm. Sound Records, Stroud – Tropical Record Store Day celebration in collaboration with Bacana Funk, featuring all-day DJ sets. Steamboat Records, Limerick – A full day of live music in-store, with DJs throughout and performances from Irish Wonders, God Knows and First Class Rebel, with more happening across the day. Truck Oxford Afterparty, The Bullingdon, Oxford – Evening Record Store Day celebration featuring headliner Willie J Healey and commemorating 15 years of Truck Oxford. Voxbox Music, Edinburgh – Celebrating RSD & the shop’s 15th birthday with a pop-up in St Vincent’s Chapel, plus live music from 11am - 5.30pm featuring: Étáin, Broken Chanter, Kathryn Joseph (SAY Award Winner 2015), Phillip Jon Taylor (PAWS), Grant McPhee (Caledonia Screaming / new book on Scottish punk), Kai Reesu (SAY Award Winner 2025), Meursault, Both Hands, and waverley. To find out what’s happening near you this weekend, or to grab tickets, head to our official events listing page or contact your local independent record shop . Record Store Day will take place globally on Saturday 18 th April.

Record Store Day is proud to announce Robert Plant as the latest recipient of its Record Store Legend award. This accolade recognises Robert Plant’s lasting impact on music around the world, and his ongoing dedication to supporting new artists and record shops, as well as the record store community’s deep admiration for his work. Speaking at Spillers Records, Robert Plant said: “Record stores have always been a part of my life. For me, once you get to the physical record it’s because you really want to know and be a part of what the artist was considering. And I know, as a guy who’s been making records since 1966, people want to take home something very special, to enjoy all the elements of what an artist has put together. We want a connection between the music and the art of the whole thing.” Plant has long been a familiar face in record shops across the UK and beyond, from regular visits to The Groove Records in Stourbridge and 1960s “Chart” shops to check if his first record, ‘You’d Better Run’, was on sale, to a 2020 Q&A with Matt Everitt at Rough Trade East, and now at Spillers Records in Cardiff. His connection to record stores stretches back decades, to his childhood in England and into his years on the road as a musician. Plant was famously photographed crate-digging at Bleecker Bob’s in New York with Jimmy Page in 1970. With countless other visits over the years, record shops remain central to Plant’s musical life, cementing his status as a true Record Store Legend. A special plaque has been unveiled at the world’s oldest record shop, Spillers Records in Cardiff, Wales, recognising Plant’s Legend status, his connection to the shop, its history, and a country that has inspired his songwriting. The installation also highlights his ongoing support for record stores as cultural hubs which champion music and community, inviting fans to visit and share in their own love of music.

Holly Humberstone returns with Cruel World, out April 10th on indie exclusive pearl white vinyl, and selected as Record Store Day’s Album of the Month. It follows on from her 2023 debut with the same honest, close-up songwriting, but this time things feel a little more settled, and a little more sure of themselves. As Holly puts it, “My eleven-year-old self would be buzzing. I think she’d say, ‘You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.’” The album sits in that mid-20s in-between, moving on from people, places and past versions of yourself without everything fully making sense yet. Holly describes it as “shedding old skin,” and that sense of moving on runs through the record. It leans into that in-between stage without overthinking it. As she puts it, “In a world that feels hyperreal and harsh, we wanted to create something fun, detached, nostalgic and magical.” After the past couple of years out on the road, supporting Taylor Swift at Wembley and joining Sam Fender at St. James’ Park, Cruel World feels like the point where it all clicks into place. Written with her band in mind and built for live shows, it’s the sound of an artist settling in, and starting to get her flowers. Holly will also be part of Record Store Day with a limited-edition 7” of Beauty Pageant , featuring the exclusive B-side Annihilation . With the indie exclusive pearl white vinyl landing April 10th and the 7” following a week later on April 18th, it’s a good time to head down to your local indie record sho p - not that you needed a reason to.

FOUR DAYS OF BEERS AND BEATS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Record Store Day x Record Collector – April 2026 Issue

For March, Record Store Day is putting Dermot Kennedy’s The Weight of the Woods in the spotlight as our Album of the Month - a record that feels ripe for some Spring crate-digging in your local indie record shop. The follow-up to Sonder was mostly written and recorded near his rural Irish home with longtime collaborator Gabe Simon (think Noah Kahan and Lana Del Rey energy), with a few sessions in Nashville for a dash of southern magic. Across 14 tracks, Kennedy mixes folk roots, a hint of country, and the soaring melodies that his fans know and love. He calls it “a beautiful homegrown thing with Irish instruments and an Irish story” - and you can hear the quiet influence of the forest behind his house shaping the overall sound. Pre-order the indie-exclusive Transparent Green 2LP with double gatefold jacket, printed inner sleeves featuring lyrics, and bonus tracks Black Water, Happiness, and Deserve - the perfect Spring pick-up from your favourite indie record shop.

Record Store Day UK is proud to announce Olivia Dean as the Official UK Ambassador for 2026. Olivia has been awarded the role as a champion for the culture of independent record shops and the vital role they play within their local communities. Joining the ranks of iconic past ambassadors including Sam Fender, Kate Bush, Taylor Swift, the 1975, Noel Gallagher and Elton John, Olivia is ready to bring her love of vinyl and record shop culture to the 2026 event. Speaking of her ambassador role, Olivia said: “It’s such an honour to be the Record Store Day Ambassador for 2026. Independent record stores are such special spaces to discover and share music - to actually touch it and feel it. I’ve found so much inspiration in the records I’ve collected over the years and am so grateful for all the hidden gems I’ve found. I want to thank the record stores around the world for all the support you’ve given me over the years. It’s so important we continue to support them and keep them alive!”