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RECORD STORE DAY SET TO DELIVER £10M BOOST TO INDIE RECORD SHOPS

April 16, 2024

Record Store Day, the annual celebration of indie record store culture taking place this Saturday (April 20), is expected to deliver a £9.7m boost to indie record shops, helping secure the future of one of the key pillars of grassroots music culture.


The £9.7m figure is an estimate of the sales value of the 443 exclusive releases which will be made available through indie stores on Record Store Day. This year these range from Ringo Starr’s “Crooked Boy” EP which includes four brand-new tracks, to an Olivia Rodrigo & Noah Kahan split 7” of “Stick Season” and “Lacy” from the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge to a stunning reissue of Young Father’s Mercury Award winning debut album “Dead”, limited to just 2000 copies.


The analysis, prepared by digital entertainment and retail association ERA which organises Record Store UK on behalf of 270 indie retailers, does not include incremental revenue of non-Record Store Day music titles made on the day, nor money generated by food, drink and other items. The actual total through store tills is likely to be higher.

In 2023 ERA estimates that exclusives sold on Record Store Day accounted for nearly 10% of annual sales of all physical music product through High Street stores. Last month ERA announced that indie store numbers have hit a 10 year high in part propelled by Record Store Day.


ERA CEO Kim Bayley said, “Record Store Day is a cultural phenomenon which draws in tens of thousands of music fans across the country, but it is also a financial lifeline for a vital element of music’s unique ecosystem. Without Record Store Day, many would find it difficult to stay in business. We are grateful to the artists and labels who work so hard to create exclusive Record Store Day product and of course to the fans who turn out to support their local stores in such numbers.”


Record Store Day UK coordinator Megan Page said, “Saturday is going to be quite a day. Indie stores can be incredibly proud of what they have achieved. There will be live music, DJ sets, parties and performances in every corner of the country to celebrate. The important thing is people don’t forget that indie record stores are also great places to go to when it’s not Record Store Day.”

This year’s Record Store Day UK ambassador, Kate Bush, said “Each year Record Store Day gathers more attention, more momentum, and attracts more people who cram into indie record stores all over the world to see what’s up. What’s new? This year, I hope you have a fantastic time at this very important event, and that you get to celebrate music that’s been specially released for you”.


You can read her full statement here.


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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. 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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. 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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.
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