Music lovers still put those records on as they celebrate Record Store Day: What to know
Vinyl rules on Saturday. That's because it is Record Store Day.
This marks the 17th annual celebration of independent record stores with a slew of special, exclusive releases – available first in stores and for purchase in person. (Eventually, some of the precious vinyl LPs will be available online; and some may later be released on CD or digitally.)
More than 380 special releases will be available on Saturday, including new releases and reissues from a variety of artists spanning Ernest Tubb to 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne. There's also releases from Elton John, Gorillaz, Kristin Hersh, Parliament, Pearl Jam, Sabrina Carpenter and The Who. To see the complete list go to the Record Store Day website.
Why are vinyl records a big deal on Record Store Day 2024?
There's a reason vinyl lovers are rewarded in the age of streaming music. Sales of vinyl records rose 10% in 2023 to $1.4 billion – the format's 17th consecutive year of growth, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
And for only the second time since 1987, vinyl outsold CDs in units (43 million vinyl, compared to 37 million in CDs), the RIAA says. Sales of CDs did increase 11% to $537 million. Streaming still accounted 84% of U.S. recorded music revenue, the RIAA says.
Record Store Day 2024:What you need to celebrate superbly
No surprise, the top selling vinyl artist in the U.S. in 2023 was Taylor Swift, who had the top three sellers – "1989 (Taylor's Version)" was No. 1 – and five of the top seven, according to Luminate Data.
Swifties, there's no Record Store Day specials for you like last year, when Swift dropped "folklore: the long pond studio sessions." But you did just get a extra helping of tunes with her "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology," which landed early Friday.
However, some lucky buyers of her new album could also get a special printed note "From the Desk of Taylor Swift," in which the artist says: "Happy Record Store Day!! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for welcoming The Tortured Poets Department into your vinyl collection and your life."
Here's a quick look at some of the most desired Record Store Day releases.
David Bowie: Record Store Day 2024 release predates 'Ziggy'
A special vinyl RSD release, "Waiting in the Sky (Before the Starman Came to Earth)," is an 11-track recreation of an early version of what would eventually become Bowie's 1972 release "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars." Songs included here not on that album are the Chuck Berry cover "Round and Round," Jacque Brel's "Amsterdam," and non-LP favorites "Velvet Goldmine" and "Holy Holy."
Dave Grohl joins Anthrax on special RSD release to help Bad Brains singer
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante were joined by Dave Grohl in the Foo Fighters frontman's studios a cover of the Bad Brain's "The Regulator." Grohl plays drums and sings, while Benante plays bass on the track, proceeds of which will go to help Bad Brains' singer H.R., who has undergone treatment for painful headaches. The flip side of the 7-inch single is etched.
Record Store Day ambassadors Paramore have a special single out
A special 12-inch single has the band's tribute to Talking Heads on one side – a cover of the song "Burning Down the House" – and David Byrne's version of Paramore's “Hard Times” on the other (available starting Saturday, only at participating record stores).
Also available: "Re: This Is Why," remixes of the album that earned the band Grammys in February 2024 for best rock album and best alternative music performance. The remix LP, made with the help of Wet Leg, Bartees Strange, Foals, the Linda Lindas and others, is available as a standalone LP or in a 2-LP set including the original album.
Talking Heads: A full live performance
Speaking of David Byrne, Talking Heads fans can seek out "Live at WCOZ 77," which captures the band's entire radio station performance from Nov. 17, 1977. (Some of the songs appeared on "The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads."
Also available: The Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love 2001 Remixes,' a blue vinyl LP collecting nine remixes of the much-sampled 1981 song from Talking Heads co-founders Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth.
Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan cover RSD 2024 with dual single
Olivia Rodrigo covers the title track from Noah Kahan's 2022 album "Stick Season," on one side of a special colored vinyl 7-inch single. On the other, Kahan provides a version of Rodrigo's "Lacy" from her 2023 album "Guts."
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Live in France: The 1966 Concert in Limoges
This gem is a previously unreleased recording of a live solo performance by “The Godmother of Rock n’ Roll," at the Grand Theatre in Limoges, France on November 11, 1966. It comes on two 180-gram vinyl LPs and has an insert with rare photographs, liner notes and tributes from ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Susan Tedeschi and others.
This fab Beatles mini record player is a Record Store Day 2024 special
Beatlemania continues – mark May 8 on your calendar to stream the movie "Let It Be" on Disney+. In the meantime, you can come together with this Beatles limited edition mini turntable ($179.99) from Crosley Radio, commemorating the Fab Four's performance in 1964 on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The turntable comes with four 3-inch records of songs the band performed then: "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Til There Was You," "She Loves You," and "I Saw Her Standing There." (Note: the records are also available individually.)
The Turntable has a built-in speaker, but also connects to external speakers via Bluetooth.
Also available: Ringo Starr's new four-track EP titled "Crooked Boy," in a special black and white colored vinyl edition, and two George Harrison albums, "Wonderwall Music" and "Electronic Sound," available as picture discs. — w
The Rolling Stones have something old, something new for RSD 2024
The Stones are dropping "Live At Racket, NYC," a 180-gram solid white vinyl release of the seven songs the band played at the October 19, 2023 launch event for "Hackney Diamonds." The tracks include the duet with Lady Gaga on “Sweet Sounds of Heaven."
Also available: a special black and white swirled vinyl version of the band's 1964 U.K. debut album, which comes stamped (6,000 are available) with a lithograph with classic photos of the band.
The Weeknd: 'Live at SoFi Stadium'
The Canadian artist's first live album, recorded during two November 2022 concerts in LA and released digitally last year, becomes available on a physical format (3 LPs).
Wilco: 'The Whole Love' expanded for RSD
An 3-LP version of the band's 2011 album fleshed out with live in-studio performances, bonus tracks, alternate mixes, demos and a version of the song "Cruel To Be Kind" with Nick Lowe.
Dwight Yoakam's 'Beginning' boxed up for RSD 2024
The country artist has a collection called "The Beginning And Then Some," compiling his first three albums – available on vinyl and CD – with an extra disc of '80s rarities.
Neil Young
The singer-songwriter's latest, "Fu##in' Up" is a reimaging of some past Young classics with a Crazy Horse lineup that includes Micah Nelson. The Record Store Day limited edition comes on two clear vinyl LPs with a lithograph of the album cover art.
It will be available in stores and through the Neil Young Archives store (though it appears to be sold out already). Regular versions of the album come out April 26.
Contributing: Anthony Roblebo and Audrey Gibbs of the USA TODAY Network
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
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