Record Store Day Offers Vinyl Help To Beleaguered Retailers

Vinyl Solution For Indie Retail

This SATURDAY (JUNE 12th) marked the first of two RECORD STORE DAYS being held, offering a glimmer of hope for independent retail businesses attempting a rebound from the impact of the pandemic.

RECORD STORE DAY is held worldwide to “celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1,400 independently owned record stores in the U.S. and thousands of similar stores internationally."

The first RECORD STORE DAY was held APRIL 19th, 2008, and has since been a single day devoted to exclusive vinyl releases only available at participating record stores. It often features performances, cookouts and artist meet-and-greets.

Last year, RECORD STORE DAY was split into three separate dates in AUGUST, SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER instead of a one-day event earlier in the year.

This year, RSD is split up into two drops  – last SATURDAY and JULY 17th.

Despite record stores having to shut down in 2020, last year was the largest year for vinyl album sales in the past three decades, according to MRC DATA.

Vinyl sales grew by 46% to 27.5 million copies sold in 2020 despite an overall decline in album sales, which includes digital and CDs, compared to numbers from 2019. Last year, vinyl sales outpaced CD sales for the first time since the '80s.

This month’s RECORD STORE DAY comes as many stores are in the process of reopening as states relax restrictions.

AMOEBA co-owner JIM HENDERSON told CNN the newly opened HOLLYWOOD location is intent on "giving people an opportunity to really just enjoy the shopping and connect with the music.. with a holiday-type atmosphere. 

“It’s just not quite yet the normal RECORD STORE DAY, but we know it’s coming. We’re getting there,” he said.

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