Do you think all brick and motor music retail stores are dead? Think again. While mass-music retailers might have gone the way of the dinosaur in recent years, independent record stores are thriving, in part due to the increase in vinyl sales. While the music industry has fallen into a slump with overall sales dropping by 13% in 2010 both the Nielsen Company and Billboard report that vinyl has seen a 14% surge since 2009 and that’s good news for independent record stores.
Saturday marks the fourth annual Record Store Day. What started as a celebration of in-person commerce with 250 participating stores in the United States in 2008 has now grown to a national event celebrating independent record stores with more than 1500 participants. Michael Kurtz, co-founder of Record Store Day as well as president of the independent music store coalition Music Monitor Network, says that Record Store Day “started as a response to all the negative media coverage of record stores closing”. The first official Record Store Day was kicked off in San Francisco on April 19, 2008 by Metallica and since then has been celebrated on the third Saturday of April.
Of course, a big part of Record Store Day is the music – because where would these retailers be without them. Every year Record Store Day offers special editions not sold online or at stores such as Best Buy. This year’s special releases include a covers album by the Foo Fighters, two unreleased soundcheck jams from Phish, Rolling Stones’ “Brown Shugar” 7-inch and a re-release of the 1992 Nirvana EP “Hormoaning”. However the quantities are limited and there’s no guarantee of finding them at all independents either. For hard-core enthusiasts' that’s half the fun, traveling from store to store, taking in events and looking for that special release they’ve been hoping to get their hands on. While not all stores will offer the one-day specials they will celebrate by discounting current merchandise, offering giveaways and even live performances.
Sweat Records in Miami Florida is going all out by throwing a block party – doors open at 10am for Record Store Day exclusives followed by DJ sets at noon and then live performances by indie favorites ArtOfficial, Deaf Poets, Juan Basshead, Lil Daggers and Teepee. The best part for music lovers – the event is free.
So what does your local independent record store do to celebrate the day? Even if it’s nothing extravagant, remember that independent record stores always hide some true gems inside, and the people who work there are always willing to suggest some new music for you.
References
The Record Stores Are All Right
Record Store Day Celebrates the Independent Retailer
Independent Record Stores Gear Up For Anything Goes Record Store Day
Sweatstock and Record Store Day at Sweat Records
