Record store day first started in 2007 and it brought people together to get the newest or limited edition records. A lot of artists drop new releases or do new pressings of their older albums during record store day. This brings a lot of the record community together to camp out before the stores sometimes arriving days before just to get the new, desired releases. A huge reason why people go to record store day is to get new releases before they are gone, because a lot of the popular albums may sell out fast
This year’s record store day wasn’t one to miss with great releases from artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, The Weekend and more. All of the information you need about the upcoming releases is on the Record store day website which shows all of the new vinyl that is releasing. If you miss record store day, you can still check your local store for what you’re looking for — most stores usually have extra albums up to a week after. If you still can’t find anything then you can look at Discogs, which is a website that lists a ton of records. But most releases you can find in the store.
I went to record store day really early (6:30). I went to Down In The Valley, and there were already a ton of people in line. Me and my dad waited around for about two and a half hours, but once we got into the store the staff were very helpful and we found everything we were looking for. Some other stores that we checked out were SolSta and Mill City Sound. I found some good stuff at SolSta like “GO:OD AM” by Mac Miller and “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” by Drake. The only problem that SolSta has is that they upcharge five to ten dollars on each album because they are a smaller store. Mill City Sound is also good, but it’s a little bit out of the way and they have around the same inventory as SolSta.
There are some notable releases to look out for this year, and the first one being the LP (Long-Playing Record) “Jeffery” by Young Thug. This album hasn’t been officially pressed since 2016, so if you like Young Thug, then you to get your hands on this album — it could be another eight years till it’s pressed again. I saw the 2016 version at Down in the Valley selling for $200, so this could be an investment if you keep it sealed or in good condition. Another album to look out for that will probably be sold out soon is The Weekend’s “Live at Sofi Stadium” which is a special live performance he did. Usually records that are live performances will sell for a lot and are generally harder to find than the normal albums.
If you’re not into vinyl or collecting records then record store day is a great time to start. If you’re turned off by the lines and the crowded store, then that’s usually not the case for most stores around the area. A lot of the time the stores usually have four or five people in them and aren’t really busy. If you find something you liked on record store day then you could always come back on a different day to see if they have anything new.
Record store day has a little bit of everything if you like music and records, it’s also a great way to get into music. If you want to get into the vinyl scene or just do something with friends then I would totally check out record store day and if you want to leave a comment about what you got this record store day!
Down in the Valley has a great selection for new people and gets new records every week, so if you don’t find something one week then you could come back the next and they might have it. You can also ask a lot of the stores to try to find you specific records and send it to the store for a little extra money. They also post a weekly flyer to show their new releases and if they have anything popular that’s back in stock. But if you don’t want to go to Down In The Valley, I would check out SolSta or Mill City sound.
