Rejoice, vinyl fans. The most wonderful time of the year is upon us - Record Store Day 2016. The annual event, which takes place this year on April 16, celebrates record store culture and the artists who still sell their music in them. With the rise of streaming services over the last decade, vinyl sales sharply plummeted, but on the edge of extinction they’ve found new life thanks to the nostalgic collectors who appreciate vinyl’s unique cadence and artwork.
The Record Store Day celebration will not only honor vinyl’s timeless tradition with a variety of festivities, but showcase musicians’ work with exclusive special edition records for sale. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide what to spend your precious money on. That’s where we come in. We’ve looked at Record Store Day’s complete release list and narrowed down the best of the best. Take a look at the the special edition albums available in select stores:
AFRIKA BAMBAATAA & THE SOULSONIC FORCE - "Planet Rock"
This Record Store Day 12" features two exclusive remixes of this groundbreaking single that changed the face of hip-hop/dance/electronica when it was originally released in 1982. Limited to 1,000 copies.
ALT J - “Live At Red Rocks”
Recorded at the historic Red Rocks amphitheater in the summer of 2015, "Live At Red Rocks" captures alt-J at the height of their powers, performing for 6,000 screaming fans. This Record Store Day special release includes two colored vinyl LPs, a CD and DVD packaged in a gatefold sleeve. The 75 minute live album / concert DVD features songs from their Mercury Prize winning and RIAA Gold certified debut, An Awesome Wave and the Grammy-Nominated follow up This Is All Yours.
BEST COAST - "Late 20s" b/w Bigger Man"
Record Store Day's Best Coast 7" features two never-before-released b-Sides from the band's California Nights' recording sessions. Beautifully packaged in a white sleeve and limited to 3000 copies.
DAVID BOWIE - “I Dig Everything - The Pye Singles 1966”
Record Store Day is happy to offer this exclusive 50th anniversary release of six songs Bowie recorded and released as three different singles for Pye in 1966. Guaranteed to heal an aching heart. Limited to 7500 copies.
JOHNNY CASH - “All Aboard the Blue Train with Johnny Cash”
All Aboard the Blue Train with Johnny Cash was originally released on Sun Records in 1962. The album features prime selections of the Man In Black's recordings between 1955 and 1958, including classic songs "Hey Porter" and "Folsom Prison Blues". Previously out of press, it's coming back on appropriate blue vinyl for Record Store Day 2016.
JOHN COLTRANE - “The Roulette Sides”
John Coltrane receives Record Store Day's love supreme treatment with this 10" heavyweight, black vinyl record, featuring John Coltrane's recordings for the Roulette labels. Originally released April 23, 1976. Transferred from the original tapes, the album is housed in a thick cardboard glossy sleeve. Limited to 4500 copies.
MILES DAVIS - “Ghetto Walkin'”
Grammy award winning producer and musician Robert Glasper and singer-songwriter Bilal re-interpret the classic Miles Davis song "The Ghetto Walk" with the new track "Ghetto Walkin". This new song will be on the upcoming release "Everything's Beautiful."
J DILLA - ”The Diary”
The Diary is an album of vocal performances recorded between in the early 2000s over production by the likes of Madlib, Pete Rock, Nottz, House Shoes, Karriem Riggins and others. The Record Store Day vinyl issue of The Diary includes a special 7” pressing of "The Ex" that will only be found on the RSD issue of the LP.
BOB DYLAN - "Melancholy Mood"
This limited edition 7” vinyl EP was originally created for Bob Dylan’s recent Japanese tour. We were able to secure a limited quantity for Record Store Day. The EP includes 4 songs from Bob Dylan’s upcoming album, Fallen Angels, pressed on 7” red vinyl.
THE FLAMING LIPS - “Heady Nuggs Vol.II Studio Albums 2006 - 2012”
This Record Store Day eight LP box includes the albums At War With The Mystics, Christmas On Mars, Embryonic, The Dark Side Of The Moon, The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends and is limited to 4000 copies.
ALBERT HAMMOND JR. - “Yours To Keep”
For Record Store Day, Vagrant releases the first solo album from Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes) for the first time ever on vinyl, limited to 2500 copies.
THE JAMES BROWN REVUE - “Get Down At The Apollo With The J.B.'s”
For the first time ever on LP, Get On Down is proud to present “Get Down At The Apollo With The J.B.’s” as a double LP set for Record Store Day 2015.
ETTA JAMES - “At Last”
Etta James debut LP originally released in 1960, featuring the hit “At Last” as well as other R&B, Blues and Jazz standards. This Record Store Day release contains four bonus tracks. Limited to 2000 on colored vinyl.
LOGIC - “The Incredible True Story”
Logic's "Incredible True Story" Record Store Day picture disc features the album cover on side A and an exclusive image on side B.
THE MONKEES - “Classic Album Collection”
This Record Store Day release is a ten LP box set of the band's nine studio albums, plus one LP of b-sides and other bonus content. Limited to 3000 copies.
NOTORIOUS B.I.G. - "Mo Money, Mo Problems"
Pressed on 140 gram, this Record Store Day release is a money green 12" vinyl record that features five tracks/remixes. Limited to 5000 copies.
SEX PISTOLS - “Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols”
The Record Store Day Sex Pistols' picture disc features reverse colors of the US version. Limited to 5000 copies.
MUDDY WATERS - “Hoochie Coochie Man-- Live at the Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club”
Rare recording. This special Record Store Day deluxe 2LP gatefold package includes coloured heavyweight vinyl, download card will include album track-listing and digital booklet.
