Philadelphia's guide to Record Store Day 2024. Where, what and how you can participate this year.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - New Taylor Swift and Pearl Jam and a laundry list of special releases. Record Store Day 2024 figures to be a big one for independent record stores in the Philadelphia area and worldwide.
Here is what you and the music lover in your life need to know for this year's Record Store Day.
When is Record Store Day 2024?
Record Store Day, an annual celebration of record stores, takes place on Saturday, April 20, at over 250 participating shops. Record collectors in the U.S. can find a participating store near them on the Record Store Day website, which also includes links to internationally participating stores.
What is Record Store Day?
According to its website, Record Store Day was established in 2007 as a way to celebrate independent record stores, with the first event taking place on April 19, 2008.
"This is a day for the people who make up the world of the record store — the staff, the customers, and the artists — to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role they play in their communities," the website reads.
Record Store Day includes special vinyl and CD releases. Some record stores hold in-store performances, cookouts, meet and greets and other festivities.
Vinyl record sales continued a resurgence last year. According to a report by the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl outsold CDs for the second time since 1987 — 43 million to 37 million. Vinyl sales outsold CDs for the first time since 1987 in 2022.
What is being released on Record Store Day 2024?
Record Store Day 2024 will include 387 special releases — you can find all of them on the website's special releases page.
Here are a few of the releases:
Noah Kahan and Olivia Rodrigo will have a 7-inch colored vinyl covering each other's songs - Kahan performs Rodrigo's "Lacy," while Rodrigo sings "Stick Season." It was recorded from the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge.
Kahan will also have 15,000 copies of a blue "I Was/I Am" vinyl sold during RSD.
The 1975's "The 1975 Live at Gorilla" will have 7,500 copies of a 2-LP white vinyl available.
The Weeknd's first live album, "Live At SoFi Stadium," is also among the releases.
Each store has a limited amount of each unit, so it's good practice to check your neighborhood shop's social media pages to see what they will have in stock.
Will Taylor Swift have a Record Store Day release?
Berks County native Taylor Swift's new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," was released at midnight Friday, but according to the Record Store Day's website, there are no special RSD releases included for 2024.
Still, "Tortured Poets" figures to be a big money maker for record stores. With the album going on sale Friday, in theory, Swifties could still buy it on RSD if a store has any left. Some record stores may also have special releases of their own for the album.
What is Pearl Jam's "Dark Matter" RSD special release?
If Swift isn't your Jam, perhaps Pearl is. Pearl Jam's new album "Dark Matter" also was released at midnight Friday, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band will have a Record Store Day exclusive vinyl on sale.
The "Dark Matter" RSD exclusive LP will be yellow and black, and 15,000 units will be on sale - a reminder that supplies are limited. For example, Repo Records on South Street has only 14 copies of Pearl Jam's RSD release.
Pearl Jam will also have a limited edition Philly variant of "Dark Matter" on sale - Young Ones in Berks County, Repo Records and Siren Records in Philly are three stores that will be selling it.
Pearl Jam will be back in Philadelphia for two concerts at Wells Fargo Center in September touring their 12th studio record.
What record stores in Philadelphia are participating?
Eleven stores in Philadelphia are listed on the Record Store Day's website.
- Hideaway Music, located at 8232 Germantown Ave.
- Milkcrate Cafe, located at 400 E. Girard Ave.
- Creep Records, located at 606 N. 2nd St.
- Main Street Music, located at 4444 Main St.
- Repo Records, located at 506 South St.
- Cratediggaz Records, located at 711 S. 4th St., Floor 1
- VINYL ALTAR, located at S. 4th St.
- Digital Underground, located at 732 S. 4th St.
- Long in the Tooth, located at 2027 Sansom St.
- Sit and Spin Records, located at 1346 S. 9th St.
- Latchkey, located at 1502 E. Passyunk Ave.
48 Record Bar, located at 48 S. 2nd St. in Philly's Old City neighborhood, will hold a pop-up vinyl market from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. featuring RSD releases curated by the Record Store Day organization.
What record stores in Philly suburbs are participating?
RSD isn't limited to city limits. Plenty of suburban record stores are participating in this year's event. You can find the full list of participating record stores in Pennsylvania on RSD's website, but here are the stores in the Philly suburbs.
- Newtown Book and Record Exchange in Newtown
- Positively Records in Levittown
- Siren Records in Doylestown
- Compact Disc Center in Bethlehem
- Double Decker in Allentown
- The Rock Shop in Plymouth Meeting and King of Prussia
- Vinyl Closet Records in Norristown
- MaTones Music in Collegeville
- Relapse Records in Upper Darby
- Vinyl Revival in Landsdowne
- Rock N' Roll Knife Fight in Lansdowne
- Shady Dog Records in Berwyn
- The Record Shop in Phoenixville
- Forever Changes in Phoenixville
- Goodies Disc Exchange in Holmes
- Rattail Records in Kutztown
- Young Ones in Kutztown
- Electric Avenue in West Chester
- Hop Fidelity in West Chester
- Creep Records in West Chester
What record stores in New Jersey are participating?
New Jersey has over 30 record stores on the Record Store Day website. Here are some participating stores in South Jersey.
- Sky Valley Records in Somerdale
- Tunes in Voorhees
- Phidelity Records in Haddon Township
- Inner Groove Records in Collingswood
- Grooveground in Collingswood
- Record Museum in Berlin
- The Rock Shop - Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing
- The Record Collector in Bordentown
- Randy Now's Man Cave in Hightstown
What record stores in Delaware are participating?
The RSD website has five stores in Delaware listed on its website.
- SqueezeBox Records in Wilmington
- Rainbow Records in Newark
- Wonderland Records in Newark
- Gidget's Gadgets in Rehoboth Beach
- Extended Play in Rehoboth Beach
