Organisers predict indie stores boost for Record Store Day ‘24
This year’s Record Store
Day is expected to deliver a boost of almost £10 million to independent record stores up and down the country, analysis suggests.
Now in its 15th year, the annual celebration of indie record shop culture, takes place on Saturday, April 20, with experts predicting a financial bonanza of £9.7 million for participating stores and Britain’s grassroots music culture at large.
The figure is an estimate of the sales value of the 443 exclusive releases which will be made available through indie stores on Record Store Day.
This year these range from Ringo Starr’s “Crooked Boy” EP which includes four brand-new tracks, to an Olivia Rodrigo & Noah Kahan split 7” of “Stick Season” and “Lacy” from the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge to a stunning reissue of Young Father’s Mercury Award winning debut album “Dead”, limited to just 2000 copies.
Analysis last year by the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), which organises Record Store UK, estimated that exclusives sold accounted for nearly 10% of annual sales of all physical music product through High Street stores.
Last month ERA announced that indie store numbers have hit a 10-year high in part propelled by Record Store Day.
ERA CEO Kim Bayley said: “Record Store Day is a cultural phenomenon which draws in tens of thousands of music fans across the country, but it is also a financial lifeline for a vital element of music’s unique ecosystem. Without Record Store Day, many would find it difficult to stay in business.
"We are grateful to the artists and labels who work so hard to create exclusive Record Store Day product and of course to the fans who turn out to support their local stores in such numbers.”
Record Store Day UK coordinator
Megan Page said: “Saturday is going to be quite a day. Indie stores can be incredibly proud of what they have achieved. There will be live music, DJ sets, parties and performances in every corner of the country to celebrate.
"The important thing is people don’t forget that indie record stores are also great places to go to when it’s not Record Store Day.”
This year will see more than 270 independent record shops celebrate music culture by selling special vinyl releases and hosting artist performances across the country.
Music icon Kate Bush has been selected as this year's Record Store Day UK ambassador. The Wuthering Heights singer will release a special edition of her hit
Eat The Music exclusively in independent record shops on April 20.
She said: “Each year Record Store Day gathers more attention, more momentum, and attracts more people who cram into indie record stores all over the world to see what’s up and what’s new.
"This year, I hope you have a fantastic time at this very important event, and that you get to celebrate music that’s been specially released for you”.