Knoxville News Sentinel

What does Record Store Day have to do with Taylor Swift?

- Hayden Dunbar

Record Store Day, an annual, worldwide event, is coming up this Saturday, April 20. How might the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on Friday, April 19, be involved?

Record Store Day - or RSD - began in 2007 when a group of independen­t record store owners and employees sought a way to recognize and celebrate independen­tly owned record stores across the world, according to the Record Store Day website. The event officially kicked off the following year on April 19, 2008.

Now Record Store Day is celebrated all over the world – and right here in Knoxville.

The Record Store Day website lists Lost and Found Records, Magnolia Records, Raven Records & Rarities, Hot Horse, Wild Honey Records (Kingston Pike and Oak Ridge locations), McKAY Used Books, Cd’s, Movies and More and Basement Records as participat­ing stores, with the disclaimer that not every location will offer the same promotions or have every record available.

The site emphasizes the importance of checking with your local store for availabili­ty if there is something specific you hope to find.

What do you do on Record Store Day?

Participat­ing record stores offer a variety of reasons to stop by each year. Festivitie­s vary, but performanc­es, cookouts, artist meet-and-greets and DJs are all possibilit­ies when it comes to Record Store Day, according to its website.

Stores also offer products made specially for Record Store Day, such as unique vinyl and CD releases, as well as a variety of promotiona­l items.

There are three categories of these special releases, according to the Record Store Day website.

Exclusives, which are released only at independen­t record stores.

RSD First, which debut on Record Story day only at independen­t record stores, but are later available elsewhere.

Small Run/Regional Titles, which are either released only at certain regional locations, or are press runs under 1,000.

Why is Record Store Day important?

Record Store Day is an opportunit­y to highlight the connection independen­t record stores, and vinyl more generally, can build. “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 Record Store Day website said.

Is Taylor Swift participat­ing in Record Store Day 2024?

It’s possible Taylor Swift might have a hand in this year’s Record Store Day, which directly follows the release of her new album “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Each year since 2009, Record Store Day has been supported by a “Record Store Day Ambassador,” a musical group or artist who represents and speaks on the event. This year’s ambassador­s are the group Paramore, who announced their ambassador appointmen­t on social media. The post also revealed they are “freshly independen­t.”

Paramore, formed out of Franklin, Tennessee, said they are “humbled” to be appointed to this role.

In 2022, which marked the 15th anniversar­y of Record Store Day, Taylor Swift served as the Record Store Day Ambassador, according to the website.

“The places where we go to browse and explore and discover music new and old have always been sacred to me. Record stores are so important because they help to perpetuate and foster music-loving as a passion,” Swift said, according to the website.

Swift’s relationsh­ip with Record Store Day is also evident from her history of RSD Exclusives and First Releases, which have included special versions of “the lakes” and “folklore: the long pond studio sessions.”

The best clue for Swift’s possible involvemen­t in this year’s Record Store Day is found in a video the artist posted across social media platforms earlier this week captioned “The TTPD Timetable.” The video zooms in on a calendar, showing Friday, labeled “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT RELEASE DAY.”

But Swifties, notorious for seeking “Easter egg” clues in Swift’s content, were quick to point out that if paused at the right time, the video revealed Saturday’s calendar entry. It reads simply “record store day!”

While there are no guarantees Swift will be involved in this year’s Record Store Day, it’s entirely possible. The current list of Record Store Day 2024 releases does not include any titles by Swift, as of April 18, but the website does note the list is subject to change.

Hayden Dunbar is the storytelle­r reporter. Email hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com.

 ?? MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLE­R/THE TENNESSEAN ?? A mural of Taylor Swift, Record Store Day 2022 ambassador, graced the of outside Grimey’s New and Preloved Music in East Nashville.
MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLE­R/THE TENNESSEAN A mural of Taylor Swift, Record Store Day 2022 ambassador, graced the of outside Grimey’s New and Preloved Music in East Nashville.
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