Record Store Day 2026
Today (April 18th 2026) I did Record Store Day for the second time, after grabbing the Oasis 'Time Flies' boxset and Sam Fender's 'Me & the Dog' EP last year. Firmly getting the RSD bug, I set an alarm for 1:00AM and made a journey to my local record store, the brilliant Eclipse Records.
Having done it for the first time last year, I had learned a little more about what to do. Arriving just before 2:00AM, I was around tenth in the queue — it was a 6-hour wait before getting into the shop, and a two-hour wait before I could even confirm my list with the staff. But that time is half the point. There’s something genuinely special about standing in the dark outside a record shop in the early hours with a group of strangers who all care deeply about music.
Everyone had their own wishlist, their own stories, their own anecdotes from previous years. A real mix of people, veterans and first-timers alike, but warm and inclusive from the off. Over cups of tea and coffee, and then some breakfast, conversations moved easily from records to gigs to the ones that got away. The time seemed to fly by.
I had two records on my wishlist this year.
The first being Blur 'Live at the Budokan'. A recording of a Tokyo date on their 1995 tour for The Great Escape. Originally released 30 years ago in Japan but long out of print in physical formats, it’s a two-LP document of their peak Britpop era, boasting a setlist packed with mid-Nineties hits from 'Charmless Man' and 'The Universal' to 'Girls and Boys' and 'End of a Century' as well as some underrated gems, and b-sides from the era, like 'Supa Shoppa', 'He Thought of Cars' and 'Coping'.
The second being Pink Floyd's four-disc 16-song 'Live From the Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 26th, 1975' is made up of found material recorded by bootlegger Mike Millard. The audio has been restored and remastered by Steven Wilson.
The setlist is a fascinating snapshot of the band in creative transition. The concert opens with 'Raving and Drooling' and 'You've Got To Be Crazy', early live versions of what would eventually become 'Sheep' and 'Dogs' on their 1977 album Animals.
These are followed by 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' (Parts 1-5), 'Have a Cigar', and 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' (Parts 6-9). The band then play The Dark Side of the Moon in full, 'Speak to Me', 'Breathe (In the Air)', 'On the Run', 'Time', 'The Great Gig in the Sky', 'Money', 'Us and Them', 'Any Colour You Like', 'Brain Damage', and 'Eclipse', before closing with 'Echoes' as the encore.
I managed to pick both of them up, album reviews will be up on the page soon.
My experience today was brilliant, I was able to grab what I wanted, I had some great conversations about music, met some amazing people. Supported two small businesses. Record Store Day is a celebration of great music, great places and great people. Eclipse Records have over the last 12 months become my go to for records, they're a friendly shop, with a good selection of stock.
The way they handled today as well was exemplary. My only regret is not joining in with the fun sooner. I imagine this is going to become a yearly thing.
Reading around the event, it's apparantley been one of the best years yet. With stores reporting their largest ever queues. With the likes of Charli XCX, Muse, Suede, David Bowie, The Cure, KPop Demon Hunters, Paramore, Blur, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Olvia Dean (RSD Ambassdor), Sleep Token, and Wolf Alice participating and 300 UK and Ireland record shops taking part, it's been a succesful day already.
This year’s Record Store Day arrives with vinyl sales at their highest level in 20 years. The Digital Entertainment and Retail Association report that the market for vinyl records grew by 18.6 per cent, in value terms, with over 7.5 million discs sold last year, generating £238million.
If you've not done it, and you have even the slightest interest in collecting records. I urge you to do it. More info on the day itself, how to find your local store, and how you get can involved can be found here here
Thank you to Pete, Ellie and the rest of the team at Eclipse for making it a brilliant day. Same time next year?
Jack