Supply chain chaos and a worldwide vinyl shortage means the annual event that once saved record shops from extinction has lost its way.

In 2018 we wrote an article about why vinyl gimmicks alone won't save local shops. The confused ethos of the event actually got progressively worse over the following four years (exacerbated admittedly by the pandemic), and in 2022, we wrote again for the Guardian about Record Store Day from a logistical perspective. You can read that article in full here.

What was once a shot in the arm for physical retail is now an albatross around the neck of the establishment it purports to help. The event can be revitalised and set up to run in a way that will help independent shops, labels, distributors and equally importantly, customers. But, it needs a proper evaluation and that has to be shop led. 

We'll no doubt be back to write something about RSD again in 2026 at this rate. What is the betting that RSD still creates huge logistical and cash flow problems, steamrollers over and causes havoc to the general release schedule, is manipulated as a marketing ploy by the major sized labels and crates a needless sense of panic around - lets be totally honest - often vastly overpriced and under thought releases. 

Record Shops should indeed be celebrated, but this absolutely isn’t the way.