Record Store Day returns on the weekend (Saturday, April 12) with around 400 special releases.
It’s 18 years since the indie retail event launched to support physical music – a period of time that coincides almost exactly with the resurgence of vinyl.
“The indie retailers who launched it should be applauded for what they have done,” said RSD coordinator Megan Ogleby-Page, head of operations at the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA). “They put vinyl back on the map at a time when it was forgotten.”
In the latest Q1 figures, vinyl sales surged again – up 15.4% year-on-year, thanks in part to the huge week one result for Record Store Day ambassador Sam Fender.
Here, ERA’s Ogleby-Page reveals what’s in store for the year’s RSD, including the increasing importance of pop acts in the vinyl celebration…
Eighteen years on from the launch of Record Store Day, what would you highlight about this year’s initiative?
“The biggest thing in terms of freshness for this year's Record Store Day is probably the number of artists that are appealing to that younger generation. We've seen a real sea change with that this year. Looking at the list you've got artists this year like Beabadoobee, Charli XCX, Taylor Swift, there are so many others. For us, this is really positive, and it feels like the labels can see that Record Store Day is a really incredible marketing platform now with a huge reach, and that it's delivering for the artists now, just as much as it delivers for the record shops and turns people onto physical music. So while the format of Record Store Day is the same as it is in most years, actually, the number of new contemporary artists that are engaging with it has been on a new level.”
Who are the other acts you are thinking about who have joined the line-up this year?
“We've got artists like Rachel Chinouriri, Griff is on the list. What we've seen is that it's a lot of female talent which has come through, which is great. Obviously Sam Fender is our ambassador. It’s about identifying those artists that can bring record shops and Record Store Day to an audience who might not have necessarily engaged with their local record shop before. This year, a big, solid chunk of the list is really given over to that newer kind of audience.”
You’ve also secured releases from Charli XCX…
“There's two from Charli XCX. One is the single that she did with Billie Eilish [Guess], which is obviously going to be an absolutely huge release. Also, it's really great to have some seven-inch singles on the list as well, because they can come in a lower price point, and it can be a good entry-level product for some of the younger fans. And then there is another Charli XCX release, the Number 1 Angel LP, which is having a reissue on red vinyl.”
The number of new contemporary artists that are engaging with Record Store Day has been on a new level
Megan Ogleby-Page
Why are labels increasingly aligning younger pop acts with Record Store Day?
“They’re starting to see the value, the marketing value, of independent retail. Something that we've always noticed is that the industry makes a real difference when it comes together. The force of having every independent retailer in the country behind something at the same time, along with media, record labels and a really good, solid product offering, that's where you're able to make real change and create real momentum. The more people that are joined in with the Record Store Day network, the bigger it's got, and the more it benefits everyone.
“It's about thinking really strategically about how to use this special day, not only to do what we've set out to do, which is to support the independent retail community, but also to use it as a way to maybe tease an album campaign. Given that there's going to be all of these eyeballs on this one day, perhaps it’s an opportunity to release an extra couple of tracks that might not have made the cut on an album, but you still want them to have a moment to really shine. Or even if you've unearthed something from the vault that you think deserves a special moment to have its reissue. So I think there are lots of different reasons and ways to use Record Store Day to your advantage. Ultimately it's the fact that we have this spotlight on one day, and it allows everyone to create something really meaningful.”
Is it also about the organic social media coverage as fans express their love of physical music?
“It really is that. It's that buzzword of superfans that everyone rolls about nowadays. Ultimately, it is about feeding into the superfandom, especially when there are limited edition runs. It does create that level of urgency. It’s a badge of honour if you've been able to get one of those limited edition numbers or something you know is not going to be pressed again. It does create that real buzz and real hype, which can sometimes be quite hard to artificially generate. And then we're seeing a platform like TikTok engaging more and more with Record Store Day, and particularly the record shop community. That is cultivating these fan moments and communities.”
In its recent global vinyl rankings, IFPI noted the rise of pop acts on the format. Is RSD reflecting this trend for younger vinyl fans?
“Yeah, absolutely. I think we see with Record Store Day that there are two really distinct audiences. There's your traditional record store vinyl buyer, who probably always bought vinyl and has never lost faith with the format, typically male. They’re still a really important audience, it's really important that we don't alienate that traditional buyer, because we want them to always be supportive of vinyl and their local record shops. At the same time, you're trying to nurture and encourage a new audience who have never even seen a vinyl record until the last couple of years, because they weren't around when vinyl and sometimes even CD were our dominant form of music. What can we do to juggle these two audiences in a way, so that they don't alienate each other, but actually complement each other? I think we've managed to do that quite well with the types of artists that we're working with, the media partners that we've got, the sponsors that we've got. It feels like it's complementary.”
You mentioned RSD as part of new album campaigns. Does Sam Fender exemplify that with an EP of extra tracks just weeks after the release of People Watching?
“Yeah, I think that's a really good example. We worked closely with Polydor, who are an amazing team and really see the market value of indie retail. So the campaign obviously aligned perfectly with Sam’s album release day, and it just means that everyone's a winner. I think the idea behind the unreleased tracks on this vinyl definitely came from Sam himself, and wanting them to have a special moment, as they couldn't make it onto the album itself. So it’ s co-supporting each other with Sam's incredible album and their incredible album campaign, but also ensuring that indie retailers and that community have got something extra special to look forward to and to champion as well. So they are really well aligned, and work really well for each other.”
The price of vinyl has probably reached a peak in terms of what we can expect consumers to continue paying
Megan Ogleby-Page
What's the idea behind the April 10 pop-up shop at Truman Brewery?
“The pop-up shop won't be selling any Record Store Day music. But, effectively, it is promotional activity that we do with Studio by Miraval, and it's really to help people discover new records that they wouldn't have discovered before. So the concept is basically like a lucky dip. We work with record labels who generously contribute lots of new vinyl products. We put them in mystery sleeves, and people can pay £5, and they get a mystery record that they've not heard before. And all of the funds that we raise from that event goes towards War Child, who are our official charity partner, and to Calm as well. We organise it in collaboration with Rough Trade, and it's just a nice event to get people excited that Record Store Day is coming up, experience something a little bit different, and to turn them on to new music they might not have heard before.”
There’s talk of CDs making a comeback, is there scope for the format to play a greater role at Record Store Day?
“Yeah, absolutely, it's something that we’ve suggested to the labels for a few years now. Record Store Day is about supporting the shop, but the format in which you want to support that is totally open. We'd be more than supportive of CDs. We think that it would be a really good channel to actually put more special CD releases through. So we would really welcome that.”
How are the store numbers for this year’s RSD and are there new retailers on board?
“It’s still growing every year, which is really positive. So we've got about 300 shops on our list this year, and that's the most in Record Store Day history. We're seeing new record shops opening every two to three weeks at the moment, which is really positive, considering what that might have looked like 10 years ago, when I first started in the role at ERA.
“We hosted our independent retail conference recently where we had over 100 indie record shops come for the day to meet with their labels and suppliers. What I found really encouraging was that there's this new generation of shop owners now who are perhaps around the age of 30, first-time business owners and more female owners in what has predominately been a very male-dominated industry. They're really engaged, really enthusiastic, really switched on, and they offer a really valuable route to market in a lot of communities where music is quite underserved. A lot of the record shops that we're seeing are definitely in it very seriously for the long haul.”
Finally, how are these independent retailers faring in a tough economic climate?
“The High Street is tough, and I think there are a lot of challenges – the rising cost of everything in general to National Insurance [increases]. Obviously, indie record shops aren't immune to that. On the positive side, indies are creative when it comes to diversifying. If you’re a record shop customer, you will probably notice that most of them nowadays have to venture into other lines like coffee, clothes or books. We've also seen a real success story with shops and outstore events and live performances, so I think that's something that we'll continue to see growing in the indie community.
“While they’re weathering the storm fairly well, we need to be mindful it’s a real challenge.Aand a lot of what we’re hearing from our retailers is that the price of vinyl has probably reached a peak in terms of what we can expect consumers to continue paying. So while it’s fine at the moment, if the price keeps rising that’s our biggest concern at the moment.”
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