While your relatives will be out hunting down discounts on TV sets and food processors at the big box stores this Black Friday, Nov. 29, music fans have every opportunity to make a detour to their local record shop for the annual holiday edition of Record Store Day.
Vinyl sales are on the rise in 2024, as the Los Angeles-based data company Luminate reports a 6.2% bump in sales through the third quarter. So this means that there may be even more people out there this day after Thanksgiving than ever before, waiting in line with a printed memo of potential exclusives they’re hoping to add to their music libraries.
And while there is a wide variety of means, ways and websites to assist one in acquiring physical media in 2024 (direct artist sales, merch booths at shows, Bandcamp, Discogs, etc.), the independent record shop still remains the most exciting and time-honored way to track down gems from your wishlist. There is nothing like the rush that channels through your being the moment you have a copy of that record you expected to be sold out.
At 158 titles, this year’s Record Store Day: Black Friday event might not boast the volume of product of its April counterpart. But there are plenty of choices available for those who decide to brave the wilds of the busiest shopping day of the year. Among the treasures to be discovered this time around include the 25th anniversary of an underground hip-hop classic, a gritty Latino soul masterpiece, an unearthed live LP from a great American rock band and the deluxe edition of last year’s best album from a reigning pop queen.
After a careful studying of this season’s list, the following are 10 selections Billboard readers should keep an eye out for when waiting in line at their local mom-and-pop.