Established in 2007, Record Store Day (RSD) is an annual event held on the third Saturday in April to “celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store”. The day brings together fans, artists and thousands of independent record stores around the world. A number of records are pressed exclusively for RSD, with a list of releases for each country.
RSD 2023 took place on Saturday April 22. It featured Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires as ambassadors and included folklore: the long pond studio sessions by Taylor Swift in grey vinyl (double LP) format. Recorded live, the album features Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner (The National), Jack Antonoff (Bleachers) and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver).
At Hum on King in Newtown, store owner Peter Thiele was delighted by the turnout. “Swifties waited in line outside the store from as early as 4.30am,” he said. The queue continued well into mid-morning.
“This is a day for people to come together and celebrate the unique culture of an independent record store and the role these stores play in their communities.”
This year’s releases include gems across every genre: BB King, Willie Dixon; Bill Evans, Shirley Scott; Motörhead, Mötley Crüe; Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires; Bert Jansch, Marianne Faithfull; Acid Mothers Temple, Groundhogs; movie soundtracks by Ennio Morricone and David Byrne; live recordings by the Allman Brothers, Donna Summer, the Cure and Pixies.
Some RSD releases are still available over the counter from participating stores, including Hum on King and Egg Records in Newtown, and Title Music, Film & Books in Surry Hills.
