Each year since its 2007 launch, Record Store Day has consistently been one of the biggest sales days of the year for record stores around the country.
Judy Mills is the owner of Mills Record Company in Westport. She generally does about "two months of sales" on Record Store Day, which requires a lot of extra work. Mills says it's absolutely worth it.
"We wouldn't be where we are without Record Store Day, and sort of the marketing support that that's provided in helping us to grow our business from the very beginning."
Kevin Carroll, chief record buyer for Vinyl Renaissance & Audio, says business has been on the uptick as of late. He believes there are a number of reasons behind the strong resurgence in vinyl over the past decade or so.
"People want something more physical," he says. "It's the whole ritual of dropping the needle, of feeling the large packaging in your hands, maybe the little creak of the gatefold when it opens... It allows you to just sit down, y'know, just twenty minutes and just focus on the music."
Both Mills and Carroll compiled lists of their most anticipated releases for this Record Store Day. Here's what they recommend you try getting your hands on:
- Karen Dalton - "Shuckin' Sugar"
- Stevie Nicks - "Bella Donna"
- The Ramones - "The Sire Albums (1981-1989)"
- Two albums from the great jazz pianist Bill Evans - "Morning Glory: The 1973 Concert at the Teatro Gran Rex, Buenos Aires" and "Inner Spirit: The 1979 Concert at the Teatro General San Martin, Buenos Aires."
- Patti Smith - "Curated by Record Store Day"
- Joni Mitchell - "Blue Highlights"
- Judy Mills, owner of Mills Record Company in Westport
- Kevin Carroll, chief record buyer of Vinyl Renaissance & Audio in Overland Park
