With UK vinyl sales surging 3% year-on-year despite COVID setbacks and with 2.7 million units sold already, it provides a true test of strength, unity and the overall love for music as consumers, artists and proprietors come together as one.
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“…huge vinyl releases from artists such as Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac and Declan McKenna will whet the appetite of record lovers who have been feeling the void of music celebrations since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.” – RSD, 26/09, 2020
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More than 230 independent shops faced huge uncertainty with the postponement of this year’s event alongside the nationwide closure of all retail outlets.
But since the first ‘drop’ provided a huge confidence boost to the independent community back in August, with sales expectations exceeding those numbers estimated, it has allowed the independent record stores to thrive once more, allowing them to stay open that little bit longer with the help of avid music consumers driving and supporting them all the way.
It also provides much-needed drive, support and attention, to an industry that has received nothing but doom and gloom from these past few months.
With Record Store Day split into three ‘drops’ this year to provide socially distanced queues, bookable time slots and extended sales and opportunities from the high street to online, it has provided quite a treat with new titles, exclusive content and a feeling of excitement to not only the consumers but to the small, independent businesses too, who prepare for this event as if it was Christmas, where more than 100,000 LPs can be sold through one weekend alone – or three weekends for this year.
With many more to follow, it has given the local community a chance to thrive, settle and push on for greater accomplishments in 2021.
Hopefully, this is nothing but a true testament of more to come for the world of vinyl in the future!
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“It’s been class to work on some really different versions of my music for RSD in the past & it’s such a buzz watching everyone go out in the morning that day to try and find the releases! Excited to get this new album colour way out there to support all of the indie stores over the UK this year! X”
– Lewis Capaldi, in anticipation of releasing a limited edition version of his debut album for Drop 3.
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“The real spark – or full blown explosion – this year was a huge increase in online sales too. We saw the most traffic online we’ve ever seen in our trading history resulting in a 200% year on year increase in sales so we’re now feeling optimistic about the months ahead.”
– Joe Blanchard, owner of Bear Tree Records in Sheffield.
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Missed out? Not to worry, you can still catch all the new releases and the drop content via the
and the range of independent record shops that RSD celebrate with!
mvm. 
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