Record Store Day 2012

Record Store Day has come a long way from an Easter egg hunt for limited, colorful releases from favorite indie bands to something much more important.  It is no longer a side-show, it is a necessity for not just independent music stores, but I would argue, for the industry in whole.  Sure the rare, one-time only releases primarily stir interest in a select slice of music consumers, but those very consumers also tend to be the taste-makers.  And those taste-makers don’t get merely excited… they get rabid.

 While independent record stores only account for about 8% of total industry sales, last year’s RSD saw the independent sector account for 41% of the overall increase in sales for the week.  The number of units these indies move is nothing to sneeze at.  Last year they moved 467,000 units (+39% from the prior week).  These units are spread over roughly 700 independent record stores which equates to an impressive average of over 650 units per store!

These kind of numbers are important for two reasons:

1)  For many independent record stores, this single day puts them into the black for the year.  Without the artists, labels and fans supporting this day, many stores would not be making a profit for the year and would go the way that many of America’s favorite record stores have gone… closed.

2)  It lets all music labels, distribution companies and retailers know that there is still demand for physical product and that people are willing to pay a premium for good music put out in quality, physical packaging.  While the overall physical music industry has been in a steady decline since roughly 2000, Record Store Day makes sure that the major players in the industry don’t bring down the axe just yet on the physical mediums.

So get out to your local independent record store and support them and the medium!

For a store near you, search here

For a list of the limited releases out April 21^st, go here