The 20 Best Record Store Day Exclusives
Record Store Day was created in 2007 as a way of drawing attention – and much-needed sales – to brick-and-mortar independent music shops. The celebration has grown bigger each year, with more stores getting involved as labels and artists both great and small offer exclusive limited-edition releases to independent shops participating in the event. This year's Record Store Day falls on Saturday, April 16th. An overwhelming number of new releases and reissues will hit shelves that day, so we've picked out the 20 most exciting Record Store Day exclusives for you to focus on.
By Matthew Perpetua
RELATED:
• The Best Record Stores in the U.S.A.
• Radiohead to Release New Song For Record Store Day
• Digest: Nirvana and Sonic Youth Reissue Tour EPs; Lady Gaga Announces New Version of 'Born This Way'
• Listen: Gorillaz Celebrate Record Store Day With 'Phoner to Arizona'
-
Big Star, ‘Third’ (Test Pressing Edition)
This new edition of Big Star's "lost" album is a replica of the original test pressing and its tape box packaging. Well, most of them are replicas, anyway – one in 300 of this limited edition run of 2,000 copies will include an actual test pressing of the album from the Seventies.
• Big Star Disciples Recreate 'Third' in Concert
• Rolling Stone Album Review: 'Third/Sister Lovers' by Big Star
• Alex Chilton Remembered: A Conversation With Big Star's Jody Stephens
-
The Flaming Lips, ‘Heady Nuggs: The First 5 Warner Bros. Records 1992-2002’
This vinyl box set features five of the Flaming Lips' most acclaimed albums – Hit to Death in the Future Head, Transmissions From the Satellite Heart, Clouds Taste Metallic, The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
• Video: The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne Shows Off the Band's New Gummy Skull – With Songs Inside
• Flaming Lips, Michael Stipe, The Roots and Patti Smith Rock for Tibet
• Video: Flaming Lips Rehearse Trippy Version of 'Do You Realize?'
-
Foo Fighters, ‘Medium Rare’
This vinyl-only album collects the Foo Fighters' recordings of songs by Paul McCartney, Prince, Pink Floyd, the Who and more.
• Video: Foo Fighters Return to 'SNL' With Blistering Version of 'Walk'
• Foo Fighters, On an Honor Roll: Rolling Stone's 2005 Feature
-
The Decemberists, ‘Live at Bull Moose’
This seven-track live CD was recorded earlier this year at the Decemberists' in-store concert at the Bull Moose record shop in Scarborough, Maine.
-
Radiohead, ‘Supercollider’
This 12-inch single by Radiohead features two brand new songs that were not included on the band's latest album The King of Limbs. Unfortunately, this release will not be available in North American shops.
• Rolling Stone Album Review: 'The King of Limbs' by Radiohead
• The Future According to Radiohead: Rolling Stone's 2008 Cover Story
-
Pink Floyd, ‘London 66/67’
This live recording featuring the original Syd Barrett-fronted lineup of Pink Floyd will be released as a deluxe white vinyl LP.
-
Built to Spill, ‘Ripple’
This seven-inch single features Built to Spill's live recording of the Grateful Dead classic "Ripple" from a show in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 11th, 2010.
-
Lady Gaga, ‘Born This Way’ Picture Disc
This 12-inch vinyl pressing of Lady Gaga's Number One hit will come on a deluxe picture disc featuring the artwork under the grooves.
-
Death Cab for Cutie, ‘Atlantic Records Presents: Death Cab For Cutie in Living Stereo!’
This limited seven-inch single will give fans a sneak preview of songs from Death Cab For Cutie's forthcoming album Codes and Keys.
• Death Cab for Cutie Grow Up On 'Codes and Keys'
• Listen: Death Cab for Cutie's Atmospheric Ballad 'You Are A Tourist'
-
Bob Dylan, ‘Bob Dylan in Concert: Brandeis University 1963’
This vinyl edition features a previously unreleased recording of a 21-year-old Bob Dylan performing at the Brandeis First Annual Folk Festival in Waltham, Massachusetts, on May 10th, 1963.
• Rolling Stone Album Review: 'Bob Dylan in Concert: Brandeis University 1963' by Bob Dylan
-
Mumford & Sons/Laura Marling, ‘Dharohar Project’
This split 10-inch single features British folkies Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling's collaborative recordings with a group of Rajasthani folk musicians at an arts & culture school in Delhi during their 2009 tour of India.
• Marcus Mumford on Backing Dylan, Naked Songwriting and Why Arcade Fire Rule His World
• Video: Mumford & Sons Perform ''Timshel' Live at Rolling Stone
-
Daft Punk, ‘Tron Legacy’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Daft Punk's score for Tron Legacy will finally be released as a limited edition vinyl LP, months after the soundtrack was released as a CD and digital download.
-
R.E.M., ‘Three’
This box set features seven-inch singles for three songs – "Mine Smell Like Honey," "Uberlin" and "Oh My Heart" – from R.E.M.'s new album Collapse Into Now. The B sides for each single will feature a live recording from the band's 2008 tour.
-
Various Artists, ‘Guided By Voices Tribute: Sing For Your Meat’
This tribute CD features a number of Guided by Voices classics covered by artists such as Thurston Moore, Lou Barlow, the Flaming Lips and Blitzen Trapper.
• Photos: Matador's 'Lost Weekend,' Day Three: Guided By Voices Blowout Caps Festival for the Ages
-
Nirvana, ‘Hormoaning’ and Sonic Youth, ‘Whores Moaning’
Nirvana and Sonic Youth will be reissuing, respectively, Hormoaning and Whores Moaning, a pair of 12-inch vinyl EPs that were originally released when the bands toured together in Australia in 1992.
• Success Doesn't Suck: Rolling Stone's 1994 Kurt Cobain Cover Story
• Photos: The Rise of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam and More
-
Wild Flag, ‘Future Crimes’
This seven-inch single by Wild Flag, a supergroup featuring members of Sleater-Kinney and Helium, is the band's highly anticipated debut release.
• Carrie Brownstein and Mary Timony's Wild Flag: a Gloriously Shameless Celebration of Rockness
-
Gorillaz, ‘The Fall’
The Gorillaz' album The Fall was released as a free digital download on Christmas Day, but will be issued as a premium-quality vinyl record for Record Store Day.
• Listen: Gorillaz Celebrate Record Store Day With 'Phoner to Arizona'
-
Fleet Foxes, ‘Helplessness Blues’
This limited-edition seven-inch single includes two songs from Fleet Foxes' forthcoming album Helplessness Blues.
• Fleet Foxes Get Existential on Second Album, 'Helplessness Blues'
-
Kings of Leon, ‘Holy Roller Novacaine’ EP
This early EP by the Kings of Leon is being reissued as a limited-edition red vinyl 10-inch pressing.
• Rolling Stone Album Review: 'Holy Roller Novocaine' by Kings of Leon
• Video: Inside the Followills' Private Worlds
-
Television, ‘Live at the Old Waldorf’
This long-bootlegged 1978 live set by Television will be reissued as a double LP on white vinyl.