Independent record shops enjoy sales boost from Record Store Day
Independent record shops received a very welcome sales boost on Saturday thanks to the UK’s fifth Record Store Day.
Music fans queued to get their hands on a wide range of limited edition releases produced specially for this day and only available in-store. The majority were vinyl pressings, produced in response to revived interest in this classic format.
More than 230 UK Shops participated in Record Store Day 2012 with many marking the event with live appearances, DJ appearances, signing sessions and celebrities helping behind the counter.
Staff reported very brisk trade throughout the day with many of the special editions selling out quickly. Large crowds gathered outside the Rough Trade West shop in London’s Notting Hill to catch the live performances.
The number of independent record shops has declined rapidly in recent decades as music purchases have moved online and also shifted to electronic downloads, both legal and illegal.
Record Store Day was originally launched in the USA in 2007 to fight back against this decline. The event has quickly become an international celebration of the traditional joys of rifling through the racks and purchasing CDs and vinyl records. More than 20 countries now participate in the event which takes place on the third Saturday in April.
