First off, if you don’t support your local record stores, you might as well stop reading this and stick your head in a microwave – don’t turn it on or anything; simply just go there to contemplate your poor decision making over the past few years. Secondly, if you don’t get excited hearing the words “Space” and “Jam” paired together, you’re dead to us.
Now that’s off our chest, let’s dive in, shall we?
While April 22nd might not exactly jump off the calendar for most people, this year it marks as one of the biggest days for record store junkies and LP collectors. Why’s that? Well, it’s the 10th annual Record Store Day, that’s why. And this year, the fine folks who help increase foot traffic in indie record stores throughout the nation, are pulling out all the stops to make this year special.
Below, you’ll find 15 Record Store Day exclusives you absolutely need to get your hands on this year. To check out the full list of gems being released as well as participating record stores, head here. (PS. Don’t mind the album covers, that’s all we have to work with).
AGAINST ME! - Stabitha Christie
Kicking off with a bang, Laura Jane Grace and company will be releasing a special Record Store Day exclusive featuring two new tracks on a limited edition 7" picture disc. To that, we say, “Yes, please! We’ll take two!”
AJJ - Decade of Regression: Live At SideOneDummy
Two things we love combined into one collector’s edition: AJJ and SideOneDummy. Also, we may or may not have been at this live recording and haven’t been the same since witnessing the intimate 13-track performance from those formally known as Andrew Jackson Jihad. Trust us, you’re gonna want to pick this bad boy up.
ALICE IN CHAINS - Get Born
This special edition 45 RPM double 7” from Alice In Chains holds a special place in fans’ hearts as it represents two different aspects of the band. The first two tracks featured (“What the Hell Have I” and “A Little Bitter” – which yes were released on the Last Action Hero soundtrack) constitute the beginning of bassist Mike Inez playing in the band after performing with Ozzy Osborne for five years. The last two tracks (“Get Born Again” and “Died”) were the band’s final recordings with beloved original vocalist Layne Staley.
ALL TIME LOW - MTV Unplugged
What do you get when you have All Time Low before they were quite All Time Low performing on MTV’s Unplugged? How about a vinyl exclusive listeners young and old will be lining up around the block to purchase. Sounds about right.
ANDRE 3000 - All Together Now
Possibly one of the most unique releases on our list as well as Record Store Day’s availabilities as a whole, Andre 3000 (yes, of Outkast) is releasing his eclectic rendition of The Beatles’ “All Together Now” which was first heard in a Nike commercial during the 2010 NBA Finals. This fun 7″ is limited to 5000 copies, so get yours while you can.
AVENGED SEVENFOLD - Waking The Fallen
For the first time ever, Avenged Sevenfold’s 2003 sophomore release Waking The Fallen will be available on a double LP collector’s edition picture disc. If “Unholy Confessions” is your jam – which, we’re not sure why it wouldn’t be – we highly suggest grabbing this early before its 1300 copies sell out.
JOHNNY CASH - Children’s Album
When you think about Johnny Cash we’re pretty sure Sesame Street and Elvis Presley don’t come to mind – especially the former. However, with this RSD exclusive, for the first time in 40 years fans will be able to hear The Man In Black sing “Nasty Dan” (written by Sesame Street writer Jeff Moss and actually performed by Cash on the PBS program) and “Old Shep” which was famously recorded by The King back in 1956.
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN - Instrumentalist
On the complete opposite end of Johnny Cash singing children’s songs is the infamous Dillinger Escape Plan. In support of possibly their last album ever, the mathcore pioneers are releasing an instrumental track and remix from last year’s face-melting release Dissociation.
THE DISTILLERS - Coral Fang
Any chance we get to talk about The Distillers, we’re going to take it. And, just like most of you reading this, when there’s any chance of picking up their major label debut Coral Fang on vinyl, we’re definitely going to take it.
THE GERMS - Lexicon Devil
Los Angeles punk rock royalty The Germs will be releasing a Lexicon Devil 7″. We repeat: Los Angeles punk rock royalty The Germs will be releasing a Lexicon Devil 7″. ‘Nuff said.
MOTORHEAD - Clean Your Clock
Does this one really require any explanation? You have the opportunity to purchase Motorhead’s killer live album recorded at the Zenith in Munich, Germany during the winter 2015 Bad Magic Tour. So do it already.
RAMONES - 76-‘79 Singles Box
If you’re starting to notice a trend here it’s that the next few releases really speak for themselves as to why you need to buy them. This highly-anticipated RSD exclusive will feature a unique cigarette-style outer box with an insert and individually foil-stamped numbered global edition of 6500. As if that wasn’t enough, the Ramones ‘76-’79 Singles Box will also include a special mono/stereo promo edition of “I Wanna Be Sedated.”
THE SEX PISTOLS - Anarchy In The UK –The UK & US Singles
Just in case you were more into Johnny Rotten rather than Joey Ramone, or you happen to love them both, The Sex Pistols are also getting into the Record Store Day spirit by releasing Anarchy In The UK –The UK & US Singles. The collection will include four original UK 7"s and one US 7" presented in replicas of the original 1977 sleeves and housed in a singles box.
THRICE - Sea Change
Like most of you, we are incredibly excited to have hard rock outfit Thrice back in the scene again and making music for all of us to geek out over. For that reason, anything they release, like their RSD exclusive Sea Change 7″, will be purchased and not taken for granted. Plus, a b-side from To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere doesn’t hurt either.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - Space Jam: Music From and Inspired By The Motion Picture
Well, here we are: We have reached the end of our list and frankly think we’ve saved the best for last. Featuring classics like R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly,” Seal’s “Fly Like An Eagle,” Barry White and Chris Rock’s “Basketball Jones” and of course, “Hit ‘Em High” (The Monstars Anthem) featuring B. Real, Coolio, Method Man, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes, owning the Space Jam soundtrack on vinyl is every 90′s kid dream come true. Oh, and don’t think we slept on the best track available – Bugs Bunny’s “Buggin’.” Yeah, like a Micheal Jordan dunk from the free throw line, this is a definite can’t miss.
