Record Store Day has returned for its 18th year today (April 12), with fans queuing from the early hours to get their hands on special edition releases from their local independent record shops.
READ MORE: Record Store Day 2025: Here’s the full list of releases
This year’s annual event will see some huge names putting out special one-off collectable vinyl and cassettes, with the likes of Oasis, Charli XCX, Fred.. Again, The Cure, Gorillaz, Taylor Swift and many more putting out exclusive releases.
Hundreds of releases from artists including Beabadoobee, Rachel Chinouriri, Confidence Man, English Teacher, Lil Uzi Vert, Megan Thee Stallion, MJ Lenderman and Post Malone, as well as legends like Public Image Ltd, Lou Reed, The Jesus and Mary Chain and more, will be made available – on a first-come-first-served basis – at over 270 independent record shops across the country, as well as thousands more globally.
As ever, the event brought out huge numbers of fans to record stores around the UK early this morning, with well-prepared attendees bringing chairs and umbrellas to brave the wait and the weather. Taking to X/Twitter, Piccadilly Records said they’d already found their first queue member yesterday (April 11), in Evan, from Wigan.
“He’s never queued up before for RSD, arrived at 9am this morning,” they wrote. “23 hours before we actually open at 8am tomorrow. He’s after the Wicked: Soundtrack, I think he’ll get one.”
First person in the queue for @recordstoreday 2025 is Evan from Wigan. He’s never queued up before for RSD, arrived at 9am this morning. 23 hours before we actually open at 8am tomorrow. He’s after the Wicked: Soundtrack, I think he’ll get one.https://t.co/xVaeYosoFP pic.twitter.com/BwPUsyuEjz
— Piccadilly Records (@PiccadillyRecs) April 11, 2025
It’s freezing and pouring down rain so we all agreed to set up chairs and sit in our cars…. Well someone didn’t have a chair and brought the next best thing 😭 #rsd #rsd2025 pic.twitter.com/SwXc8Wm3R7
— Bernadette (Taylor’s Version) (@picturetobern13) April 12, 2025
Remind me why I’m doing this #RSD2025 pic.twitter.com/c3zcdZMugg
— Lauren 🧵 (@LoSewsSwiftly) April 12, 2025
the #RSD25 queue at Banquet
stock level queries to https://t.co/ZZNGi8Ckvk pic.twitter.com/1LONIJZFjX
— Banquet Records (@BanquetRecords) April 12, 2025
WICKED
This is an extremely limited release so only a lucky few will get their hands on it… https://t.co/UajBeHkl4p pic.twitter.com/WsMNQHWRdV
— Banquet Records (@BanquetRecords) April 5, 2025
Banquet Records also shared clips of their extensive queue, having previously nodded to the sought after Wicked soundtrack in a social media video, warning fans unless they were first or second in the queue, they wouldn’t manage to nab one.
With only 2000 units available worldwide, many fans were disappointed to find them already popping up on eBay at inflated prices. Others were luckier, and shared their hauls on X.
home and goods secured. #RSD25 #RSD #RSD2025 #wicked #charlixcx #yungblud #taylorswift pic.twitter.com/f1CDiSdVNG
— keri. (@kerikimberley) April 12, 2025
The Wicked ICON that I am Rough Trade West💅🏼💖💚 #RSD2025 #RSD25 #RSD #Wicked pic.twitter.com/uFh8rwPIAF
— MªElena 💜💜💜 (@M_ElenaCarballo) April 12, 2025
Wicked RSD vinyl: ACQUIRED !!!!! Worth the 15 hours of sleeping on the concrete pic.twitter.com/fZYODdmvs6
— Lyric & Eilidh’s Adventures 🐝 (@EilidhAdventure) April 12, 2025
One popular release of the day so far is Taylor Swift’s exclusive 7″ white vinyl of ‘Fortnight’ – which follows last year’s Record Store Day combing with the release of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, which then saw the highest weekly vinyl sales for 30 years. According to social media, other in demand finds include Charli XCX’s 7″ Black Vinyl of ‘Guess’ featuring Billie Eilish, and Oasis’ ‘Time Flies… 1994 – 2009’ LP.
Got what I wanted #RSD #oasis #liamgallagher #noelgallagher #RSD2025 #RSD25 pic.twitter.com/HYnCoJBEks
— raymie (@raymie77) April 12, 2025
Am I allowed to cry 😭🥹☠️ @taylornation13 #RSD25 #RSD2025 pic.twitter.com/7Q7k7rcLht
— erica ⸆⸉ ✨🪶📝🤍 TAYronto (@polaroidofus_tv) April 12, 2025
Happy Saturday! #RSD25 #RSD #Oasis pic.twitter.com/PKD3sVlzn3
— Joe (@JScaife25) April 12, 2025
I got the LAST vinyl in the record store!! First time I was able to secure a RSD exclusive Taylor Swift vinyl 🥹 #RSD25 @taylornation13 pic.twitter.com/w1FYXq6ZSz
— Yasilein (@PurrfectlyTS) April 12, 2025
Successful #RSD25
Lots of bangers! 💜#Prince #Blur #Springsteen #Killers #Swift #CharliXCX pic.twitter.com/p8Vm1jKox7
— K. (@OShaughnessyK) April 12, 2025
Ahead of the day, the events own UK ambassador Sam Fender went vinyl shopping in Hackney’s Stranger Than Paradise, picking out five records and sharing he only started going to record stores in its 20s due to its recent resurgence: “It’s the best way of showing support for the artists that you like”.
The boost in popularity saw vinyl and physical record sales hit a 20 year high in 2024, despite the fact “beneath the surface, most UK artists earn far below average salaries”, with many music fans today calling for people to continue supporting their local independent shops.
I hope all those who are lining up at record stores up & down the country on Saturday support the shops for the rest of the year. It’s my only gripe about record store day seeing people grab what they want & are never seen again. They need our support more than ever now #RSD2025
— Lee (@embleton01) April 10, 2025
Happy #RecordStoreDay #RSD2025 everyone. Making a special trip out to support my local store. Just Because.
Don’t need to see any more bands doing ‘our year on streaming’ posters on socials. Need more people to support music in the high street. Marvs pic.twitter.com/vUIFZZ2Syz— Guy B (@GuyB_rockshow) April 12, 2025
Very happy with my @recordstoreday haul, considering I queued nowhere. Visited a couple of indie stores mid morning and still up most of what I wanted. The day is about the event, supporting your local stores and denying the love of music! #RSD25 #rsd2025 pic.twitter.com/d4xcM7xigS
— Kenny Smith 🌻 (@kennsysmith) April 12, 2025
Elsewhere, last year’s edition of Record Store Day was held on April 20 and saw releases from The 1975, David Bowie, Daft Punk, Talking Heads, Paramore, Blur, Lily Allen, Gorillaz, Elton John, Paramore and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
And, in other 2025 Record Store Day-related news, a select group of the UK’s vinyl shops are set to be profiled in a new YouTube series. Titled Behind The Counter, the 12-part series is premiering every Tuesday leading up to Record Store Day itself – and each episode will showcase the vibrant culture surrounding a different independent record shop.
Elsewhere, Key Production Group has rolled out a recycling scheme for unplayable vinyl and CDs backed by UK indie record shops. Vinyl records and CDs are made from different types of plastic – vinyl from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and CDs polycarbonate – both of which can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills.
