New collectors item records from Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Led Zeppelin, the Cure and more highlight todays Record Store Day, an annual celebration by music geeks of independent retail institutions that largely struggle, but keep the vinyl flame alive.
The participating artists support the endeavor by making special editions of their music available on vinyl, all with the goal of driving traffic into the stores for at least one day. For example, the Cure is offering two sets of limited edition double LP picture discs from their 1990 remix album, Mixed Up; while Swift is celebrating by offering limited edition colored vinyl for her albums Taylor Swift, Fearless and 1989.
The event typically brings out the hardcore collectors, who often line up hours in advance to grab the few copies of their favorites available. But its not unusual to see a few celebrities also crowding the aisles and happily browsing the bins.
A few online reactions:
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