It was certainly thrilling when cassette tapes came onto the scene in the 1980s. You could pop a tape in your boom box and listen to it anywhere. The Sony Walkman made music even more portable.
But vinyl aficionados know that something very important was lost in the transition from albums to tapes and, later, to compact discs and digital: the quality of the sound.
While most of us keep our music on our phones, there’s still a thriving segment of society that believes Pink Floyd shouldn’t be played on anything but a turntable. It’s that passion for vinyl that led to the first Record Store Day.
When Did Record Store Day Start?
The first Record Store Day took place on April 19, 2008. Its purpose is to celebrate—and spread the word about—the 1,400 independent record stores that still exist in the United States.
The event, which takes place this year on April 21, has spread to every continent except Antarctica.
Looking to find a celebration near you? Check out this link.
Events differ from store to store, but festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet-and-greets with artists, parades, DJs spinning records and more.
In addition, the day features special limited releases, including a new collaborative record from Brian Eno and Kevin Shields, a new remix from The Cure and live recordings from The National, Fleet Foxes, and Rage Against the Machine.
Climate Controlled Storage for Records
Records can be stored safely in your hall closet or in your bedroom, but tucking them away in a basement or attic is a recipe for ruining them.
At StorageMart, you can rent a climate-controlled self storage unit as small as 25 square feet or so—which will offer more than enough room to store hundreds of albums, as well as your old record player. Check out our storage unit guide or rent a unit online today.