Record Store Day Scotland 2021: When is it, what exclusive records are available and where can I buy them?

It may look a little different again this year due to the pandemic, but thousands of record collectors and music fans are preparing for a day (or two) dedicated to a musical format once thought redundant.

Record Store Day has become a major event for vinyl lovers since the inaugural event in the US in 2007 sold barely more than 10 different limited edition pressings by artists including Death Cab for Cutie, R.E.M. and Stephen Malkmus.

Now over 200 independent record stores across the UK take part each year, selling thousands of copies of exclusive vinyl, from new releases to old classics.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s event.

When is Record Store Day 2021?

The pandemic has complicated things somewhat and organisers have decided to follow last year’s model of having two separate record ‘drops’ – because social distancing laws have made it more difficult to sell large numbers of records.

This year the first drop is on Saturday, June 12.

There will then be a second drop on Saturday, July 17.

Record Store Day 2021 is almost here and will, once again, give vinyl lovers the chance to grab a whole host of exclusive records.

Due to social distancing and other Covid restrictions the usual programme of in-store live music events are not expected to go ahead.

What records are available?

There will be around 340 limited edition pressings in the first drop, including releases from Ash, the Beastie Boys, Conor Oberst, Ed Sheeran, Fontaines D.C. Haim, Lady Gaga, Pearl Jam, Roisin Murphy, The Thrills, and Wolf Alice.

The second drop with be around 200-strong, with key releases from The Cranberries, The Clash, Keane, The Pipettes, Queen Sinead O’Connor, Small Faces, Squid, St Vincent, The Wildhearts

Queues often start at participating record shops, like Glasgow's Monorail, the day before exclusive vinyl goes on sale.

Artist with Scottish connections releasing exclusive vinyl include AC/DC, Belle & Sebastian, Dire Straits, Garbage, Mogwai, Mungo’s Hi Fi, Primal Scream, and Ultravox.

Can I buy records online?

Record Store Day shops are prohibited from reserving records for particular customers or offering records online on the day itself.

In short: to stand the best chance of getting any particular item you’ll need to physically attend the shop and probably queue (lines of people start appearing outside some shops the day before the event).

This year shops will be able to offer any unsold stock from the first drop online from 6pm on June 12, 2021.

For the second drop, in expectation of social distancing rules being relaxed, any remaining product can be sold online from Friday, July 23, at 8pm.

What shops are taking part?

The full list of Record Store Day shops can be found here.

Glasgow shops include Love Music, Monorail Music, Mostly Vinyl Micky, Chameleon@Glasgow Audio, Strip Joint Records, Mixed Up Records, and Some Great Reward.

In Edinburgh participating stores include VoxBox Music, Assai Records, Ilium, Avalanche Records and Underground Solu'shn.

Other Scottish shops include Europa Music in Stirling, Concorde Music in Perth, Le Freak Records in Dundee, Assai Records in Dundee, Thirteen Records in Dundee, Red Robin Records in Aberdeen,

Maidinvinyl in Aberdeen, Chameleon in Aberdeen, and Mo Fidelity in Montrose.

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