Record Store Day 2026 in Scotland: When is it, Scottish participating shops, available records, how to buy, and can you buy online?
Vinyl sales are continuing to increase every year - meaning that this year’s event is likely to be bigger than ever.
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 2026?
It will be happening on Saturday, April 18, with the majority of releases available from participating stores.
Check the RSD2026 site for the latest information.
What records are available?
There will be several hundred limited edition pressings released on Record Store Day, including new vinyl from Air, Arcade Fire, Blur, Bruce Springsteen, Carly Rae Jepsen, Charli XCX, CMAT, The Cure, David Bowie, The Doors, Elton John, Fall Out Boy, Fleetwood Mac, HAIM, John Lennon, KISS, Lucy Dacus, Madonna, Miles David, Muse, Olivia Dean, Paramore, Paul Weller, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant, Selena Gomez, Self Esteem, Suede, Supergrass, Taylor Swift, Thin Lizzy and The Vaccines.
Artists with Scottish connections releasing exclusive vinyl include Amy Macdonald, Annie Lennox, bis, Deacon Blue, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Rod Stewart, Ultravox and Teenage Fanclub.
It should be noted that not all record shops will stock all titles, so a couple of shop visits may be required if there’s a less popular title you are keen to get your hands on.
Who is the Record Store Day ambassador for 2025?
Olivia Dean is this year’s Record Store Day Ambassador, joining the ranks of iconic past ambassadors including Kate Bush, Taylor Swift, the 1975, Noel Gallagher, Elton John and Sam Fender.
She said: “It’s such an honour to be the Record Store Day Ambassador for 2026. Independent record stores are such special spaces to discover and share music - to actually touch it and feel it. I’ve found so much inspiration in the records I’ve collected over the years and am so grateful for all the hidden gems I’ve found. I want to thank the record stores around the world for all the support you’ve given me over the years. It’s so important we continue to support them and keep them alive!”
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 or for a week afterwards.
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 8pm on Monday, April 20.
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, Blitzkriegshop, Chameleon@Glasgow Audio, Strip Joint Records, Big Blue, Mixed Up Records, Assai Record and Some Great Reward.
In Edinburgh participating stores include VoxBox Music, Assai Records, Ilium, Avalanche Records, Thorne Records, and Underground Solu'shn.
Other Scottish shops include Low Port Music in Linlithgow, 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, Chameleon in Aberdeen, and Mo Fidelity in Montrose.
How does the day work?
Queues will start to form outside most shops well before they open, so if there’s something you can’t stand to miss out on, the earlier you can get to the shop the better.
The majority of stores ask you to write out your wishlist while in the queue – so don’t forget a pen and paper – collecting it before you enter the shop and packing up your order so it is waiting for you at the counter.
This speeds up the process, while later in the day shoppers can flick through titles on the shop floor.
Check your local shop's website to see what they have planned, but many will have special live performances, DJ sets and record signings to mark the day.
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