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Twin Cities Shops Celebrate Record Store Day Amid Climbing Vinyl Sales
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Saturday is Record Store Day (RSD), an annual day to celebrate independent record shop culture with community events, exclusive vinyl drops, parties, and more.
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The day is arguably the best time of the year to check out a local shop, whether you're new to records or a loyal collector.
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The Twin Cities metro boasts more than 20 record stores, from volunteer-run Extreme Noise to Prince-approved shops like Electric Fetus.
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Vinyl is back, baby. Old-school records made up 70% of all physical music sales in 2022, beating out CDs for the first time since 1987.
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"Spotify exists, but having some sort of physical media you can hold is more personal," said Joel Eckerson, who co-ran Minneapolis record shop Dead Media for seven years.
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CDs scratch and skip and cassettes wear out, but vinyls are resilient — a record from the '70s can still sound crisp and clean.
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Disco Death Records sees shoppers of all ages, from new-to-the-scene college students to Gen Xers rebuilding their collections.
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Stores that participate in the official Record Store Day event can stock exclusive vinyls, like limited-run represses of popular albums and studio sessions from Taylor Swift.
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Stores can also organize their own parties and exclusive drops independently if they're not interested in that year's releases.
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Disco Death Records is not an official RSD participant but is dropping more than 700 records today, many from international artists.
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Expect giveaways, a vintage market and nighttime performances by local bands at Disco Death Records.
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Cheapo Records' Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Blaine locations are all stocking RSD picks, including an unknown amount of copies of that (very desirable) Taylor Swift record.
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The Blaine location will likely have shorter lines at Cheapo Records.
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Urban Lights in St.Paul is reportedly the state's only Black-owned record store.
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Urban Lights will have a full slate of DJs from noon-6pm and "more dope vinyl than you can drop a needle on."
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RSD is a celebration of the culture and community of independent record stores.
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It's a chance to support local businesses and find unique and exclusive vinyl releases.
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Many stores also offer discounts and special promotions on RSD.
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The popularity of vinyl is not just a trend, but a resurgence of a beloved medium that connects generations of music lovers.
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Whether you're a long-time vinyl enthusiast or just starting your collection, Record Store Day is a must-attend event for music fans.