Record Store Day announcements have started trickling out, and I’ve already got mixed feelings. Look, I’ve been doing this event since 2008 when it was genuinely about celebrating independent record shops. These days it’s become something more complicated, and I think we need to talk about that.

The Good News First

The RSD committee has confirmed April 19, 2026 as the date for this year’s main event, with the usual second drop following in June. From what I’ve seen of the early list leaks — and yeah, they always leak — there are some genuinely interesting Australian exclusives in the pipeline.

I’ve heard whispers about a Courtney Barnett live session pressing, a remastered Eddy Current Suppression Ring collection, and what might be a previously unreleased King Gizzard studio session from the Nonagon Infinity era. If even half of that pans out, we’ll have some crackers on the shelf.

The Australian RSD committee has also expanded the number of participating stores this year. Last count I saw was over 120 shops nationally, which is up from around 100 in 2024. That’s encouraging. It means more places for people to actually find these releases without camping overnight outside my door.

Where It Gets Tricky

Here’s where I put on my grumpy shopkeeper hat. The major labels have figured out that RSD is a money printer, and they’re flooding the list with lazy reissues on coloured vinyl that nobody actually asked for. Do we really need another pressing of Rumours on translucent teal? Fleetwood Mac fans already own three copies.

The pricing has gotten out of hand too. I’m seeing wholesale costs on some of these titles that force me to stick a $70-80 price tag on a single LP. My customers aren’t made of money, and I refuse to pretend that’s normal. A limited pressing should mean something special about the music or the presentation, not just an excuse to charge double.

What I’d Love to See Change

I’d genuinely like RSD to refocus on what made it matter in the first place. Give Australian labels more slots. Push for reasonable pricing. Make the exclusive list shorter and better curated rather than longer and more bloated.

The best RSD moments in my shop have always been when someone discovers a local artist they’d never heard of. Last year a bloke came in for the Arctic Monkeys picture disc and left with a Tropical Fuck Storm EP that absolutely blew his mind. That’s what this day should be about.

Planning for the Queue

For my fellow shop owners reading this, start planning your queue management now. We learned the hard way in 2024 that online reservation systems create more drama than they solve. We’re going back to the old-fashioned numbered wristband system this year. First in, first served, one copy per title per customer.

I’ll also be putting together a Spotify playlist of all the Australian artists on the RSD list once it’s finalised. Give people a chance to actually listen before they buy. What a concept.

The Bigger Picture

Despite my grumbling, Record Store Day remains the single biggest trading day of the year for most indie shops. It brings people through the door who might not otherwise visit, and some of them come back. That matters enormously for stores like mine that run on thin margins and deep commitment.

I just want the event to stay honest. Celebrate the shops. Celebrate the music. Stop treating it as a speculation market for Discogs flippers.

More details as the full list drops. I’ll be doing my usual breakdown of the Australian exclusives and letting you know which ones are actually worth your early morning.