There’s much to look forward to with this year’s Record Store Day. Not only are there some pretty stellar limited edition releases that will surely tickle the fancy of music fans worldwide, but iconic singer-songwriter Kate Bush has been announced as an ambassador for this year.
In a statement, Kate Bush said it was a ‘great privilege’ to support the initiative, which showcases and champions independent record shops throughout the UK. The 17th edition of the annual celebration of record stores will see over 250 participating stores on Saturday, 20th April.
Previous ambassadors for Record Store Day include Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, St.Vincent, Dave Grohl, and Metallica. This year marks the 17th edition of the event, and it comes after the news that vinyl sales rose by nearly 15 per cent in the first nine months of 2023 despite the ongoing dominance of streaming services.
This year’s Record Store Day will see hundreds of limited edition, one-off albums and singles released, including titles by David Bowie, The Charlatans, Paul Weller, The 1975, Gorillaz, Olivia Rodrigo, and The Beatles.
Even Kate herself is releasing an exclusive special 10-inch edition of ‘Eat The Music’ from her 1993 album Red Shoes, which she explains is a ‘playful nod’ to Shakespeare.
So, what releases should you be looking out for? Here’s our round-up of 24 of the best Record Store Day releases for 2024.
Blur – Parklife
Record Store Day 2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of the seminal Blur album Parklife with the release of a special, limited edition zoetrope picture disc pressing of the era-defining record.
Parklife was released to critical acclaim on 25th April 1994, reaching #1 on the UK Album Charts and garnered four hit singles ‘Girls & Boys’, ‘End of a Century’, ‘Parklife’ and ‘To the End’.
The Charlatans – Indian Rope
Indian Rope has never been reissued since its 1990 release. This exclusive Record Store Day 2024 edition is a special 180-gram vinyl picture disc version containing ‘You Can Talk To Me’ and ‘Who Wants to Know’.
The titular track was the band’s first single and laid the groundwork for their career, preceding their smash hit second single ‘The Only One I Know’.
The Cure – The Top
2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the band’s fifth studio album, The Top, and for Record Store Day 2024, the band has released a limited edition picture disc. Robert Smith remastered the album, which was released in partnership with the Warchild Initiative.
The original album, which includes tracks like ‘Shake Dog Shake’ and ‘Wailing Wall’, entered the UK Albums Chart at number ten on 12 May 1984 and is a psychedelic storybook chock-full of kaleidoscopic energy.
David Bowie – Waiting in the Sky (Before the Starman Came to Earth)
To mark what would have been David Bowie’s 77th birthday, a new vinyl LP from David Bowie, recorded in his iconic Ziggy Stardust era, has been released for Record Store Day this year. Waiting In The Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth) is a stunning collection of David’s early recordings from Trident Studios in 1971.
Fans can expect to hear renditions of a previously unheard cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘Round And Round’ and versions of ‘Moonage Daydream’, ‘Amsterdam’, ‘Velvet Goldmine’ and ‘Ziggy Stardust’.
READ MORE: The Dissonance Tour: When Bowie met Reznor and redefined live music
English Teacher – Live At The Brudenell Social Club
This issue includes tracks from the band’s homecoming headline show in Leeds in 2023, including ‘Broken Biscuits’, ‘Mastermind Specialism’, and ‘Nearly Daffodils’.
Recorded at Brudenell Social Club, this 12-track live album is available on black vinyl and also includes their new single, ‘You Blister My Paint’, from their forthcoming debut album, This Could Be Texas.
READ MORE: English Teacher interview: ‘Basically, we didn’t want to half arse it’
George Harrison – Wonderwall Music
This exclusive Record Store Zoetrope release from the George Harrison estate of Wonderwall Music forms one of two titles in this RSD series. Limited to 8,000 units globally and exclusive to Record Store Day, each unit is individually numbered in silver foil and includes an insert reproducing the original artwork.
Released in November 1968, Wonderwall Music was the first solo album by a member of The Beatles and features tracks like ‘Cowboy Music’ and ‘Guru Vandana’.
READ MORE: My Sweet Lord | When George Harrison accidentally stole his biggest hit and got sued for it
John Lennon – Mind Games
As long-standing supporters of independent record stores worldwide, the John Lennon Estate has released Lennon’s extraordinary album Mind Games on this exclusive, limited-edition 4-track 12” EP.
This 12” EP acts as a teaser to the forthcoming Ultimate Edition Anniversary release of Lennon’s Mind Games album, which comes out later this year and includes tracks like ‘I’m The Greatest’, which also features his previous Beatles bandmates, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
Keane – Live at Paradiso, Amsterdam
As part of Record Store Day 2024, Keane are releasing Live at Paradiso, Amsterdam, on vinyl for the first time. Recorded almost twenty years ago in Holland, this two-LP set has been pressed on transparent red and white vinyl and includes printed sleeves and liner notes from the band reminiscing about their Amsterdam concert.
This full concert recording includes hits from their platinum debut album, Hopes And Fears, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, such as ‘Everybody’s Changing’, ‘Bedshaped’ and ‘Somewhere Only We Know’.
Marc Bolan & T.Rex – Zinc Alloy
Celebrating its 50th year anniversary in 2024, Zinc Alloy by Marc Bolan & T. Rex has been released as a Zoetrope Picture Disc for RSD. The only album credited to Marc Bolan & T. Rex was released in March 1974 and was the last T. Rex album to be produced by Tony Visconti.
It features the autobiographical hit singles ‘Teenage Dream’ and ‘Change’. The sonics were highly influenced by Bolan’s new relationship with songwriter Gloria Jones.
This 50th Anniversary Edition is presented as a zoetrope picture disc based on the original limited edition multi-layered lattice sleeve.
READ MORE: When Marc Bolan met Stan Lee | The crossroads of rock and comics
Miles Kane – Miles Kane & The Evils
Limited to just 500 copies, this new 10” limited edition vinyl from Miles Kane is a four-track Record Store Day colour vinyl exclusive. Exploring Miles’s passion for 60’s sounding surf rock instrumentals, Miles Kane & The Evils has been recorded with long-term collaborators Sunglasses For Jaws.
Miles says, “Surf guitar has been a passion of mine since day one hearing Dick Dale for the first time as a kid in Pulp Fiction. It blew my mind and I connected with the sound immediately.”
Morrissey & Siouxsie – Interlude
This limited edition 12″ 180-gram gold vinyl is expected to sell out quickly. It features the duo’s 1994 cover of US soul singer Timi Yuro’s Interlude, the titular track of the 1968 film of the same name, written and composed by Georges Delerue and Hal Shaper.
Morrissey and Siouxsie Sioux released their rendition of Interlude as a single in August 1994 by EMI and reached no 25 in the UK Singles Charts. The track was later included in a compilation called Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey in 1997 and a new version of the track was also included using only Morrissey’s vocals in his 2011 Very Best Of compilation.
READ MORE: ★★★★★ Morrissey at the Hammersmith Apollo review | Big Mouth goads the radical in us
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Magic Secrets #2
Limited to just 6000 copies, Magic Secrets #2 by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is quite a family affair with the artwork designed by his son Donovan. It’s the second release in the limited edition series numbered 7”s released by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds to celebrate Record Store Day.
Featuring the beautiful demo ‘In A Little While’ and a stunning rendition of ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ by Joy Division, Magic Secrets #2 was recorded at Noel’s North London studio and is available on a numbered black 7” single by Sour Mash.
Paul Weller – Rise Up Singing / Soul Wandering
This highly anticipated release from Paul Weller is a brand new track from his forthcoming album, 66, which Sir Peter Blake will design.
Rise Up Singing / Soul Wandering will be released on transparent red vinyl, giving fans an insight into what to expect from 66.
Ten years ago, Mr Weller released ‘Brand New Toy’ from 2014’s More Modern Classics for Record Store Day as a 7” single which also included ‘Landslide’. He has not released any further exclusives for the event until now due to his frustration with touts selling on the releases for inflated prices, saying that it “goes against the whole philosophy” behind the annual event.
Pixies – Live From Red Rocks
The Pixies are releasing a special edition of their 2005 live performance at Red Rocks in Denver on stunning orange marble vinyl. This double 140-gram vinyl is a two-LP limited edition of only 4000 copies.
The release includes the band’s epic 27-song set in its entirety, featuring fan favourites and deep cuts such as ‘Here Comes Your Man’, ‘Where Is My Mind?’, and ‘Debaser’. Live from Red Rocks has never previously been available on vinyl, and this new issue has been pressed on orange/red splatter 140-gram vinyl.
Pulp – Intro: The Gift Recordings
This highly anticipated release from Britpop icons Pulp is a reissue of the band’s original collection, which was released in October 1993 by Gift Records, just prior to the band’s debut on the Island record label.
Remastered at Abbey Road, this blue vinyl limited edition includes all of the singles (both A and B sides) that the band recorded for Gift Records, such as ‘Space’, ‘Razzamatazz’ and the original single mix of their 1992 track ‘Babies’. It also features a spoken vocal contribution from keyboardist Candida Doyle (one of the rare times her voice is audible on a Pulp song) reciting a selection from the book My Secret Garden by Nancy Friday.
Queen – Cool Cat
More than four decades after it first appeared on their Hot Space album, Queen are releasing 1982’s Cool Cat on limited edition 7″ pink vinyl. Fans will also be treated to a brand-new, previously unreleased instrumental mix of the song, the seventh track to be released from Hot Space.
Cool Cat was co-written by bassist John Deacon and singer Freddie Mercury, and features a rare falsetto lead vocal performance from Queen’s flamboyant frontman.
Ramones – The 1975 Sire Demos
Celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary, the 1975 Sire Demos has been released to commemorate their enduring contribution and legacy to music. These are the band’s earliest studio recordings, and this special edition is available as a 1LP 140-gram colour vinyl.
Tracks include ‘I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend’, ‘I Don’t Care’, ‘Chain Saw’ and many more.
The Rolling Stones – Live at Racket NYC
Live At Racket, NYC by The Rolling Stones features seven of the tracks the seminal band performed at an intimate launch event in New York last year. This exciting new edition has been released on a 180-gram heavyweight solid white vinyl, especially for Record Store Day 2024.
The release includes barnstorming live performances of ‘Angry’, ‘Bite My Head Off’, ‘Whole Wide World’, and ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’ which also features Lady Gaga). This collection was previously only available as a bonus disc on the 2 CD Live Edition of Hackney Diamonds, which was the band’s first studio album of new material since 2005.
Suede – Autofiction Live
This Record Store Day, Suede are releasing a live version of their critically acclaimed album Autofiction, which debuted at #2 in the UK Album Chart in 2022. It was the band’s highest charting LP since their fantastic album Head Music in 1999 and features live recordings from the band’s highly anticipated headline tour of the UK in March 2023.
Autofiction Live is available on limited edition grey vinyl in a fold-out envelope sleeve, and tracks include ‘She Still Leads On Me’.
Supergrass – Kiss of Life is 20
Supergrass have unveiled an exclusive 10” EP for Record Store Day 2024, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the unforgettable track ‘Kiss Of Life’. This special edition has been pressed on transparent recycled vinyl, adding a unique and environmentally conscious element to the band’s collection.
This EP includes two previously unreleased gems—’We Are Your Children’ and ‘Ocean’—in addition to Kiss of Life, which was first released ten years ago on the band’s Supergrass Is 10 collection.
Kiss Of Life Is 20 is limited to just 750 copies. It also features a live rendition of their track Bullet, recorded live at the Portsmouth Pyramid.
U2 – Atomic City: Live from Sphere
This two-track release from Irish rockers U2 celebrates and commemorates their fantastic run at the Sphere in Las Vegas. It features a new live performance recording of Atomic City and a remix of the same track by Mike WiLL Made-It.
The release, which is pressed on transparent, limited-edition red vinyl and includes a poster, is released via Island Records.
The Verve – No Come Down
Marking the 30th anniversary of The Verve’s compilation album of B-sides and outtakes, No Come Down, this release by the band is pressed on black vinyl with printed inners and is released on vinyl for the very first time.
It features outtakes from the band’s debut album, A Storm in Heaven sessions, and acoustic versions of ‘Make It Till Monday’ and ‘Butterfly’. It also includes a live recording of ‘Gravity Grave’ from the band’s first-ever Glastonbury performance in 1993.
The Who – The Story Of The Who
A remastered version of 1976’s The Story Of The Who, this Record Store Day exclusive has been mastered by long-time engineer of the band, Jon Astley and has been cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios.
Regularly regarded as the most complete Who ‘best of’ album, this release includes tracks such as Magic Bus, Substitute and Squeeze Box. The gatefold sleeve includes a replica of the original 8-page booklet with the two LPs pressed on coloured pink and green vinyl.
The Zutons – Creeping On The DanceFloor
The band are set to release a brand new album The Big Decider on 26th April, but are also releasing a very limited edition Double-A Side 7” version of Creeping On The Dancefloor which was originally released earlier this year.
It features the single version of ‘Creeping On The Dancefloor’ as well as a previously unreleased version of an Ian Broudie-produced version of the same song.
Johnny Marr – Marr’s Guitars
And one more, whilst this is not a record, Johnny Marr has released a limited edition signed version of his fantastic book Marr’s Guitars, a very special edition signed by Johnny Marr and includes a print. This stunning book contains incredible photography and showcases the 132 (yes, 132!) guitars that Johnny has loved, lost and given away with some personal musings from the legendary guitarist himself.
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