Record Store Day is on course to break sales records: “This is the largest single sales day ever for most Record Store Day participating independent stores.”
Alliance Entertainment, distributor of the world’s largest in-stock selection of physical media, from music, movies, and video games, to electronics, arcades, and collectibles, has confirmed 2023’s Record Store Day events as its most significant ever.
Alliance works closely with Record Store Day organizers and the industry’s distribution and label partners, who curate the available titles yearly. More than 800,000 units of vinyl were created and shipped to participating independent record stores around the country for this year’s Record Store Day event, with retail sales expected to surpass $32 million.
“Record Store Day has been a long-time partner to Alliance Entertainment, always collaborating to benefit the independent record store community,” says Alliance Senior Vice President of Sales, Ken Glaser. “We are pleased to see the continued growth of Record Store Day year over year, and 2023 results have surpassed our expectations.”
An annual event since 2007 held one Saturday every April, Record Store Day celebrates “the culture of the independently owned record store.” The event brings together fans, artists, and thousands of independent record stores worldwide.
Several albums are pressed specifically for Record Store Day each year, exclusively distributed to record stores participating in the event. Now in its 16th year, Record Store Day continues to play a significant role in the expansion and success of vinyl records. Last year, physical vinyl album sales surpassed 43 million units.
“Taylor Swift’s ‘folklore: the long pond sessions’ Record Store Day release could produce our first chart-topping album, and quite possibly a #1 album on the Billboard charts, a feat never achieved by a Record Store Day release,” adds Michael Kurtz, co-founder of Record Store Day.
“Thanks in large part to Taylor, Pearl Jam, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Beach House, Stevie Nicks, and others, Record Store Day is on course to break the sales record for the most vinyl sold in a single day. This is the largest single sales day ever for most Record Store Day participating independent stores.”
AMPED Distribution, a division of Alliance Entertainment, also played a significant role in this year’s Record Store Day, working with its label partners to release 64 unique titles. These include releases from Eric Carr, Mr. Big, and more.