As this year's first Record Store Day drop appears on the imminent horizon (it's tomorrow, June 12, in case you haven't been paying attention), we've once again elected to comb through the various pdfs and Word documents on offer to figure out what's actually worth buying.
The end result? We've reduced the various big lists to a grand total of 113 releases, each of which is almost guaranteed to improve your week, if not your entire life.
The usual small print applies: not all releases are in all shops, there are regional and international differences in what's available, and the general chaos surrounding pressing and distribution at the moment means that some stock might not make it onto the shelves at all. But don't lose heart! There's a second drop on July 17 with another list of releases, so there's plenty of vinyl to go around.
So mask up, have fun, enjoy the day, and support your local retailer. And we've got some useful advice about the the best budget turntables 2021 if you need something to play your new purchases on.
One final thing: if you come across that Wipers reissue, send it our way, will you?
AC/DC - Through The Mists Of Time/Witches Spell (12" picture disc)
Alarm, The - Spirit of '58 (7")
Albert Collins & Barrelhouse- Albert Collins & Barrelhouse Live (1LP transparent red / solid white/black)
Anti-Flag - 20/20 Division (1LP coloured vinyl)
Belly - Bees (2LP)
Bert Jansch - Black Swan (LP)
Bert Jansch - Edge Of A Dream Earth (LP)
Black Francis - Abbabubba (Black and White Split Vinyl)
Brian Jonestown Massacre/The Telescopes - Before I Forget/Come Down My Love (10" single)
Buzzcocks - A Different Compilation (double LP)
Creation, The - In Stereo (2LP Clear Vinyl, gatefold sleeve)
Cure, The - Faith (1LP picture disc)
Def Leppard - Live in Oxford (2LP)
Deftones - Digital Bath (12" picture disc)
Devo - Somewhere with Devo (12" vinyl)
Dirty Three - Ocean Songs:Deluxe Boxset (4LP)
Doors, The - Morrison Hotel Sessions (2 x 180gm black vinyl, numbered)
Echo & The Bunnymen - Live In Liverpool (2 x 180g clear vinyl)
Elbow - The Newborn EP (10")
Elbow - The Any Day Now EP (10")
Electric Wizard - Time To Die (2LP gatefold)
Elton John - Regimental Sgt.Zippo (1LP)
Elvis Costello - La Face de Pendule a Coucou (12" 45rpm album)
Elvis Presley - Sings The Mad Professor (12" picture disc)
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus (12" picture disc)
Eric Bell Band - Lonely Man (10" EP)
Flamin' Groovies - A Bucket Of Brains (10" black vinyl)
Flaming Lips, The - The Soft Bulletin (Companion Disc) (2LP silver vinyl)
Focus - Singles, Deep Cuts & BBC Live (Coloured Vinyl, numbered)
Garbage - No Gods No Masters (transparent pink 12" vinyl)
Genesis - Live At Knebworth (12" black vinyl, numbered)
Golden Earring - Twilight Zone/When The Lady Smiles (7", solid yellow vinyl, numbered)
Grateful Dead - Olympia Theatre, Paris, France 5/3/72 (6LP 180g vinyl with 12th-side etching)
Groundhogs, The - Who Will Save The World (deluxe edition)
Haim - Gasoline (7")
Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True/Gotta Lotta Nerve (7")
Howe Gelb - Hisser (LP)
Ian Dury - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick (12" green vinyl single)
Iggy Pop - Live At The Channel, Boston (pink + yellow splatter vinyl)
Ihsahn - After Candlelight Records (2LP gatefold, coloured)
Ike & Tina Turner - Bold Soul Sister/Somebody (Somewhere) Needs You (7")
Janis Joplin - Pearl (vinyl LP)
Joe Strummer - Junco Partner (Acoustic) (12" picture disc)
Joey Ramone - Don't Worry About Me (12" splatter vinyl)
Johnny Thunders - Live in Los Angeles 1987 (2xLP)
Joni Mitchell - Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1 (180gram black vinyl)
Keith Richards - Wicked As It Seems/Gimme Shelter (live) (7" red vinyl)
Kinks, The - Percy (12" picture disc album)
Kristin Hersh - Wyatt At The Coyote Palace (2LP)
L7 - The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum (Limited 25th anniversary platinum vinyl edition)
Lamb Of God - As The Palaces Burn (1LP coloured)
Linkin Park - Meteora (2 x aqua blue LP)
Mansun - Closed For Business (12")
Marc Bolan & T. Rex - Star King (180g coloured vinyl)
Mark Lanegan - Here Comes That Weird Chill (magenta vinyl LP)
Massive Wagons - Sad Sad Song / Changes (7”)
Michael Schenker Group, The - Live In Manchester 1980 (2LP red vinyl)
Mogwai - ZeroZeroZero (double LP)
Motorhead/Girlschool- St Valentines Day Massacre (10" picture disc)
Mudhoney / Meat Puppets - Warning / One Of These Days (7")
Nada Surf - Cycle Through (LP)
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) (coloured double LP hand pressed with exclusive art print)
Ocean Colour Scene - Saturday (180g neon green vinyl)
Oh Sees - Live At The Chapel SF (2LP)
Opeth - Morningrise (2LP gatefold)
Orange Goblin - Eulogy For The Damned (1LP gatefold)
Pere Ubu - 390 of Simulated Stereo V.21C (LP)
Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey - Our Back Pages (LP)
Police, The - Live Vol.1 (2LP)
Police, The - Live Vol.2 (2LP)
Poly Styrene - Translucence (1 LP crystal clear vinyl)
Primal Scream - Riot City Blues (LP)
Primal Scream - Dixie Narco (12")
Prince - The Truth (LP)
Procol Harum - Grand Hotel (LP)
Rage Against The Machine - The Battle of Mexico City (2LP)
Replacements, The - The Pleasure’s All Yours: Pleased To Meet Me Outtakes & Alternates (1LP)
Residents, The - Leftovers Again?!? (LP)
Richard Hell And The Voidoids - Destiny Street Demos (LP)
Robert Plant - Live At Knebworth (12" coloured vinyl)
Rolling Stones, The - A Bigger Bang - Live (10” Picture Disc)
Sleep Token - Jaws/The Way That You Were (10" vinyl)
Small Faces - Complete Greatest Hits (12" splatter vinyl)
Status Quo - Live At Knebworth (12" coloured vinyl)
Status Quo - The Rest Of Status Quo (purple vinyl, numbered)
Steely Dan - Everything Must Go (180gm black vinyl)
Steely Dan - Two Against Nature (2 x 180gm black vinyl)
Steve Earle & The Dukes, Justin Townes Earle - The Saint Of Lost Causes (7")
Stooges - Whiskey A Go Go (2LP)
Suicide - Cheree (10" transparent vinyl)
Super Furry Animals - Ice Hockey Hair (12")
Supergrass - Going Out (12" burgandy vinyl)
Suzi Quatro - Live & Kickin' [2021 Mix] (coloured vinyl)
Sword, The - Age of Winters (LP)
Television Personalities - Another Kind of Trip (2LP)
Texas - Hi (double sided 12" yellow vinyl single)
Therapy? - Nurse (red vinyl)
Those Damn Crows - Sick Of Me/Blink Of An Eye (Piano Version) (7”)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Angel Dream (cobalt blue vinyl)
Toyah - Four From Toyah (40th Anniversary) (LP)
Toyah - Mesmerised – Rarities & Remixes 87 - 94 (180g vanilla vinyl)
Trapeze - Live In Houston: Texas 1972 (double LP)
Triumph - Allied Forces: The 40th Anniversary (LP picture disc, 2xLP & 7" boxset)
Twenty One Pilots - Location Sessions (140gm coloured grey vinyl)
U2 - Fire (40th Anniversary Edition) (picture disc)
UFO - This Kid's/Mother Mary (10" clear vinyl)
Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday - (12" galaxy swirl vinyl)
War - Give Me Five! The War Albums (1971-1975) (5 x coloured vinyl set)
Warren Zevon - Preludes (2LP)
Wasted Youth - Reagan's In (LP)
Who, The - Face Dances (2LP coloured)
Wipers - Youth Of America (Anniversary Edition: 1981-2021) (2LP)
Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend (gatefold 12" plus bonus 7")
Complete list of 2021 US Record Store Day drops (.pdf file)
Complete list of 2021 UK Record Store Day drops (.docx file)
- Cheap vinyl records: top deals on rock, metal, prog and more