With streaming services such as Spotify and Rdio becoming more prevalent and accounting for 10% of all record label income in 2013 (that's on top of MP3 download sales), the 'vinyl revival' has increasingly gathered pace for those wanting their music on something a little more tangible than invisible computer files. Vinyl sales rose by 15% in 2012 and even further in 2013, while independent record shop sales rose by 44% last year too.
© Getty Images / Mara Elizabeth Ludwig
It all goes to show that there's still a very definite and heartening public interest in the romance of record buying, and events such as Record Store Day are bringing the excitement and appeal of it all to the fore.
This year's event will take place tomorrow (April 19) and a full list of releases and events can be found on their website. But to help navigate you through the hundreds of choices on offer, here's Digital Spy's pick of the ten essential purchases you'll want to make sure you're first in the queue for come the morning.
1. David Bowie – 'Rock n'Roll Suicide'
The closing track from Bowie's seminal 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars is getting its first vinyl release this year and, to make it even more special, the 7" single will be pressed on a picture disc of as-yet-unknown design. For those wanting even more of the chameleon of pop this Record Store Day, you can also get your hands on a picture disc of '1984' from 1974's 'Diamond Dogs' album, featuring a shot of Bowie and Beat poet William Burroughs.
2. LCD Soundsystem – 'The Long Goodbye: LCD Soundsystem Live at Madison Square Garden'
James Murphy's genre-smashing New York outfit LCD Soundsystem bowed out with an epic final show in 2011 and, for the first time, the entire gig will be available on vinyl. Coming in as a whopping five LP set, don't expect it to be cheap. But as a final goodbye to one of the true pioneers of this century, it'll likely be worth it.
3. Temples/Jagwar Ma – 'Shelter Song' / 'Man I Need'
For those more keen to build their new music collection, there are few records more worthy of your wages this year than Kettering psych quartet Temples and Aussie indie-dance innovators Jagwar Ma's split 7". Not only because the two acts are undeniably two of the current crop's most exciting breakthrough stars, but because pressing of the original limited run of 'Shelter Song' have fetched over £150 on eBay since its 2012 release.
4. OutKast – 'Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'
After seven years away from the limelight, this summer finds legendary Atlanta hip-hop duo OutKast finally making their return. The pair made their live comeback at Coachella last weekend, while Andre 3000 and Big Boi are also set to grace UK shores this festival season with a headline performance at Bestival. For now though, satiate your OutKast thirst with a reissue of the group's 1994 debut – available tomorrow for RSD.
5. Bombay Bicycle Club – 'To The Bone' / 'Reign Down'
One of the thrills of Record Store Day is the chance to get your hands on an array of truly limited and rare vinyls and, getting in the spirit of the occasion this year, are London young guns come good Bombay Bicycle Club – who are putting out two acoustic tracks on 7" with a run of just 500 pressings. Expect these to snap up fast.
6. Joy Division – An Ideal For Living
With only a small handful of releases to their name before the tragic suicide of singer Ian Curtis ended the band's fledgling career, any chance to own something by Joy Division is an exciting one. The reissue of the band's 1978 debut EP An Ideal For Living, featuring four early tracks from the Manchester band, then is sure to be one of the event's most highly sought-after records.
7. Secret 7" collection
© Anthony Devlin/PA Wire
For the third year now, Record Store Day is teaming up with Secret 7" to bring a selection of exclusive artworks to the event. The premise behind the idea is that 700 artists will design one original sleeve for 700 pressings (100 each of seven tracks), but the artist behind each one will only be revealed upon purchase – meaning that this year you could get an original Paul Smith or Jake and Dinos Chapman piece for the price of a 7" single. The tracks available for 2014 are Lorde – 'Team'; T Rex – 'Get It On'; Jake Bugg – 'Strange Creatures'; Black Sabbath – 'Age of Reason'; Elbow – 'Grounds For Divorce'; Roxy Music – 'Virginia Plain' and Massive Attack – 'Karmacoma'.
8. Nirvana – 'Pennyroyal Tea' / 'I Hate Myself And I Want To Die'
A long-delayed release, this one. The split 7" on offer here was actually intended for release back in 1994, but was withdrawn for obvious reasons after singer Kurt Cobain's suicide. Having recently marked the 20-year anniversary since the event, the release is perhaps exactly the kind of dark humour Kurt would have appreciated.
9. Paul Weller – 'Brand New Toy' / 'Landslide'
Weller has always been an avid supporter of Record Store Day and last year even rocked up to London shop Rough Trade East to perform an intimate free show for the cause. This year is no exception, as the Modfather will be releasing two brand new songs on 7" with a limited run of 2,500 to make the purchase even more special.
10. One Direction – 'Midnight Memories'
The inclusion of pop princes One Direction in 2014's RSD celebrations has caused no small controversy among the indie elite. But considering the event's mission to get more people buying from record shops, the decision to stock the biggest band in the world can only be a good thing. You'll find the special 7" of single 'Midnight Memories' inbetween releases from Omar Souleyman and oOoOO.
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