Love Record Stores: how to help save your local record stores

With the official Record Store Day postponed from June 20 to three dates later in the year (August 29, September 26 and October 24), a new campaign to help support independent record stores through the continuing Coronavirus crisis has popped up and stepped in.

Fronted by ambassador and vinyl obsessive Tim Burgess, the Love Record Stores campaign will host a virtual 24-hour in-store event on Saturday, with live performances, interviews, DJ streams and special limited edition releases only available online.

Beginning at 7am, highlights of the #LoveRecordStores programme - which has been curated by curated by independent labels including Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Dead Oceans and ATO Records - include appearances from Four Tet, Fontaines D.C., Laura Marling, Erol Alkan, Khruangbin and Tim Burgess himself.

Over 130 record stores from across the UK are taking part (full list here), from Chameleon in Aberdeen down to Mr Bongo in Brighton, with special releases from the likes of Oasis, Radiohead, Bon Iver, The Libertines, Robyn and dozens more available to buy online.

20th June 2020. #LoveRecordStores 24hr Event! Click here for more info https://t.co/TEOBdGfKAp pic.twitter.com/pdUid1DSxM

— Love Record Stores (@LoveRecsStores) June 17, 2020

Jason Rackham, co-founder of the Love Record Stores campaign, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from artists, DJs and labels for the #LoveRecordStores event on June 20.

"Alongside the dozens of new and re-issued record releases we’re making available for music fans to buy online from their favourite record stores, our 24-hour ‘virtual in-store’, which is the biggest online ‘in-store’ event the world has ever seen, has a stunning line-up of talent, all of whom are passionate about supporting this event."

As well as supporting independent record stores, the event will be supporting the following charities: #SaveOurVenues, Covid-19 Relief Fund and Black Lives Matter.

You can tune in and find out more about #LoveRecordStores here.