Record Store Day 2022: Interview with Megan Page - RSD Coordinator

Ahead of the fifteenth anniversary of Record Store Day, celebrating the nation's favourite physical music medium, vinyl, and the thousands of fantastic record stores around the UK that stock it, we grabbed a few precious moments with the UK's RSD Coordinator, Megan Page. 

Discussing everything from this year's high profile ambassador and how they came to be involved, to the ongoing vinyl boom, problems with vinyl production around the world, and the importance of Record Store Day to artists and record stores in general - continue reading below to hear exactly what Megan had to say...

Hey Megan! It's great to speak with you. Let's start by understanding the origins of Record Store Day:

"Hey Skiddle! Record Store Day started in the US back in 2007, with the aim of celebrating the culture and character of independent records shops and the art of vinyl."

"The first events took place in the UK a year later with only a handful of shops taking part. Fast forward to 2022 and there are Record Store Day events marking the 15th anniversary on every continent (except Antartica) including two-hundred-and-sixty-four stores in the UK alone."

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How important is Record Store Day to the industry; to the people who own and run record stores, and the artists themselves etc?

"In an age when everyone’s lives have become so much busier and streaming has become such a popular way of listening to music, there’s something very special about being able to take a moment out and put on a record. Record Store Day helps celebrate all the different elements that go into a music fans reaching that escapism."

"For the artists, putting out a release on Record Store Day is a way of being able to showcase their music the way they intended with the tracks in a carefully selected and curated order with the artwork painstakingly designed and finalised. There’s a serious amount of time and effort that goes into the releases before they even get to the record stores."

"The excitement of Record Store Day starts in the shops well before the day itself and leaves behind a musical hangover for the weeks and months after as people discover their local stores and keep going back. From the messages that come in about ordering in the specific releases, to seeing the lines of people adding to their collections on the day, you can physically see how important every shop is to its local community. The brilliant teams behind the counters are full of musical knowledge and work all year round to offer their regulars a place to immerse themselves in the new favourite records, so RSD is a great way of celebrating everything they do and encouraging people to spend more time in their local record shop."

"You can find you local participating shop with our store locator (https://recordstoreday.co.uk/shop-locator/)."

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Tell us about the seemingly unstoppable vinyl boom and ongoing issues with vinyl production around the world:

"We know records are becoming more and more popular, with vinyl sales currently at their highest in over thirty years. We’ve also seen a growth in the amount of stores opening up around the UK. There’s approximately one store opening every three weeks, which is testament to the dedication of the teams running stores to keep the culture thriving despite the challenges everyone has face in the last few years."

"There’s no denying that the recent increased demand for vinyl and complications with imports and exports around Europe following Brexit has seen the limited number of pressing plants around the world struggle to supply everyone they need to on time. However, there are new pressing plants coming on stream which should hopefully help alleviate the pressure some plants are currently facing, but we also realise it’s better to have plants full and busy than empty and moth-balled like many were fifteen years ago."

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Are there any unique events or particularly special releases we should be looking forward to over RSD 2022?

"After two years of having to strip back celebrations, we’re back with a bang for 2022 to mark RSD’s fifteenth birthday. There are hundreds of events all over the UK from street parties, DJ sets, Q&As, live music sessions and give-aways at stores, from Edinburgh to Essex. We can’t wait!"

"With hundreds of releases, it’s hard to pick our favourites but it’s really exiting to have so many emerging artists on the list this year. Having people like BBC Sound 2022 winner, Pink Pantheress releasing their music on vinyl for the first time and the likes of Sam Fender, Holly Humberstone and Glass Animals shows there’s a real appetite for records among younger music fans. It’s great to see their releases stacked up alongside RSD regulars like Elton John, Blondie, David Bowie and Madonna."

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What does the future hold for record stores in the UK and how can they continue to stay relevant in the digital era?

"The defiance that so many of the independent stores showed to stay in business during lockdown and come out the other side thriving is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to showing how future-proof record stores can be."

"They don’t need to compete with streaming platforms when they offer such a unique alternative, the two can happily coexist. Lots of the stores act as a physical playlist and have close relationships with their regulars to make sure they have the best and most relevant releases in stock for their customers."

"There’s also loads of shops who have made the most of being able to offer other product alongside records. You could get a coffee, a pie or even a potted plant at the same time as picking up your new favourite record. You can’t do that on Spotify or Apple Music!"

"With so many newer artists putting out special releases for RSD, and with acts with younger listeners like Ed Sheeran and our global ambassador consistently being among the most popular records in stores all over the country, it’s encouraging to see that people who listen to their favourite artists online also make the effort to get their hands on physical copies of new releases."

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This year's Record Store Day 2022 ambassador is a pretty well known name, we think it's fair to say. How did they come to be involved?

"This year we’ve got a global ambassador for the first time, Taylor Swift! She’s been a champion of independent record stores throughout her career."

"During the pandemic she directly donated funds to support staff at her local store in Nashville and has always steered her eager, excited, and dedicated fans to independent record stores, places that many of them visit for the first time when they buy her music on vinyl."

"She’s a really exciting name to have on board to help us mark our 15th anniversary!" 

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Make sure you head out tomorrow - Saturday 23rd April - to celebrate your local record store and scoop up a couple of limited edition Record Store Day releases, if you can. Check out our blog on 'The Best Limited Edition Record Store Day Releases of 2022' and prepare your shopping list.

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.