Vinyl is not dead… That’s the message Tasmania’s record stores are pushing as they gear up for the biggest day on their calendar.
Stores across Tasmania have spent weeks preparing for Record Store Day this Saturday, following massive crowds last year where some people even camped outside shopfronts to get their hands on exclusive music releases.
In Hobart, Tommy Gun Records, Suffragette Records and Music Without Frontiers are all taking part in the tradition, saying they want to “spread the love” of creating, selling, collecting and listening to music.
“Local record stores are a testament to physical media and why it still matters in today’s streaming climate,” they said in a collective statement.
“The real heroes of Record Store Day are the collectors and fans who get up early and passionately queue outside their local stores in the hope of adding much coveted LPs, EPs and singles to their collections.”
There are approximately 200 limited edition titles hitting the shelves for Record Store Day this year, with some Tasmanian record stores securing “a couple crates of them”.
When it comes to what will be available, stores say the reality is that they don’t get to choose what arrives.
“It’s an exciting mystery box! Hungry shoppers will have to visit all of the stores as part of their hunt,” the 3 Hobart stores said in a statement.
The event comes a day after global pop sensation Taylor Swift released her new album, the Tortured Poets Department.
Unfortunately for Swifties, it’s understood Taylor’s new album will not be available on vinyl in time for Record Store Day.
