Record Store Day Drops New Dates For August, September, October

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Record Store Day, an April mainstay that has billed itself as the biggest single-day music event of the year, is now scheduled to be celebrated with three “social distanced” release days in August, September and October, with an emphasis on helping out stores, artists, labels and all other record store businesses.

A new list of exclusive Record Store Day releases will be launched June 1 at recordstoreday.com, with newly assigned Record Store Day Drop dates, which will be either Aug. 29, Sept. 26, or Oct. 24.

Record Store Day 2020 had been scheduled for April 18, then rescheduled for June 20, with its usual focus on gatherings, parties, concerts and other celebrations, including naming acclaimed singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile as official ambassador in what would be its 13th annual celebration.

However, times have changed with the coronavirus pandemic.

“Record Store Day organizers have looked at numerous possible dates and various ways to rework an event that takes place at thousands of record stores around the world, taking into consideration the varying circumstances any store or territory might find themselves in at any point this year,” the official announcement states. “This current plan to spread the release of Record Store Day titles over several months was made with as much available information as possible, and gives the largest number of stores a chance to participate in the strangest Record Store Day ever, following their local mandates, and using the guidance of government and scientific experts to make these RSD Drop dates as socially responsible as possible.”

Further information about the social distancing measures taken at these events is currently unclear, as each municipality may operate independently and much could change by the time they take place.

Record Store Day Black Friday is still scheduled to take place Nov. 27, with “fingers crossed for the return of the biggest part of the year on the third Saturday of April 2021.”