Across the globe, limited and special editions abound during annual vinyl celebration
By DONNA BALANCIA – CARLSBAD — Record Store Day has evolved into the busiest day of Ken Kosta’s year as the owner of Spin Records in Carlsbad annually brings on extra staff to handle the onslaught of record collectors shopping for a limited edition.
As lines of customers stretched out the back door of his well-known Southern California landmark, many more customers rifled through the thousands of vinyl LPs in the stores bins.
“They’re here to collect everything, anything,” said Clinton, one of Ken’s store managers on duty. “Next to ‘Black Friday,’ this is the busiest day of our year.”
Special limited releases intrigue buyers to come from near and far, by bike, by foot and by car to record stores on Record Store Day. The 7-year-old holiday has come to be known for its Record-Store-Only releases of limited editions. Collectors and vinyl lovers alike are treated to a few weeks of promotions leading up to the annual celebration.
The stats on vinyl’s appeal are undeniable as the vintage technology makes a comeback.
“There continues to be encouraging growth in digital album sales,” said David Bakula, SVP Nielsen Entertainment. “Digital albums now comprise 43 percent of all album sales, up from 38 percent at this time last year. Also, while a small percentage of the overall album sales, vinyl LPs continue to be an amazing growth story with sales up over 33 percent over last year’s record-setting pace.”
Clinton said vinyl represents most of Spin Records‘ sales, of course, and said it accounts for as much as 3 percent of all music sales nationwide.
“There is a nostalgia factor and people think the sound is better on vinyl,” Clinton said. “Our regular customers wait for this day all year. It’s always packed. You should have been here an hour ago, the line snaked around the block.”
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