Your Record Store Day Black Friday Guide
Everything you need to know about the big day, including the 10 vinyl I'm interested in.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for record collectors—Record Store Day Black Friday is here! This event brings together fans, artists, and over a thousand indie record stores for a vinyl shopping frenzy like no other.
Here’s the full list of Record Store Day releases; there’s 150+ new vinyl, broken up into three categories:
RSD Exclusive: vinyl only available at indie record stores.
RSD First: vinyl first available at stores, but may be online at some point.
Small Run/Regional: vinyl specific to a region or store, or press runs /1000.
For a ballpark idea of what vinyl will cost, my local Orlando shop, Park Ave CDs, has posted their prices.
If you can’t make it in person on Friday, don’t sweat it—many stores put leftover stock online the very next day, usually at 8 AM local time. Be sure to turn on notifications to my Twitter where I’ll be posting up-to-the-second finds.
This year’s RSD features big names like Billie Eilish, Noah Kahan, and Joni Mitchell, but I’ve dug a little deeper to highlight some gems worth waiting in line for. So, make sure you get out there and support your local record store this Black Friday—you never know what treasures you might score!
Better Than Ezra - Deluxe
RSD First, Limited to /1500
Let’s kick things off with an album getting its first-ever wide vinyl release—Better Than Ezra’s multi-platinum Deluxe. While most are familiar with the standout track "Good," this album is packed with jangly-pop goodness from start to finish.
Originally pressed in a limited run in 2018 to celebrate its 25th anniversary, those copies went for as much as $450 on the resale market within the last year. Now, Real Gone is reissuing Deluxe on grape double vinyl.
This is exactly what labels participating in Record Store Day should be doing: repressing long out-of-print albums in high demand, giving fans a chance to on without paying hundreds on the secondary market.
Jazz Dispensary - The Golden Hour
RSD Exclusive, Limited to /4000
Speaking of labels that truly crush Record Store Day, Jazz Dispensary never misses, and this year is no exception.
This new collection, The Golden Hour, “evokes the feeling of floating on a cool, lone wave while soaking in the last sunbeams of the day” and features legends like Johnny Hammond, Sonny Rollins, Chico Hamilton, Vince Guaraldi, and more. If you’ve been searching for that perfect soundtrack to close out the day, this is it.
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Challengers Soundtrack (Boys Noize Mix)
RSD First, Limited to /2100
Oscar-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross crafted perhaps the soundtrack of the year with Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers.
As if the synth-heavy, techno score wasn’t enough, the duo tapped Boys Noize to deconstruct and reimagine it into a continuous 30-minute DJ set. This rave-ready rework comes pressed on neon tennis ball yellow wax—expect it to sell out fast.
MF DOOM - Operation: Doomsday
RSD Exclusive, limited to /10,000
MF DOOM's estate has been working overtime, and last month’s 20th anniversary rollout of MM.. FOOD is proof. The album has posthumously become DOOM’s highest-charting release ever, currently sitting #18 on the Billboard 200, #1 on the indie charts, #2 on vinyl, #4 in rap albums, and #5 in top album sales.
But the DOOM celebrations don’t stop there. This year marks the 25th anniversary of his iconic Operation: Doomsday and the album is the crown jewel of RSD Black Friday exclusives, with two unique colored vinyl variants (one featuring fresh cover art), each limited to 5,000 copies. Long live DOOM.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Soundtrack
RSD Exclusive, limited to /6000
Show the world you party with The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie soundtrack! This first time physical release looks like they splattered SpongeBob and Patrick in a vinyl press.
Thievery Corporation - The Richest Man in Babylon
RSD First, Limited to /3000
Thievery Corporation, one of the best dub-heavy, trip-hop acts of all time, is reissuing their third album The Richest Man in Babylon—now on colored vinyl for the first time. This has been out of print for over a decade and is fetching triple-digit prices on the resale market. If you've been waiting for the chance to grab it, now's your shot.
Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Into The Well
RSD First, Limited to /5000
Let’s dive deeper into the well with a deluxe edition of Kacey Musgraves’ latest album, featuring 7 brand new tracks—including a 20-minute tranquil woodland sound experience. It’s the perfect complement to the calming, mellow vibes of Deeper Well. Staying true to its theme of self-love and nature, the album comes on eco-friendly green vinyl, housed in a slip-sleeve package made from recycled materials. A treat for the ears and the planet.
Helmet - Betty
RSD First, Limited to /3500
Celebrate 30 years of Helmet’s Betty with a stunning baby blue vinyl reissue, complete with five bonus tracks and an exclusive etching on side 2 of LP2.
Betty, with its seismic riffs and thunderous drums, was a landmark of mid-‘90s metal. Its fearless detours into jazz, blues, and funk would go on to shape the evolution of post-metal in the years to come.
Morphine - B-Sides and Otherwise
RSD Exclusive, limited to /3000
We’ve got another vinyl first-timer here: Morphine’s B-Sides and Otherwise, a mid-‘90s rarities compilation, now pressed on black and yellow splatter wax that perfectly matches the album cover. This is a Record Store Day exclusive, so once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
Modest Mouse - Baron Von Bullshit Rides Again
RSD Exclusive, limited to /3500
Let’s wrap things up with a live album by Modest Mouse, recorded in February 2004 at one of my all-time favorite venues: The Social in Orlando, Florida.
Baron von Bullshit Rides Again was never officially released by the band—instead, they pressed a limited number of copies that could only be purchased at Park Ave CDs, a local shop that’ll be my go-to spot this RSD. It’ll be a nice full-circle moment for me when I grab my copy there.
And lastly, pour one out for the poor soul who recently dropped $473 on a copy of this show. That’s gotta hurt.
I’ve only scratched the surface of this year’s RSD offerings—what’s on your list? Reply to this email or drop a comment on Substack and let us know what you’re hunting for this Black Friday!