Get out your diaries and pencil in the date as it will officially take place on Saturday 13th April 2019.

Over 240 independent record shops are expected to take part in the celebrations which unites music lovers and vinyl fans in every corner of the UK.

Record Store Day was set up in 2007 to champion the culture of the record store.12 years later it's still going strong as it celebrates not only the record shops that have stood the test of time but also the new generation of shops who have just opened their doors.

Hundreds of limited-edition vinyl releases will be created exclusively for the occasion and free live performances and parties will take place up and down the country.

Rachel Lowe, of Brighton store Vinyl Revolution who took part for the first time last year, said: "Our first Record Store Day exceeded all expectations. It was the best day we've had since opening and was terrific fun. We opened our door to a long queue of regular customers but the day's events attracted a ton of new customers too. Our youngest first-time record buyers were aged four and six. The revenue from Record Store Day will help our young shop immensely but the publicity and goodwill will last much longer. A fabulous day. Roll on next year!"

Record Store Day Unsigned

Also returning for 2019 is Record Store Day and Sound Performance's Unsigned Competition. Long-time vinyl manufactures, Sound Performance, are giving one unsigned UK artist the ultimate prize of having their music pressed onto 500 vinyl records for free as well as a one-year distribution deal with Proper Music. That means they'd not only see their album come to life on the vinyl of their choice but also see their records stocked on the shelves of independent record stores nationwide.

2019's winning artist will be chosen by our panel which includes:

Jamie Oborne
Jamie Oborne is head of Dirty Hit; a British independent label founded in December 2009. Dirty Hit has found success with artists such as The 1975, Marika Hackman, Wolf Alice, Pale Waves and more.

Chris Marksberry
Chris Marksberry is the Managing Director of Sound Performance; a vinyl manufacturing company for over 25 years. Sound Performance are passionate about vinyl and its resurgence which has enabled artists and labels to thrive. In other words, they work behind the scenes to bring us the records we know and love.

Natasha Youngs
Natasha Youngs is the co-owner of the successful well-known record shop Resident Music based in Brighton. Natasha has been involved in RSD since its early inception and works tirelessly to raise the profile of independent record shops all over the UK.

And more panellists will be announced in due course!

The competition opens on Monday 3rd December and will close on the 13th March. Please head tohttps://www.soundperformance.co.uk/submit to submit your entry!

Barbudo, who were chosen by last year's panel (Tim Burgess – Charlatans, Sarah Jamieson – DIY Magazine, Chris Marksberry – Sound Performance and Phil Barton – Sister Ray Records) are gearing up to release their debut recordSunshine ahead of Record Store Day next year.

Recorded and self-produced by the Portsmouth-based Stanworth brothers, Harry and Ben, the album is brimming with warmth and charm.

Barbudo have since been featured in The Line of The Best Fit, CLASH and Pop Matters to name a few. They've performed on BBC Music Introducing: Solent, Oxjam Music Festival and Dials Festival as well as supporting The Vyrll Society, The Big Moon and headlining their own shows.

You can watch Barbudo's Record Store Day Unsigned entry here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv-vNMkk0ak&feature=youtu.be