Words: Hollie Sackett

This Saturday marks another annual Record Store Day celebration championing independent record stores up and down the country. With our eyes on a number of the exclusive records available in store, here are the top picks for Record Store Day 2023.

The 1975: Live with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Kicking off the list are Record Store Day’s official ambassadors for 2023, The 1975. After an astoundingly successful year so far after winning Best Alternative/Rock Act at the BRIT Awards, a sold-out world tour and their fifth consecutive UK number-one album, they truly are at their very best. To mark this year’s celebrations, record stores across the country will be stocking The 1975 Live with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra where the band perform songs from their Sophmore Album I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It. The two disc LP includes some of their biggest songs including ‘The Sound’, ‘Somebody Else’ and ‘Chocolate’.

Blur: Blur Present the Special Collectors Edition 

Another very exciting Record Store Day release is Blur’s Special Collectors Edition which has only ever been released on CD in Japan back in 1994! A must for any Blur fan, the two coloured LP discs feature a collection of B-sides taken from the single releases of their first three studio albums.

Sam Fender: Wild Grey Ocean/Little Bull of Blythe

Wild Grey Ocean and Little Bull of Blythe were originally released on Fender’s live Seventeen Going Under but will now, for the first time, be released on a limited edition white 7” vinyl. Fender is no stranger to RSD after teaming up with War Child in 2022 to raffle off a signed turntable in order to raise money to support young people across war-torn nations.

Self Esteem: Compliments Please

It’s finally here, the long-awaited repress of Self Esteem’s 2019 debut Album, Compliments Please. After being long out of stock, the gold-pressed disc includes the songs ‘In Time’, ‘The Best’ and ‘Girl Crush’. The album is about Self Esteem’s experience as a woman within the music industry and learning not to be a people pleaser (but still welcoming those compliments, mind).

Taylor Swift: The Long Pond Studio Sessions

This highly anticipated Record Store Day release comes from Taylor Swift with special help from longtime collaborators Jack Antanoff, Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon. This record contains songs from Swift’s album Folklore which was recorded during COVID-19, however, the Pond Studio Sessions was the first time Taylor and her collaborators were able to perform the record together. A special record that will make a vital part of any Swiftie’s collection.