Independent labels and record shops are falling out of love with Record Store Day

By P.T.

EVERY Friday evening, Tom Fisher and Philippe Giron pack the shelves of Rat Records—a second-hand record shop in south-east London—with new stock. Once the shelves are filled, Messrs Fisher and Giron post photographs of the new arrivals on the shop’s Facebook page; a “Sneak Peak”, covering everything from classic jazz, rock and dance music, to obscure artists operating in niche genres. From 10am on Saturday, customers shuffle in and out. Guest DJs play records behind the counter, record buyers brush elbows as they root through the new selections, chatting with each other and the proprietors about records that are on display (and usually records that aren’t). This is business as usual; it feels like a gathering of local fans drawn together to browse, listen to, discuss and purchase music.

April 16th will see thousands of independent record shops overflowing with customers as part of Record Store Day (RSD). Now in its ninth year, RSD sees music fans flock to independent music shops, forming long queues in the hope of snapping up limited-edition vinyl releases that form part of an official list released ahead of the day. The event has been hugely successful, with stores "on every continent except Antarctica” now participating, according to the organisers. According to Forbes, 2015 marked the tenth consecutive year of rising vinyl record sales in America, with a 30% year-on-year increase. It is a striking phenomenon in an age when music is otherwise moving relentlessly toward digital platforms. A major factor in this success is Record Store Day.

In recent years, however, a backlash has started to build. Some labels and record shops are complaining that restrictions enforced by organisers are at odds with how they run their businesses. A code of conduct dictates that participating shops are expected to stock a significant amount of official RSD releases, bought in advance on a non-return basis; this means that if a release is unpopular, leftover copies can clog up the shelves for years afterwards. The need to pay out lump sums to stock these official RSD releases can also leave shops unable to afford to buy stock of their regular releases in the run up to mid-April. "I've heard of shops having to borrow cash to buy stock," notes Phil Harding, a record shop owner.

Independent labels have become increasingly frustrated by the disruption they see as caused by RSD. Last year Rocket Recordings, an independent label based in London and Bristol, decided not to take part for the first time. Chris Reeder, who co-manages Rocket, echoes other critics when he claims that the event "has been hijacked by majors and larger labels reissuing easily accessible back-catalogue albums".

It could be argued that such releases (described wryly by a customer as "super-rare Disney picture discs endorsed by Metallica") at least bring new customers into record shops. For smaller independent labels, however, the implications of major-label involvement in RSD are significant—and last well beyond the third weekend in April.

“These reissues put a real strain on pressing plants,” Mr Reeder says. Vinyl sales have increased, but the infrastructure for producing records has lagged behind. Manufacturers become overloaded at peak times—such as the run up to RSD—and the production period for vinyl pressing has gone from two months to as many as six. Which, Mr Reeder notes, “has meant the vinyl has not been ready on release day, meaning no stock on the shelves." He adds that touring artists reliant on record sales at shows can be left without merchandise to sell. But for Mr Reeder, the final straw came as a fan. “I was in a shop [on RSD] two years ago, and I was appalled at the prices—£25 for an LP, £32 for a double. It was supposed to be a celebration of music and records, but it felt like one big rip-off."

For the smaller players involved, making and selling music is an unpredictable business that works better if labels, distributors, manufacturers and retailers work co-operatively. If one struggles to deliver, so do the others. Perhaps labels, artists, retailers and fans would be better served by a less regulated event in which all three parties have more control over what is sold, and how products are produced and distributed. It would certainly be more reflective of how record shops operate for the rest of the year. RSD in its current format may simply have become too much of an undertaking for small retailers.

Mr Giron concedes that RSD has brought people back to local shops, though doesn’t see the event as having much relevance to shops like Rat Records—of which there are plenty. “Record Store Day is not our day,” he says. Instead, Rat Records now holds its own event, cheekily dubbed “Record Shop Day”. A sneak preview of the records available will go online on Friday, DJs will play behind the counter and customers will dig for hidden gems on the shelves. It will not be too different to their usual Saturday gatherings. “This year we are happy to go it alone,” says Mr Fisher. “Every Saturday is Record Shop Day here.”