With Thanksgiving on the horizon, Black Friday is right around the corner. For vinyl lovers like me, Black Friday also means Record Store Day, which represents one of the best times to add new and exclusive records to my ever-growing collection—if only for the sole purpose of flexing on my friends.
But with so many records to buy and a bank balance that’s hanging on by a thread, it can be hard to determine what’s worth the investment. Here are my top six Record Store Day buys depending on what kind of music listener you are, to guide you through the otherwise daunting day.
For Those Looking to Reminisce on a New England Fall:
With fall on the Heights coming to an end, it is the perfect time to soak up those last autumn vibes and get yourself a record that will remind you of pumpkin spice and sunset-colored leaves all winter long.
That record may just be Town Hall (Stick Season Collaborations) by Noah Kahan. This eight-track record contains each of the collaborations from the deluxe edition of Kahan’s Stick Season including “Northern Attitude (with Hozier)” and “Everywhere, Everything (with Gracie Abrams).”
The songs come pressed on a beautiful, golden-brown vinyl that looks like the polished cross-section of a tree. Retailing at around $30, this record is a steal for anyone who considers themselves a real fan of Kahan.
For Those Looking for an Escape from City Life:
Sometimes going to school in a big city can be tiring, leading us to long for the simple life. While you can’t bring Boston College to rural Texas, with the right songs you can bring Texas to you.
Those songs might just be on Deeper Into The Well by Kacey Musgraves. This pressing of the deluxe songs from Musgraves’ Deeper Well released earlier this year comes with seven songs that have previously not had a physical form.
The vinyl is dark green and comes in a clear slip-sleeve package made from recycled materials. If the songs themselves don’t make you feel like you’ve escaped civilization, the vinyl also contains 20 minutes of woodland sounds, great for ambient study noise or for some calming and reflective meditation.
For Hip-Hop Die-Hards:
In direct contrast to the country lovers above, you thrive off the energy of the city and wish you could take a slice home with you. Maybe you also love some old-school boom-bap hip-hop.
If this sounds like you, then you might just need to get yourself a copy of Operation: Doomsday 25th Anniversary. This special edition of the late rapper MF DOOM’s debut album comes in both metallic silver and gold.
And for you psychos who buy vinyl purely for decoration, the art on the record jacket is just as classic as the music. The cartoon-style album cover with MF DOOM’s signature persona would fit in perfectly on your dorm wall.
For the Pop Princesses:
It’s Saturday morning. You just spent 45 minutes singing Sabrina Carpenter songs in the shower, and now you’re on your way to pick up an iced vanilla latte from Starbucks before blowing hundreds of dollars shopping on Newbury Street. Congratulations, you’re probably a pop princess.
Few artists are more quintessentially pop-princess than Olivia Rodrigo. The deluxe edition of her 2023 album GUTS will now finally be released on vinyl. Songs like “so american” and “girl i’ve always been” are perfect songs to sing alone in your room or with some friends.
The album, GUTS (spilled), is pressed on red and purple vinyl and comes with artwork to hang on your wall. Who doesn’t like to also get some decor when they buy a new album?
For the Wannabe Producers:
I get it, I get it. You made a beat in GarageBand, and now you think you’re the next Jack Antonoff. While I don’t believe you, I won’t be the one to rain on your parade.
With the isolated-vocals version of HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish, you can see exactly what it’s like to be a producer in the studio with Eilish. Songs like the Grammy-nominated “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” will tug just a little more on the heartstrings thanks to the raw, stripped-back presentation, making this an album that’s also great for crying to.
Eilish’s voice is easily one of the best out there, and without the instrumentation, you can focus all your attention on just how beautiful it is. The record also comes with an exclusive, alternate art cover, making it that much cooler.
For the Old Souls:
Last but not least are my old souls. You guys are the type of people whose music taste never progressed past the ’70s, despite being born in 2004. Your vinyl collection probably began when your grandparents gave you a box of old records they found in the attic.
If that sounds like you then you probably already know about Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! by The Rolling Stones. The first live album to reach No. 1 in the United Kingdom, Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! is a great addition to an old-school collection of records.
This pressing comes on a candy cane swirl vinyl that matches drummer Charlie Watts’ hat on the album jacket and is perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
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