Okayplayer’s 16 Must-Cop Releases For Record Store Day 2016

If we can agree on anything in 2016, it’s this: despite damn-near seven decades of shelf-life, vinyl remains king. In fact, records have been subject to such a resurgence in the last 10 years, that new pressing plants have sprung up all over the globe just to keep up with demand. Hell, even the majors are catching wind. That in itself is an entirely separate branch of the discussion, but certainly furthers the point that vinyl, in all its popping and crackling glory, is here and here to stay.

And so, on this first edition of 2016’s Record Store Day (this Saturday, April 16th,) we celebrate not just the continued dominance of the medium that won’t let up, but the arrival of a whole new batch of reissues and even some first-ever pressings that should not be slept on in any way. But let’s be honest, every year, whoever commands the pulpit of this crate-digging holy day, inundates the vinyl-loving community with more titles than any one brain can bear. So we went ahead and put in the work for you, compiling 18 of the year’s tastiest releases into one streamlined list for your perusal; a compendium of cosmic jazz a la Sun Ra, drum machine funk from Egyptian Lover, bone-bruising blues courtesy of Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, and of course, that long-lost-but-now-found vocal album from the late J Dilla.

But even those titles don’t begin to convey just how lush this year’s crop of acetates is, so get comfy and take notes. Here’s OKP’s guide to your Record Store Day sojourn. We wish you only the best in your excavations. Please do keep in mind that each title is limited to only a few thousand copies (at most) and with that in mind, we advise you get to your local shops bright and early to beat the crowds. Hit the link below to pinpoint your nearest participating record store.

>>>Find a participating Record Store Day location near you