Music lovers, artists and collectible hunters, Record Store Day Australia returns in 2026.
The annual, global celebration of independent record stores that originally started in 2008 when Metallica launched the debut event at Rasputin Music in Mountain View, California, will land on Saturday 18 April, 2026.
As the resurgence in physical formats of music offering tactile experiences blooms further, Record Store Day continues to support music communities, labels, emerging and established artists, while highlighting local indie record stores and their unique role as cultural hubs and community spaces.
Whether it's vinyl, CDs, cassettes, or other physical forms of music-related paraphernalia, the local record store facilitates intergenerational connections, from first-time vinyl buyers to seasoned collectors, who share their knowledge and help ensure that culture remains accessible.
The continued existence of the physical music and vinyl ecosystem is a conscious choice, and Record Store Day highlights the unique benefits of physical music retail over digital alternatives: human-driven discovery, the promotion of intentional listening experiences, and community support for artist development.
Record Store Day Australia is also inviting artists and labels to submit expressions of interest to release music as part of the 2026 celebrations.
Releases can be presented via OG formats like vinyl, CD, and cassette, or via KiTbetter, the new hybrid physical and digital music format designed to blend the collectible appeal of physical music products of albums, photo cards, booklets, and merchandise, helping restore value in music ownership by giving fans something tangible to hold as well as the connected digital experience. EOIs close Friday 30 January.
Previous years have seen releases issued as part of Record Store Day Australia from Ninajirachi, Ruel, You Am I, Pond, The Grogans, Olana Janfa, Beth and Blue, Heavy Moss, Ella Thompson, Ocean Alley, Underground Lovers, Montaigne, Tasman Keith, Confidence Man, Peking Duk and Darren Hayes collaboration, The Wiggles, Bluey and many more.
Record Store Day takes place on Saturday 18 April, 2026.
