Music lovers are just like book lovers in some ways: in recent years they’ve gotten away from visiting local shops, and have decided that it’s a lot easier to buy a product with the click of a mouse.
For one day out of the year, however, music fans are trying their best to get shoppers back to record stores instead of lazily purchasing music on iTunes or other online retailers.
Saturday is being celebrated as the fifth ever Record Store Day, where consumers are asked to visit record stores to show support for the local community, and for those who haven’t given up trying to sell vinyl records.
Five years ago, a group of music enthusiast created the day to celebrate the hundreds of record retailers across the country.
In the past, retailers would have special releases and a number of promotional items. Customers might also walk into a store, and find that a live performance is going on.
According to the Associated Press, some musicians are also getting involved in the celebration. Katy Perry is among a number of artists who decided to release a vinyl record Saturday to bring attention to Record Store Day. The list of musicians includes, Perry, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, the Misfits, White Stripes, the late James Brown and The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, according to the report.
Last year, local stores saw an eight percent jump in sales on Record Store Day, AP reported.
The official Record Store Day Facebook page, which has more than 100,000 “likes,” sent out a message earlier in the day, thanking musicians and staffers who worked to promote the event.
“If you’re in a store today, find a staff member, tell them what the store means to you. It will mean the world to them,” the Facebook post reads. “We started all this to shine a spotlight on the stores, don’t take yours for granted.”
