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How to Make the Most of Record Store Day with Discogs

Maximize your Record Store Day experience by using Discogs’ tools to plan your hunt, track your finds, and connect with the global record collecting community.

How to Make the Most of RSD on Discogs header image

Record Store Day, which takes place on April 12, 2025, is one of the most exciting days for vinyl collectors and music enthusiasts. It’s a special occasion to celebrate the unique culture of record collecting, independent record stores, and hunt for those elusive, limited-edition releases. 

Discogs is a music discovery and record collecting platform empowered by a community of obsessed fans from all over the world. And whether you’re trying to bookmark what records you plan on picking up, want to grab an album you missed out on at the local shop, or aren’t near any record store and do your shopping online, Discogs can transform your Record Store Day experience from a chaotic scramble into a well-organized and enjoyable celebration of vinyl culture.

Here’s how to best use Discogs to improve your Record Store Day experience.

Visit The Discogs RSD Selects Page

Looking for all the must-have RSD releases? Discover and shop this year’s top picks, categorized by genre, on the Discogs RSD Selects page.

Shop RSD Releases Now

Create An & Get The App

Before diving in, you’ll need to Discogs App. With the app, you can have all the best Discogs features in the palm of your hand.

Utilize the Discogs Wantlist

The Wantlist Tool on Discogs is a game-changer for any record collector, especially on Record Store Day. It allows you to keep track of all the records you’re searching for in one convenient place. Here’s how to use it to your advantage:

Pre-Plan Your Hunt: In the days leading up to Record Store Day, compile a list of all the exclusive releases and any other records you hope to find. You can find a list of all RSD releases here. Once these releases are added to Discogs, add them to your Wantlist by visiting the relevant release page and clicking “Add to Wantlist” on the right side of the page. This way, you’ll have a digital checklist that you can access on your phone while you’re in the record store, ensuring you don’t miss out on any of your desired items. And Wantlist is accessible whether you’re using the app or the mobile browser experience. Don’t be surprised if you see other RSD shoppers with their Wantlist pulled up on their phones while shopping.

Get Notifications: Next, travel to your Wantlist and select the “Filter Your Wantlist” button at the top right corner. This will bring you to Wantlister where you can click the “Filter” button. Now you can set real time notifications after selecting the releases you are interested in as a saved filter, immediately notifying you when these records are live to shop. You’ll also get an email letting you know about new copies available, the condition of the vinyl, and the price it’s being sold for. Simply press “Add to Cart,” proceed to Discogs, and check out.

Prioritize Your Picks: With a potentially overwhelming selection, prioritize your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.” Discogs can help you gauge the desirability and potential market value of each release.

Research Participating Stores: Many record stores announce their RSD participation and release lists in advance. Use Discogs to research local stores and check their online presence for updates. This will help you plan your route and strategize your approach.

Use Discogs Search Filters

Discogs’ powerful search filters are incredibly useful for narrowing down your hunt, both during and after Record Store Day.

Identify Specific Releases: If you’re looking for a particular Record Store Day release, you can use the search filters to find it quickly within the Discogs database. You can filter by artist, title, year, and more to pinpoint the exact item you need.

Hot Tip: Most RSD releases will have the phrase “Record Store Day” in the format listing on the release page, such as: Vinyl, LP, Album, Record Store Day, Bone.

Billie Eilish Record Store Day release with 'record store day' listed in format image.

Update your Collection

While the Wantlist helps you plan your purchases, the Collection Tool is where you catalog the records you already own, or just purchases. Here’s how it can be useful during and after RSD.

Document Your Haul: After a successful Record Store Day, take some time to add your new acquisitions to your Discogs Collection. This not only helps you keep track of your growing library but also allows you to document the special editions and unique finds from the day.

Share Your Pickups: Discogs allows you to share your Collection with other s. This can be a fun way to connect with fellow collectors, show off your Record Store Day haul, and discover new music through others’ collections. You can even share the composite artwork of your Collection on social media.

Understand The Value of Your Collection: The combined lowest, median, and highest values of all the items you add to your Collection are automatically calculated by Discogs based on the most recent sales history of these releases in the Marketplace. Once you add a release to your Collection, you’ll automatically be able to understand the value of your RSD purchases, and track their value. You’ll be surprised – some RSD releases increase in value fairly quick after RSD, due to limited pressings and increased demand.

Additional Tips for RSD Success

Plan Your Route: Many collectors visit multiple record stores on Record Store Day. Check their locations and hours, and plan an efficient route. If you’re making a day (or weekend) trip out of RSD, it’s never too early to book a house, hotel, or ask for couch space at your friend’s apartment.

Be Prepared: Record Store Day can be competitive. Arrive early at the stores you plan to visit, bring water and snacks, and get your Wantlist ready to go. , the goal is to have fun and celebrate the love of music and record collecting.

Be Patient: RSD releases can be highly sought after, and prices can be volatile. Don’t rush into impulse purchases.

Tag Discogs on Social: Share your experience, and check out what other Record Store Day events looked like around the world by tagging and following us on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, and X.

Keep Adding To Your Collection: Now that you’ve got a Discogs , it’s the perfect time to keep adding to your Collection and interacting with fellow music lovers on Discogs. With a comprehensive, crowdsourced discography integrated with a global music marketplace and personalized collection management tools, you can discover music, buy and sell records, connect with community, fuel your collecting journey, and deepen your connection to music, all in one place.

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