Cover art for some of our favorite titles coming out on Record Store Day Black Friday 2023
Even if you try to avoid retail hell on Black Friday, Record Store Day Black Friday might just be enough to pull you out of ye olde food coma. As ever, a slew of annual exclusive titles — about 170 this year — are headed directly to your favorite local mom-and-pop stores on Friday, Nov. 24.Â
The most notable local-flavored releases are not one but two live LPs recorded at Grimey’s; both are RSD First offerings that’ll go into wider circulation later. The late Justin Townes Earle’s Live at Grimey’s was recorded at the old Eighth Avenue South location during a release party for his 2014 LP Single Mothers; it’s a reissue, originally released on RSD 2015. Meanwhile, Margo Price’s Strays (Live At Grimey’s) was captured during her January 2023 in-store performance celebrating Strays’ release. The Noise for Now: Vol. 1 compilation, whose proceeds support abortion access, also has several Nashville contributions, including Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell’s “The Problem,” Bully’s “Labor of Love” and the dream team of Caroline Spence, Erin Rae, Michaela Anne and Tristen on Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work.”
Fans of the Disney Channel-to-pop-star pipeline will want to check out releases from Olivia Rodrigo (GUTS: the secret tracks EP, a 12-inch RSDBF exclusive with an etching on the flip side) and the Jonas Brothers (an RSD First two-LP set called The Family Business). Hip-hop legends De La Soul’s catalog finally came to streaming this year, and you can celebrate in a physical way with their revered 3 Feet High and Rising reissued as a box set of a dozen 7-inches. If I decide to brave the Black Friday crowds, I’ll probably try to snag Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark Demos LP, the New Heart Designs 12-inch featuring BADBADNOTGOOD’s remixes of three songs from Turnstile’s Glow On, and The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album — reissued on green vinyl, the 1964 LP includes “Blue Christmas” and “White Christmas” amid a mix of covers and originals.
If you’re looking to snag some of those sweet RSD exclusives, or just get some great deals on this year’s best records, you have plenty of options around town. The aforementioned Grimey’s (1060 E. Trinity Lane) is opening an hour early at 10 a.m. to offer RSD releases; guests hoping to snag some rare vinyl are invited to line up at the back door. If you’re just interested in that day’s regular releases or general browsing, you can go in the front entrance and get a head start on holiday shopping for all your audiophile friends.Â
Just down the road, The Groove (1103 Calvin Ave.) will also have exclusives. They’ll also have an array of Black Friday sales of their own, with discounts around the store including 20 percent off select records and vinyl mystery bags — the perfect gift for a Dirty Santa or White Elephant exchange.Â
Vinyl Tap (2038 Greenwood Ave.) is having a mega celebration on Black Friday. Not only are they observing RSD, they are also honoring the store’s seventh anniversary and owner Todd Hedrick’s birthday. In addition to sales and specials on most of their inventory, Vinyl Tap is opening up their record vault for the occasion, offering out-of-print and signed albums. DJs from community radio station WXNA will be on hand from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday to soundtrack your shopping, and drink specials will be offered all weekend.Â
All locations of The Great Escape — in our vicinity, that’s the Nashville flagship (5400 Charlotte Ave.) and stores in Madison (105 Gallatin Pike N.) and Murfreesboro (810 NW Broad St., No. 202) — will open four hours early at 8 a.m. to offer the RSD exclusive releases to eager shoppers. All standard inventory will also be discounted 20 percent for Black Friday, so be sure to stick around and browse after you grab your new releases and rarities.Â
If you aren’t dead set on browsing all the special titles, Alison’s Record Shop (994A Davidson Drive), Phonoluxe (2609 Nolensville Pike) and Third Man Records’ storefront (623 Seventh Ave. S.) will have Black Friday offers as well. Everything at Alison’s will be 15 percent off all weekend, and Phonoluxe will be putting out some as-yet-unbrowsed stock. Meanwhile, Third Man will have two new releases — a four-LP set of Bo Diddley’s I’m a Man: Chess Masters, 1955-1958 and a two-LP compilation of New Zealand rockers Electric Blood’s work called Transfusion — the only RSD Black Friday records they will have in store.Â
Check out the full list of RSD Black Friday exclusives on the official Record Store Day website. Not every store had details available at press time, and happenings can always change, so be sure to watch social media or check in with your favorite local shop for the latest. And keep up with them when it’s not Record Store Day — after all, they’re there for you 365 days a year.
