Record Store Day 2026: Our Five Picks
Record Store Day 2026:
Our Five Picks
Once again, it’s time for Record Store Day, the annual celebration of the lifeblood of the grassroots and local music scenes, your independent record store. This April, there are hundreds of exclusives competing for your consideration. This year’s ambassador is none other than one of the UK’s biggest success stories in recent years, and an artist we’ve long championed over the last six years, the wonderful Olivia Dean. She’s releasing a 7” single containing two of her live BBC sessions. It’s an interesting indication of a large ‘live album’ presence on this year's list.
Below you can find the five records we think you should be picking up as well as a link to the full list ahead of your trip to your local store on April 18th. You might catch a glimpse of us at the oldest record store in the world, Spillers Records in Cardiff, just like Robert Plant… see you there.
It’s only fitting that the first suggestion on the list should relate to our new home of Manchester. Laura Marling’s 2024 eighth record, ‘Patterns In Repeat’, continued her run of sensational albums. A beautiful reflection of motherhood, ageing, and the ‘patterns’ that are passed down through generations, it was only fitting that the album was performed in such an intimate setting.
Recorded during her special two-night-only performances at the Albert Hall last year, the double LP marks the first time these live recordings have been available physically. The shows featured a unique structure in which the first half focused on Marling solo with her acoustic guitar, reimagining delicate renditions of some of her classics. Whilst the second half showcased an expansive sound as she was joined by a four-piece string quartet and a choir to perform her latest album, Patterns in Repeat, in its entirety.
This is a sensational must-buy, and the encapsulation of what can make a live album so special. These were truly unique concerts showcasing one of the finest singer-songwriters of her time, currently on a once-in-a-generation run of albums.
Speaking of generational artists, Neil Young’s recent European tour saw the Canadian folk hero reinvigorated as he once again headlined Glastonbury. On ‘As Time Explodes’, listeners will be able to pick up a collection of tracks that showcase Young and his latest touring band, The Chrome Hearts.
If anyone has managed to witness even one of the shows last summer, they’ll be able to attest to the hunger, youth and thrill of hearing some of Young’s classics (and outtakes) performed with a mix of adoration from The Chrome Hearts and fiery determination from Young.
Whilst 79, at the time of the recording, ‘As Time Explodes’ is a showcase of how songs grow and evolve over an artist's career. Yes, you can probably find more polished and tuned versions deeper into his back catalogue, but there’s a reason Young received such glowing praise last summer. This was a legend in a unique, steely headspace, impassioned and spurred on by a deeply talented supporting cast that was hanging on every note. It’s worth picking up just to relive a thunderous and timely rendition of ‘Be The Rain’ and the delicate earnestness of ‘Harvest Moon’.
There are only two tracks here on Record Store Day ambassador Olivia Dean’s ‘Live At The BBC’ 7” single, but they show the versatility of the Brit School Alumni. They show an artist who is influenced by and has a rich knowledge of a wide range of music that spans generations.
The first is a cover of Carole King’s sublime ‘You’ve Got A Friend’, accompanied by Jools Holland on piano. It’s a great showcase of both the timeless nature of the track and Dean’s ability to transform her tone and harness that undeniable emotion within the melody and King’s evocative writing. It’s a powerful track that requires a unique ability to move between a delicate and powerful tone depending on the moment. Dean more than rises to that occasion.
The second, meanwhile, is a spellbinding rendition of Boygenius ‘Cool About It’ that has long been on rotation on our YouTube playlists over the last few years. Very much the antithesis of ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ in the way it requires such deft subtlety. Bridges, Baker and Dacus’s writing expels an awkwardly sweet vulnerability, and Dean here meets it with the softer scale of her divine vocal range.
Olivia Dean is inarguably one of the industry’s brightest stars currently, and for good reason. This single will make for an essential addition to anyone’s physical collection.
The final two selections on our list highlight the early beginnings of some of our favourite acts. This Record Store Day, you’ll be able to collect Self Esteem’s debut EP ‘Cuddles Please’ on a physical format for the first time.
The release comprises three tracks and a cover. It’s a unique peek behind the curtain at a set of tracks, which would later be transformed and reimagined by Taylor for later projects. There’s an undeniable quality to each one, and it’s not hard to see why fans hotly debate whether these alternative versions surpass the album renditions.
So this EP offers the opportunity to reexplore tracks such as ‘In Time’ and ‘The Best’ in their original glory, potentially experiencing the fan favourites in a different light if you haven’t heard these excellent and raw early renditions before.
‘Diet Baby’ is CMAT’s now rare first EP, which compiled her first four singles upon its release in 2021. Now a rare find, sitting at over £100 on second-hand sites. This pearl sunrise coloured repress will be a chance for new adoring fans of the Irish songwriter sensations to get a hand on the collection, which remains the only way to listen to, as CMAT would call it, ‘the criminally underrated’ single, ‘Rodney’, on Vinyl.
This one will be popular and an easy recommendation for those familiar or unfamiliar with CMAT’s incredible opening run of singles, which quickly indicated a star was fast on the rise.