As the world begins to slowly open up again, one thing that vinyl aficionados can look forward to is Record Store Day's RSD Drops. As we've previously reported, the organization opted to cancel their big day in April, and instead the titles will be released over three "drops" on August 29, September 26, and October 24. Legacy Recordings has announced their full, updated list of RSD Drops contributions from Cheap Trick, Tyler The Creator, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Toto, Manic Street Preachers, Destiny's Child and more. You can find all the information below (all blurbs courtesy of Legacy) and seek out your nearest participating store here! And don't miss our look at some of the notable titles you can expect to find on Drop 1, August 29 at your local brick-and-mortar record store.
Saturday, August 29:
Judas Priest, British Steel (Limited Edition 40th Anniversary Edition) (2LP)
One of Judas Priest's most iconic and recognizable albums is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To mark this momentous occasion, the album (along with rare bonus tracks "Red, White & Blue" and a live take on "Grinder") is being pressed on double vinyl with the album artwork printed on each side.
Manic Street Preachers, La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh) (12" Vinyl)
This limited edition 12″ vinyl is inspired by a Manics promo issued in 1994. The Record Store Day exclusive features mixes of two singles: 'La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)' and 'Roses In The Hospital'. Both tracks were taken from the band's second album 'Gold Against The Soul' and the songs were given the remix treatment by The Chemical Brothers (then The Dust Brothers) and Ashley Beedle.
Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets, See Emily Play/Vegetable Man (12" Single with Etching)
From the dynamic drummer heard on every Pink Floyd album, Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets offers the opportunity to experience the group's early body of work in concert, including songs from The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn and A Saucerful Of Secrets. Alongside guitarists Gary Kemp (of Spandau Ballet), keyboardists Dom Beken and Lee Harris (of Ian Dury and The Blockheads), and longtime Pink Floyd touring bassist Guy Pratt, Mason drew rapturous crowds throughout North America and Europe in 2018 and 2019 - including dates at The Roundhouse in London, the historic venue that counted Pink Floyd as its first performance in 1966. This collectible 12" single features two performances from the dazzling Roundhouse sets last May (including Pink Floyd outtake "Vegetable Man," played for the first time ever on this tour) backed by a custom etching.
Pink Floyd, Arnold Layne Live 2007 (7″ Single with Etching)
To celebrate Record Store Day 2020, Pink Floyd will release a live recording of the band's first single, and original singer and songwriter Syd Barrett's best-known song, "Arnold Layne." The limited-edition, one-sided Record Store Day 7" vinyl represents the last live performance of Pink Floyd with David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright all together in 2007. This special performance of "Arnold Layne" took place at the Syd Barrett Tribute Concert at The Barbican on 10 May 2007, with Pink Floyd members augmented by Jon Carin (Keyboards, vocals) and Andy Bell from Oasis on bass guitar. After a star-studded line-up throughout the evening, Pink Floyd took to the stage for an incredibly emotional finale. The B-side of the single features an exclusive etching of handcuffs to echo the sleeve and the song's lyrics.
Tyler, The Creator, Cherry Bomb (2LP Red Vinyl - Previously Unreleased On Vinyl)
One of his most ambitious albums, featuring everything from lush orchestras to hard-driving guitars across its grooves (plus standout guest verses from Kanye West, Lil Wayne, ScHoolboy Q and others). Now, the album Tyler told Billboard was "the music I've always wanted to make" is available on vinyl for the first time.
Tyler, The Creator, Cherry Bomb The Instrumentals (2LP Pink Vinyl - Previously Unreleased On Vinyl)
One of his most ambitious albums, featuring everything from lush orchestras to hard-driving guitars across its grooves. Now, for the first time on vinyl, the instrumental version of the album (first released as a digital edition in 2018) will be available for all fans to experience.
Saturday, September 26:
Destiny's Child, Say My Name (12" Picture Disc)
With their second chart-topping single, Destiny's Child began reforming pop music to their own image, weaving in the influence of Hip-Hop and R&B and adding a healthy helping of ladies-to-the-front energy. Two decades after it topped the Billboard Hot 100, it's being released as a collectible picture disc by Certified Classics, featuring remixes by Timbaland and Maurice Joshua.
Britney Spears, Oops!...I Did It Again (Remixes and B-Sides) (12" Baby Blue Vinyl)
Only a year after the success of her debut album ...Baby One More Time, Britney Spears' sophomore album was another offering of pop perfection for the TRL generation, setting a years-long record for the highest first week of sales by a female performer. Oops!...I Did It Again was no accident - and to celebrate its 20th anniversary, this new collection features four rare remixes of the hits "Oops!...I Did It Again," "Lucky," "Stronger" and "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know," plus four rare songs from the album sessions only released outside the U.S., including a cover of The Jets' classic ballad "You Got It All."
TLC, Waterfalls EP (12" Picture Vinyl)
More than a quarter-century from its initial release, TLC's sophomore album CrazySexyCool remains an undisputed classic, blending classic soul styles with modern R&B and cutting-edge Hip-Hop. It's still the bestselling album by an American girl group, and the first to earn RIAA diamond certification for more than 10 million copies shipped. To commemorate this singular moment in music history, the album's second chart-topping single "Waterfalls" makes its debut picture vinyl release courtesy of Certified Classics, featuring rare edits and remixes by Organized Noize and Dallas Austin.
Saturday, October 24:
Cheap Trick, Out To Get You! Live 1977 (2LP - Previously Unreleased)
Dateline: 1977. With punk on the rise in the United Kingdom, rock 'n' roll experienced a tectonic shift the world over. Rockford, Illinois' Cheap Trick rode that shake-up, touring relentlessly in support of their self-titled debut album. In June of that year, bursting with kinetic energy while recording follow-up In Color, the group spontaneously booked a handful of club shows at The Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, knocking out audiences with an onslaught of down-'n'-dirty rock righteousness - including favorite songs that wouldn't appear on albums for years. Released for the first time ever and newly mixed by two-time Grammy Award winner Guy Massey (The Beatles, Ray Davies, The Jayhawks), Out To Get You! showcases a band taking determined steps toward world domination.
Miles Davis, Double Image: Rare Miles From The Bitches Brew Sessions (2LP Red Vinyl)
Half a century from its release, shockwaves from Miles Davis' Bitches Brew continue to reverberate throughout the universe. Leading an army of all-stars into the studio, Miles defied all conventional styles, joining the loose ends of jazz, rock and funk into a groundbreaking new sound. This double LP release on red vinyl features 10 keyboard-rich recordings captured in the wake of the original Bitches Brew sessions from August '69 to February '70 with a rotating cast of luminaries including Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette and much more. Issued on vinyl for general release for the first time ever, the recordings were originally heard on The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions released in 1998.
Toto, Live In Tokyo 1980 (12" Red Vinyl)
Toto's well-honed musical craftsmanship helped sell more than 40 million albums in four decades together. In 1980, the band embarked on their first tour of Japan, forming a lifelong bond with fans in that country who adored their polished West Coast rock style. For the first time as a standalone release, the Live In Tokyo 1980 EP captures the original line-up of the band - vocalist Bobby Kimball, guitarist Steve Lukather, keyboardists David Paich and Steve Porcaro, bassist David Hungate and drummer Jeff Porcaro - performing four tracks from their then-new sophomore album Hydra (plus the unreleased track "Runaway") during that historic trek.
Various Artists, Sweet Relief: A Benefit For Victoria Williams (2LP - Previously Unreleased On Vinyl)
In 1992, Victoria Williams was a talented singer-songwriter with a big problem: diagnosed with multiple sclerosis as she started gaining widespread exposure, she had no health insurance to cover her treatment costs. Within a year, an army of fans and friends, including Pearl Jam, Soul Asylum, Lou Reed, The Jayhawks and Giant Sand, recorded favorites from her songbook for Sweet Relief; that same year, the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund was established to offer funds for any musician in need of care. For the first time, this landmark album is available on vinyl to once again remind music lovers of the need for fair, affordable medical treatment for everyone.
Torcuato says
Toto looks great! As for Pink Floyd's Arnold Layne, it's a rip off.
David B says
I'm sorry.. I'd love to support local record shops but why do they ignore cds???
i don't buy vinyl .. and have to wonder why such shops ignore the cd buyer . .. after all it's all recorded product and unless you have a B&O deck (costing £1,000+) then you aren't going to hear any difference between a cd and a vinyl . .
i'd love to see some SACD one-offs for RSD .. after all they are much better sounding than any cd or vinyl can offer .. so why not??? Why, why, why is vinyl so revered ???? It scratches easy, doesn't allow track skipping or instant replay but hey we're supposed to celebrate when something is re-issued on coloured vinyl .. sorry but do better record companies . .thank heavens we have Edsel and Dutton Vocalion who still believe in cds ..
Interestingly the classical world hasn't embraced the vinyl craze .. erm could it be because vinyl isn't good at reproducing a full orchestral sound???
Sam Stone says
Hi David, Thanks for reading! Yes, we love our CDs and getting faulty vinyl can really be a pain. Thankfully, lots of shops carry both CDs and vinyl in their stock so RSD has coordinated with labels to release some CDs (in fact, more than I remember from previous years.) Here's the list of optical media you can find on the RSD Drop Days:
Cradle, The History (Modern Harmonic, 8/29, 500 copies)
David Bowie, ChangesNowBowie (Parlophone, 8/29, quantity TBD)
David Bowie, I’m Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) (Parlophone, 8/29, quantity TBD)
John Wesley Harding, The Man With No Shadow (Yep Roc Records, 8/29, 500 copies)
Lothar and the Hand People, Machines: Amherst 1969 (Modern Harmonic, 8/29, 500 copies)
The Feminine Complex, Livin' Love (Modern Harmonic, 9/26, 500 copies)
The Fleshtones, Face of the Screaming Werewolf (Yep Roc Records, 10/24, 1350 copies)
V/A, From The Vaults, Vol. 2 (Studio One, 8/29, 1000 copies)
Young Fresh Fellows, Toxic Youth (Yep Roc Records, 700 copies)
There will also be a DVD of the Record Safari documentary (10/24, 500 copies) and a new book, Planet Wax: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Soundtracks on Vinyl by Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas (8/29, 1000 copies)
Hope you're able to find something you enjoy or take a chance on! Thanks again for reading.
David B says
Thank you for the info.. much appreciated. i will search out the Bowie and the Lother ones .. Lother especially an underrated group (have there two LPs on cd) .. and i promise to do better research in future..