For over a year, folks who rely on music to enrich and sustain their life have seen their "normal" change dramatically due to COVID-19. As the effects of pandemic continue to ripple through every part of the industry, the Record Store Day organization has announced that rather than hold one event this year, there will be two RSD Drops, set to take place on June 12 and July 17 at participating stores worldwide. 

It has been decided that this is the best move for customer safety and for the sustainability of local record shops across the globe. Like last year, independent retailers will be able to choose operating procedures based on their own community's recommendations, so fans will likely see many shops taking their products online.

RSD also promises a complete list of exclusive RSD Drops releases to be announced soon. So far, we can confirm that the list will include Thelonious Monk's Palo Alto concert in an unreleased "custodian's mix," a mystery title from The Who, a deluxe vinyl issue of Richard Hell's Destiny Street Demos from Omnivore Recordings, and a two-volume set Songs For You which will benefit Black-owned record shops across the United States. As always, we'll have more RSD news for you as soon as it's official.

Read RSD's complete announcement below:

We've spent the last few months watching the news, listening to health officials, talking with record stores, labels, and RSD organizers the world over, and because we still don't have a magic 8-ball to tell us what things are going to look like in a few months, we've decided the smartest thing to do is bring back the concept of RSD Drops for 2021.

The RSD Drops will take place on June 12 and July 17 at participating stores worldwide.

These are street dates for special titles coming to participating indie record stores. As with the successful RSD Drops dates in 2020, the focus this year is on supporting indie record stores with sales, and saving the big parties, shows, in-stores, crowds and celebrations for (fingers crossed) Record Store Day 2022.

As they did last year for the three RSD Drops, stores will be handling sales and store procedures in the way they determine to be right for themselves and their community and that may mean something different than you're used to. We recommend you check in with your local record stores - join their email lists, follow them on social media - so you're as in the loop as possible.

We'll be launching the List of titles for both RSD Drops dates soon.  Watch this space!