Elvis Costello, Elton John, John Lennon, Sting Feature on UMG’s Record Store Day Slate
Universal Music Group’s 2025 Record Store Day roster is heavy on British rockers: Elvis Costello, John Lennon, Elton John, Sting, Queen, Mark Knopfler, and The Verve among them! But there’s also some highly-anticipated items from The Killers and Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, and Passengers, a.k.a. U2 and Brian Eno, among the other highlights. Visit RecordStoreDay.com for the full list of participating retailers you can visit on Saturday, April 12, to join in the festivities.
Elvis Costello, The Kings of America Live At The Royal Albert Hall (Third Man – limited to 2,000 units)
EC culls the concert presented on his recent King of America and Other Realms box set for this 2LP release. Recorded in London on January 27, 1987, the gig found the singer supported by James Burton, Jerry Scheff, Jim Keltner, T-Bone Wolk, and keyboardist Benmont Tench on loan from Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers.
Elton John, Live from The Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper (EMI/UMR – limited to 5,000 units)
Fresh off the announcement of his upcoming joint album with Brandi Carlile, Elton turns to a longtime collaborator – percussionist Ray Cooper – for this concert album recorded by the BBC during Elton and Ray’s duo shows at London’s Rainbow Theatre in May 1977. This single LP features twelve highlights from the residency with a focus on deep cuts such as “Roy Rogers,” “Cage the Songbird,” “I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford),” and “Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future).”
The Killers & Bruce Springsteen, Encore At The Garden (Island – limited to 5,000 units)
To close out their October 1, 2022 concert at Madison Square Garden, The Killers brought out their pal Bruce Springsteen for some rock-and-roll revelry. Now, that encore consisting of Springsteen’s “Badlands,” The Killers’ “Dustland,” and Springsteen’s “Born to Run” is seeing official release.
Mark Knopfler, One Take Radio Sessions (EMI – limited to 3,000 units)
Knopfler’s live-in-the-studio sessions at California’s Shangri-La Studios come to vinyl to commemorate their 20th anniversary.
John Lennon & Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant’s Memory, Power to the People – Live At The One-to-One Concert, New York City, 1972 (Apple/UMR – limited to 3,000 units)
On August 30, 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, along with the Plastic Ono Band, Elephant’s Memory, and special guests, headlined the One to One Benefit Concerts at Madison Square Garden. These concerts raised over $1.5 million to support schoolchildren with special needs. Sadly, the One to One shows turned out to be John’s final – and only – full-length solo concerts following the breakup of The Beatles. This four-song EP has been drawn from the afternoon and evening shows, and premieres three previously unreleased tracks. It’s been produced by Sean Ono Lennon and mixed and engineered from the master tapes by Paul Hicks and Sam Gannon. It’s pressed on 180-gram yellow vinyl.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Peel Sessions 1979-1983 (Virgin – limited to 2,500 units)
This LP rounds up four BBC sessions featuring the synthpop band (one in 1979, two in 1980, and one in 1983). This set marks the first time any of these tracks have appeared on vinyl as well as the first time the complete sessions have been issued on one release. (The 2000 CD edition omitted the second recording of “Bunker Soldiers,” from 1983, which has been reinstated here.) This is an RSD First release.
Passengers, Original Soundtracks I (30th Anniversary Edition) (Island – limited to 3,500 units)
The 1995 album by Passengers – a.k.a. Brian Eno and U2 – has been newly remastered for this 30th anniversary pressing on recycled black vinyl. This is an RSD First release.
Queen, De Lane Lea Demos (Hollywood – limited to 5,000 units)
Queen’s December 1971-January 1972 demos, which premiered on the recent Queen I box set, are now broken out on vinyl.
Sting, Sting 3.0 Live (A&M/Cherrytree/Interscope – limited to 3,000 units
This 2LP set features 17 tracks from Sting’s 2024 tour including numerous tracks which he has never released before in live versions. It’s pressed on 180-gram vinyl.
Taylor Swift, Fortnight (Republic)
Expect big crowds and long lines obtain this coveted 7-inch single from the superstar, featuring the vinyl premiere of the BLOND:ISH remix of the Grammy-nominated “Fortnight.”
Thin Lizzy, Jailbreak (Alternative Versions) (Mercury/UMC – limited to 6,000 units)
This single LP brings together alternate versions from the band’s 1976 box set, re-creating the original album in order (where possible). It also arrives in a new sleeve.
The Verve, Voyager 1 (Republic – limited to 3,000 units)
The Verve’s 1993 limited-quantity “official bootleg” has been remastered from the original analog sources, with lacquers cut at Abbey Road. This is an RSD First release.
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7 thoughts on “Elvis Costello, Elton John, John Lennon, Sting Feature on UMG’s Record Store Day Slate”
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As always almost nothing on CD. Urgggg
I’m hopeful (if not quite optimistic!) that perhaps expanded CD versions of the Elton and John Lennon releases will be in the offing…
Thanks Joe. I hope you are right. Do you know why they haven’t released CD versions of the 50th Anniversary editions of Elton John’s Don’t Shoot Me or Caribou? That has been so disappointing.
It is difficult to impossible to make the economics work on a CD for Record Store Day. It would have to be done as a loss leader, which isn’t realistic for most RSD participants.
I remember Ray Cooper coming aboard Elton’s band back in the 70s thinking he added nothing to EJ’s music. Probably still that way and yet he gets billing on this release. Are people that wild about hearing his maracas?
I haven’t heard this particular show, but Ray has long been an animated presence and a real crowd-pleaser at Elton’s shows, up to and including the final tour. Hoping this captures some of that magic.
Thanks, Joe. Giving the people what they want, I suppose.