The Second Disc’s Guide to Record Store Day 2026
Tomorrow, Record Store Day is once again upon us! And it wouldn’t be a RSD without The Second Disc chiming in with our annual RSD Guide featuring some of our favorite picks. As always, it wasn’t easy for us to narrow ’em down, so we’d like you to sound off on your hoped-for titles, too! Looking for the nearest shop? Visit RecordStoreDay.com in the U.S., RecordStoreDay.co.uk in the U.K., and RecordStoreDayCanada.ca in Canada for the complete list of participating stores. Without further ado, Mike, Joe, and Randy have a handful of the titles upon which they’d stake their reputation as catalogue connoisseurs. Whatever you have on your shopping list for Saturday, may your lines be short and your delight be deep! Enjoy!
We’ll kick off with Randy’s selections!
Tony Bennett, MTV Unplugged (Legacy)
You can never go wrong with Tony Bennett and Legacy is bringing one of his most successful albums to vinyl for the first time on this RSD. At first glance, MTV and Bennett seemed like an odd pairing. But when the special aired in 1994 it proved to be a winner and introduced the artist to a whole new generation of fans. For the concert, Bennett does what he did best and takes the audience through selections from the Great American Songbook, joined by guests Elvis Costello and k.d. lang. When the soundtrack was released, it went platinum and eventually won the Grammy for Album of the Year. Vinyl aficionados should seek it out.
Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Solo Albums (Rhino)
In 1970, supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released the landmark album Déjà Vu. The success of that album elevated the fortunes of the solo albums that followed from each member of the band. For this RSD, Rhino is collecting three of those together in a lavish new box set.
The first album up is Stephen Stills’ self-titled debut which hit shelves eight months after Déjà Vu. It would climb to No. 3 on the Pop Album charts and featured Stills’ biggest hit, the classic rock radio mainstay “Love The One You’re With.” David Crosby’s dreamy, impressionistic solo debut, If I Could Only Remember My Name, came three months later in February, 1971. Though ostensibly much less commercial, Croz’s beautifully haunting album would peak at No. 12 on the charts. Graham Nash would complete the trio of solo debuts when his heartfelt yet hard-hitting Songs for Beginners was released in May. The album hit No. 15 and also included Nash’s most successful solo single, “Chicago,” as well as the touching “Simple Man” and pointed “Military Madness.” Rhino has included a fourth vinyl LP with solo rarities from the period including single tracks, demos, and live tracks released over the years. This beautifully-designed and -curated set gives some extra context to the period around Déjà Vu and should be of interest to classic rock and CSNY fans. It is limited to 1,950 copies.
Doctor Who: The Rescue (Demon)
Demon has released several Doctor Who soundtracks on vinyl over the last several years (including, most recently, The Wheel in Space) and the label continues that series with this RSD-exclusive LP. The Rescue, a short serial consisting of only two episodes, aired during the program’s second season on January 2 and 19, 1965. It stars William Hartnell as the First Doctor along with William Russell as Ian and Jacqueline Hill as Barbara.
Written by David Whitaker and directed by Christopher Barry, the serial is most known for introducing a new companion for the Doctor, Vicki, played by Maureen O’Brien. The Doctor encounters her when he lands on the planet Dido where Vicki is waiting for a rescue ship. The planet is being menaced by Koquillion, the fly-like creature depicted on the striking cover of the vinyl LP.
The soundtrack features newly-recorded inking audio written by David Darlington and is narrated by O’Brien, who recaptures the magic of her original performance. (She’s also heard on a bonus interview.) It comes on “Rescue Red” translucent vinyl – so named for the Doctor’s rescue of Vicki! – and is limited to 1,200 copies. An insert includes full cast and credits. These vinyl soundtracks are a different way to experience these classic stories and make nice, beautifully-designed collectibles for Whovians and casual fans alike.
Brian Wilson, Imagination (Rhino) and On Tour (Oglio Entertainment)
The late Beach Boys visionary is being celebrated with two releases this RSD from his solo career. First up is a reissue of Imagination, Wilson’s third released solo LP following his self-titled set and the soundtrack to I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times (or fourth, if you count the Van Dyke Parks collaboration Orange Crate Art). The highlight is the bouncy “Your Imagination,” which hit the top 20 on the AC chart and became a Wilson staple. The album also includes “South American,” a co-write with Jimmy Buffett and “She Says That She Needs Me,” a tune dating back to 1965 written with Russ Titelman featuring new lyrical material by Carole Bayer Sager. Brian also pays tribute to his brother Carl on the poignant “Lay Down Burden.” This marks the album’s first appearance on vinyl and it is limited to 3500 copies.
Next up is a collection of unreleased material from Oglio Entertainment. On Tour features 14 live tracks spanning the years 1999-2007 taken from concerts all over the world performed at venues in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and London, among others. Wilson was in his solo touring prime during this period so this should be a nice listen. It is limited to 2,000 copies.
Various Artists, Wicked: One Wonderful Night (Live) (Republic)
The Broadway musical Wicked was in development as a film for many years. It finally hit movie theaters in 2024 but in a twist, the adaptation directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba was split into two films. The first part became the highest-grossing film based on a Broadway musical and in the lead-up to the sequel, Wicked: For Good, NBC aired a special live concert on November 6, 2025 to celebrate the first film.
Reuniting Grande and Erivo together with the cast of Wicked, including Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode and others, the concert featured performances from the movie. The performers were backed by a 37-piece orchestra lead by original Broadway musical director Stephen Oremus and included special arrangements of the songs created especially for the concert. This album has been released digitally and this RSD 2-LP set marks its vinyl debut. It features unique cover art and comes on splatter vinyl. The unique arrangements are fun to hear and this should be of interest to Wicked fans. The release is limited to 7,000 copies.
And now, Joe makes his picks!
Sheena Easton, Shockwave (Cherry Pop)
Cherry Pop brings Scottish songstress Sheena Easton’s lost 1986 sessions to vinyl as Shockwave – and it’s every bit as electrifying as one would hope! (The CD version is part of the indispensable Strut: The Complete EMI Recordings Vol. 2 box set.) Pressed on red vinyl and designed by Chris Lupton with an impeccable period eye to how the album might have actually appeared in 1986, Shockwave is another worthy addition to Cherry Pop’s ongoing reissue series for the singer as helmed by Adam Mattera. Shockwave has been assembled from sessions produced by a multitude of hitmaking names including Narada Michael Walden, Nick Martinelli, Keith Diamond, and Dennis Lambert and finds Sheena in a variety of contemporary musical settings on a stellar batch of songs from such composers and lyricists as Tom Snow and Cynthia Weil (“So Far, So Good,” “Natural Love”), Average White Band’s Alan Gorrie (“Five Star Affair”), Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen, and Preston Glass (“Is It True”), cult favorite singer-songwriter Lotti Golden (“Anything Can Happen”), and Sheena herself (“Shockwave,” co-written with Walden and James Johnson). Sheena even reinterprets the Dave Crawford-penned Candi Staton chart-topper “Young Hearts Run Free.” This beautiful set is an essential addition to any Sheena library, and includes an insert with liner notes, lyrics, and credits.
Joni Mitchell, For the Roses (Asylum/Rhino)
Joni Mitchell’s 1972 Asylum debut is looking a little different today. Rhino has reissued it for RSD with the original cover artwork that Joni intended to adorn it all those years ago. Beneath that evocative drawing, however, the music remains the same. Coming between the intimate, introspective Blue and the bright, brassy Court and Spark, For the Roses remains one of the great “lost” albums in the Mitchell discography – if one can use “lost” to describe an album that peaked just out of the top ten of the Billboard 200 and spun off a top 25 hit single. After the soul-baring of Blue, Mitchell took her songwriting in varied directions, shifting musical style and lyrical perspective from track to track while retaining her compositional elegance and emotional authenticity. While Blue was very much a solo album – with minimal additional instrumentation on bass, guitar, drums, and pedal steel – For the Roses made a tentative step toward the “band” album Court and Spark. Tom Scott’s presence on woodwinds and reeds is felt throughout Roses, while the full group, including Wilton Felder on bass, Russ Kunkel on drums, and Bobbye Hall on percussion, is used sparingly but effectively. With songs including “Barangrill,” “For the Roses,” the harrowing “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire,” and biting “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio,” For the Roses remains as fresh and singular as it did the day it was released.
John Prine, BBC Sessions (Rhino)
A distinctive singer-songwriter with a keen observational style, Illinois native John Prine was championed early in his career by such diverse talents as Paul Anka, Kris Kristofferson, and writer Roger Ebert. BBC Sessions offers nine tracks from the archives of the British broadcasting titan including a sidelong set from In Concert, the sterling 1970-1976 program bookended with performances by Joni Mitchell and Johnny Mercer. The lion’s share of BBC Sessions reprises songs from Prine’s 1971 self-titled Atlantic Records debut including “Illegal Smile,” “Spanish Pipedream,” “Sam Stone,” “Pretty Good,” “Donald and Lydia,” “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore,” and “Hello in There,” which Atlantic labelmate Bette Midler would quickly cover in fine fashion on her own 1972 debut The Divine Miss M. “Rocky Mountain Time” and “Everybody” would appear on Prine’s second Atlantic set, Diamonds in the Rough. The RSD vinyl edition is pressed on 140-gram black vinyl and is limited to 7,100 copies but a CD is also out now, and available at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada.
Runt (With Todd Rundgren), Runt Live: The Necessary Cosmic Frenzy (Rhino/Bearsville)
A composer, lyricist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, wizard, and true star, Philadelphia’s own Todd Rundgren made an early splash with the Nazz but didn’t come into his own until he launched a string of highly personal, often idiosyncratic, and always creative solo albums. This early live set collects highlights from Rundgren and his band Runt’s storied June 30th, 1971 performance at Philly’s famed Sigma Sound Studio, as originally broadcast live over WMMR. (The full version of the concert was issued on CD in 2016 as part of the Box o’ Todd.) Todd was supported at Sigma by the Runt lineup consisting of future Utopia keyboardist Mark “Moogy” Klingman, bassist Stu Woods, guitarist Tom Cosgrove, and drummer Norman “N.D.” Smart as well as mime-rock troupe The Hello People on a set including such rarities as “I Got My Pipe,” “Lady on the Terrace,” and “Tonight I Wanna Love Me a Stranger.” A loose jaunt through The Beatles’ “Hold Me Tight” and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles’ “Ooh Baby Baby” appear here, as well as “Broke Down and Busted,” the first tune on Side One of Rundgren’s 1970 debut, Runt. (The concert took place not long after the release of the singer-songwriter’s second album, Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren.) More familiar items such as “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” (performed months before its appearance on Something/Anything), “Be Nice to Me,” and “Believe in Me” haven’t made the cut for this release, but as far as highlights go, these deep cuts are choice. It’s all been sourced from the original 1/4-inch tapes and mastered by Pete Weiss and is packaged underneath a photo cover that captures the era. The RSD vinyl edition is limited to 3,000 copies and is pressed on transparent light blue vinyl, but if you’re looking to own this on CD, Rhino has you covered, too! Look for it at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada.
Leon Russell, Best of Hank Wilson (Dark Horse/BMG)
We’re big fans here of the late Claude Russell Bridges, a.k.a. Leon Russell. Earlier this year, we collaborated with Cherry Red Records’ Lemon Recordings for The Paradise Years 1967-1981, the first-ever box set collecting his Warner-distributed Paradise Records albums (including those with then-wife Mary). So we’re thrilled to see Leon getting a little RSD love with Best of Hank Wilson, a first-time 2LP vinyl pressing of Leon’s 2009 compilation which originally appeared on his own Leon Russell Records. Best of Hank Wilson culled tracks from the albums released by Leon’s classic country alter ego and added three previously unreleased cuts: “San Antonio Rose,” “You Win Again,” and “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” (yup, the theme to The Beverly Hillbillies), done Leon-style with some eyebrow-raising new lyrics! Best of Hank Wilson proves the ever-soulful Russell’s country bona fides.
Steely Dan, Alive in America (Giant/Rhino)
When jazz-rock titans (just don’t say yacht rockers!) Steely Dan hit the road for the first time in nearly 20 years, Giant Records was on hand. Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, and their hot band revisited their classic records in live arrangements that were both faithful to the polished studio versions and respectful of the improvisatory spirit. Alive in America, including performances from both 1993 and 1994, was the Dan’s first album since 1980’s Gaucho, and its impeccable sound lived up to expectations. While Alive in America didn’t feature all of the songs one would have heard in a concert of the era, it certainly featured some fantastic highlights including “Kid Charlemagne,” “Peg,” “Josie,” “Babylon Sisters,” and “Reelin’ in the Years.” This 2LP pressing on 180-gram vinyl maintains the band’s standards for sonics. Alive in America set the stage for 2000’s studio return Two Against Nature and their swansong, 2003’s Everything Must Go. (“Overture” and “Fall of ’92,” both recorded on the Alive in America tours, later showed up on the rare European CD single of “Cousin Dupree.”) Now drink your big black cow and get out of here!
T. Rex, Songs from ‘Marc’ (Edsel)
Shortly before he tragically perished in a September 1977 car crash, T. Rex’s Marc Bolan headlined a television series for the U.K.’s Granada TV. For Marc, he was backed by Herbie Flowers on bass, Tony Newman on drums, and Dino Dines on keyboards, and chose to reinterpret T Rex classics and revisit his favorite 1950s rock and roll tunes (which, after all, had informed T Rex’s glam-rock sound). The songs were pre-recorded for the program in a still-unknown studio (likely in London or Manchester) while the show was recorded in Manchester in August and September 1977. The final episodes were shot on September 6-7; on the 16th, he was gone. The songs presented here by Edsel are from the first four shows, as newly mastered from a pristine 1/4-inch tape and complete with introductions and endings, without overdubbed audience applause. Lynn Garden joins Bolan on “Hot Love,” and “Dandy in the Underworld” is instrumental-only as the broadcast version found Marc singing live to the track. Master recordings remain lost from the final two episodes (though lesser-quality versions exist). Martin Borden provides new liner notes for this release pressed opaque orange vinyl for RSD UK. As Marc sings here, “Let’s Dance”…or “Groove a Little,” anyway!
And last but certainly not least, here’s Mike with his favorites!
XTC, Live Boots – Live At Emerald City 1981 (Ape House)
British pop icons XTC have long existed in the past tense – probably for the best, given the reticence of songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding to ever work together again. (Moulding did recently note the once estranged duo at least have since become cordial, which is all this fan could ever ask for.) But their catalogue – much of it recently remixed by Steven Wilson and ripe for exploration even still – still feels as dynamic as the first time “Senses Working Overtime” and “Mayor of Simpleton” passed between my ears. Obviously, the group were long at a disadvantage by never touring after Partridge had a breakdown on the road in the early ’80s, which makes the presence of a Partridge-selected “official bootleg” at this year’s Record Store Day truly welcome. Maybe they’ll inspire someone to revive the stellar songs of Drums and Wires or Black Sea in concerts of their own; to quote one of their signature songs, that would be “very, very beautiful.”
Stewart Copeland, The Rhythmatist (Demon)
Few breakdowns in recent classic rock history have hit as hard as The Police’s current legal woes. Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland took Sting and his publisher to court in 2025 over unpaid royalties related to “Every Breath You Take” – a case almost certainly instigated in part by the band’s Synchronicity box set and a demo of “Every Breath” that arguably lent credence to Andy Summers’ belief that he deserves writing credit on the smash hit. If that is indeed delaying the prospect of more deluxe reissues of the band’s discography, I’ll have to drown my sorrows in a discovery of Copeland’s post-Police project, 1985’s The Rhythmatist, inspired by a percussive odyssey Copeland embarked on through Africa after his band’s demise. Copeland’s solo discography has always been rarer in this day and age than one might like, and this is a nice amendment to the record.
Weezer, 1192 (Ernest Jenning Record Co.)
With apologies to Pinkerton (or the material from their subsequent dozen-plus albums I’d build into a five-star third album), but this Weezer fan values their 1994 self-titled debut above all. Thanks to various deluxe reissues (most recently in 2024), I feel vindicated – and this collection of additional pre-Blue Album recordings, recently discovered by ex-bassist Matt Sharp and mixed for release with the approval of the group only adds to the treasure trove.
Jeff Buckley, Live À L’Olympia (Columbia/Legacy)
Around the (quite good) release of Buckley’s pre-Grace studio recordings captured on 2016’s You and I, I dove deep into the late singer/songwriter’s sprawling, mostly posthumous discography, consisting mostly of live recordings in the wake of 1994 debut album Grace. One I never picked up was this collection of mostly solo performances from Paris in 1995, primarily because – unbeknownst to me – it was an import, not a domestic release. This reissue fills that gap – and it seems to be the only of Legacy’s RSD titles initially announced to bow on CD and vinyl (including live sets by Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen) that still seem to be coming out on smaller disc this weekend. (Worry not: the other two are simply on the calendar as general releases over the next few weeks.)
Carly Rae Jepsen, “Disco Darling” (School Boy/Interscope)
In the nearly 15(!) years since Carly Rae Jepsen burst onto the scene with the effervescent chart-topper “Call Me Maybe,” the Canadian singer/songwriter has released not only four packed studio albums but companion discs for three of them featuring additional material from her prolific sessions. And yet, she’s still gifting fans with yet more from the cutting room floor! “Disco Darling” was a leaked outtake from 2019’s Dedicated that set fans hearts aflutter – and with Jepsen likely taking a break from recording for a bit (having given birth to a daughter very recently!), the queen is blessing her loyal subjects once more.
Happy hunting, everybody! – Mike, Joe, and Randy
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Any Elvis vinyl albums you recommend?