Record Store Day 2023: What Vinyl Resellers Went After

News

By RC Staff

27 April 2023

April 22 marks 15 years since the first Record Store Day, an annual event popular among vinyl resellers and collectors alike. It’s a special time of year for anyone passionate about vinyl, with exclusive records being sold across the country, and stores focusing on offline sales at MSRP. It’s a rare opportunity to pick up seriously rare records at great prices. Today, we’ll be breaking down some of the best options for vinyl resellers last Saturday, and the most hyped releases of Record Store Day 2023.

The best vinyl to resell from Record Store Day 2023

First, we need to mention that Record Store Day is a decentralized, somewhat informal event. While the RSD website publishes a manifesto of their goals as vinyl collectors and aficionados, it’s ultimately up to the participating stores to determine how they will join in on Record Store Day.

The Record Store Day Pledge means that a store has pledged to “act in the spirit of Record Store Day”. That means they will sell to in-person customers, to sell at retail prices (no gouging), and to not withhold stock to sell online at a higher price. While a store is not required to take this pledge, many do, and the Record Store Day website publishes a list of pledged stores.

This also means that a store’s inventory is always a variable. Many of the records on this list were only available at a few stores, so calling ahead and making a plan was vital to stock up on as many records as possible. All that said, lets look at the best Record Store Day releases for 2023.

John Lennon Gimme Some Truth RSD 2023

This is a re-release of a collection of John Lennon’s solo works first sold in 2020. The RSD 2023 release contains nine records with 4 tracks each for $400-$500. It was limited to 500 produced in total, so buyers would need to call in advance.

These box sets of Gimme Some Truth for RSD 2023 are proving extremely popular on the aftermarket. Immediately after Record Store Day 2023, sales are being recorded for upwards of $750, some even touching $900. Depending on how much the store charged, it was possible to double your money on this box set.

The Doors RSD 2023 Mini-Turntable

Here’s a special edition mini-turntable produced exclusively for Record Store Day 2023 with The Doors branding. The RSD 2023 mini-turntable includes three 3″ records of The Doors songs “Break on Through”, “Love Her Madly”, and “Hello, I Love You”.

These were also limited to 500, so luck was a factor. They sold for $130-$150 depending on the store, but now The Doors RSD 2023 Mini-Turntables are reselling on eBay for around $500.

Grateful Dead RSD 2023 Boston Garden 12" Box Set

Moving away from the extremely limited releases, this is a box set version of Grateful Dead’s 1977 performance at the Boston Garden. Five LPs are included with the Grateful Dead RSD 2023 Box Set, which was limited to 9,000 total copies. These were much easier to obtain than the previous items on our list, so vinyl resellers who planned ahead and went to multiple stores were able to stock up.

After selling for $150, copies of the Grateful Dead RSD 2023 Box Set will resell for around $300, making them an easy flip for any vinyl reseller.

Van Halen Right Here, Right Now RSD 2023

This vinyl commemorates the 30th anniversary of Van Halen’s album, Right Here, Right Now. Of note, the Van Halen RSD 2023 release marks the first time this album has released a vinyl pressing. It was limited to 7,500 copies for $100-$120.

Following Record Store Day 2023, the Van Halen RSD 2023 editions of Right Here, Right Now are reselling for $250-$300.

Taylor Swift RSD 2023 Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions

Here is one of the most anticipated Record Store Day 2023 releases. Swifties across the country were lining up at stores for a chance to buy one of these vinyl records. Despite a vastly higher supply of 75,000 units, this RSD 2023 Exclusive release sold out just as fast as the others.

Now, copies of Taylor Swift’s RSD 2023 release are reselling for $200-$300. Not all bad, considering they retailed for $75. This isn’t Taylor Swift’s first Record Store Day exclusive, and we may be doing a deeper dive into her RSD releases in the future.

Pearl Jam RSD 2023 Give Way 2 X LP

Also releasing for Record Store Day 2023 was a limited vinyl pressing of Pearl Jam’s Give Way tour. These were limited to 15,500 total copies. This was the first time this recording has been pressed to vinyl.

Copies of the Record Store Day 2023 exclusive vinyl have since resold for $170-$200, after retailing from participating Record Store Day locations for around $50.

The 1975 RSD 2023 Live With the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

In February, RSD announced that The 1975 would be the official ambassadors for Record Store Day 2023. Their addition to the RSD 2023 lineup would be an eclectic pressing of their live performance with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra from 2016.

This has been one of the best reviewed releases from Record Store Day 2023, with fans and critics alike agreeing on the unique and appealing nature of the record. 2,500 copies of the vinyl were produced in total, and sold at participating stores across the country for Record Store Day 2023.

Since then, copies of The 1975’s RSD 2023 exclusive release have begun reselling for upwards of $300. Considering you could pick one up for $30, from multiple stores if you were quick enough, these were a great buy for any vinyl reseller.

Record Store Day 2023 isn't over yet

While that’s a rap on retail sales for Record Store Day 2023, the aftermarket is only just beginning to spin up. There were plenty of records bought and sold within the first 24 hours, but only time will tell what their true values will end up being in the future.

We won’t be covering every single EP and LP sold on RSD 2023, but there are few we’ll be keeping our eyes on in the future. We expect the aftermarkets for John Lennon’s Gimme Some Truth Box Set, The Doors Mini-Turntable, and The 1975’s RSD Exclusive vinyl with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra to be worth watching. These were some of the most hyped and exclusive releases from Record Store Day 2023, so they have the most potential for aftermarket sales.

Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter for any future updates on RSD 2023. If you’re interested in reselling vinyl, check out our guide on how to become a vinyl reseller here, as well as our articles on past vinyl records that have resold for incredible prices.