Vinyl Bootlegs Called Out, Taylor Swift Breaks Records, and Rough Trade Teams Up with Vans. Plus a Q&A with Carrie Colliton on Record Store Day’s Black Friday Event
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RIAA Calls Out Illegal Vinyl Pressings from Russia and China
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has issued a request to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) to review Chinese and Russian markets, which it claims have become major sources of bootleg vinyl. Music Business Worldwide reports ‘best of’ and ‘greatest hits’ collections never released by labels on vinyl, as well as unauthorised box set collections are becoming increasingly common. “[These bootlegs are] often high quality products made to closely resemble authentic ones,” and consumers may not be able to tell the difference, the RIAA noted. Often these bootleg copies are sold and shipped directly to consumers and third-party sellers on retail platforms such as eBay and Vinted who may not know they are buying and reselling counterfeits. “Vinted has become a destination platform for illicit vinyl sellers,” the RIAA wrote. “Originally created as [a] clothing resale platform, the volume of infringing vinyl listings has reached epidemic proportions.”
Our Take: With consumers often paying full price for counterfeit vinyl records, The RIAA is urging platforms like Vinted to pre-screen retailers to verify they have legitimate supply sources. While the USTR is expected to take action against counterfeiting and piracy, this also presents the industry with an opportunity to collaborate on stronger verification standards. By reassuring collectors their pressings are genuine and authentic, they can retain premium value, and the vinyl community can build greater trust in official releases.
Taylor Swift’s Latest Album Is Officially A Record Breaker
‘The Life of Showgirl’ has broken US sales records, with physical album purchases heavily contributing to its strong debut. Vinyl copies exceeded 1 million units sold in the first week, out of a total of 4 million equivalent album units (which takes into account pure album sales as well as streaming activity). This is a first in Nielsen tracking history, according to Music Business Worldwide. Swift’s strategy included 34 different album versions: 27 physical formats (18 CDs, eight vinyl LPs and one cassette), plus seven download variants, some featuring poems written by the artist). In the UK, vinyl sales of the album reached 126,000 copies, making it the fastest-selling vinyl album this century and the highest single-week vinyl total since modern chart records began in 1994. The album’s strong debut also earned Swift a BRIT-Certified Platinum within its first week, making it the strongest international album launch in the UK this century.
Our Take: Taylor Swift’s star power is unmatched, and her release strategy offers valuable lessons for the record industry. Her success shows fans are keen to buy physical formats to access exclusive content, such as poems or personal notes, that help create an emotional connection with the artist beyond digital streaming. Staged releases and timed exclusives also create a sense of urgency and excitement, while a release-party film further boosted demand for vinyl sales.
Rough Trade’s Vinyl Collection Lands at Select Vans Stores
Rough Trade is partnering with Vans to bring a handpicked selection of 50 vinyl records to stores in Oxford Street, Camden Town, and Le Marais in Paris, according to The Retail Bulletin. Known as a trusted destination for music fans, Rough Trade has been given the freedom by Vans to curate a selection designed to surprise and inspire, blending underground breakthroughs with cult favourites and timeless classics. The collaboration aligns perfectly with Vans’ brand values as an iconic label popular with skaters, surfers, artists and musicians for its ‘Off the Wall’ spirit. Unlike Rough Trade’s previous popup at Selfridges, which focused on ‘Summer Of Sound’, this selection will have records that ‘spark conversation, soundtrack rebellion and celebrate craft’.
Our Take: Earlier this year, Selfridges enlisted Rough Trade to curate its vinyl selection, while fashion retailer Urban Outfitters also launched a Pride vinyl collection this year. Together these activations demonstrate vinyl’s powerful ability to draw new audiences into retail stores, reflecting the findings of our Gen Z & Vinyl Report, in which 84% of Gen Z vinyl fans say they buy vinyl in-store, and 57% preferring the in-store experience to shopping online, with only 13% stating they prefer to buy online.
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Q&A: Carrie Colliton on Record Store Day’s Latest Black Friday Event
This November 28, Record Store Day returns with its sister event, RSD Black Friday. The lineup of releases, exclusive to independent record stores, features limited-edition vinyl from artists including 2 Chainz, Elton John, Fred Again, Miles Davis, and Van Halen. More than 100 artists are participating across a range of genres, with anniversary editions, live recordings, and special remixes to look forward to, all of which help support independent record stores at the heart of the music community. To learn more about the event and the role Record Store Day plays in vinyl record culture, we spoke with Carrie Colliton, co-founder of Record Store Day and Director of Marketing for the Department of Record Stores (DORS), a coalition representing over 70 independent retailers across the U.S.
How does the Black Friday event differ from the usual RSD in April?
We started the Black Friday version of Record Store Day in 2011. It’s the biggest shopping day of the year, and importantly its also when all the media focus on shopping. We noticed that small, independent record stores weren’t really part of that conversation. So we asked: How do we make them part of the story?
Traditionally, Black Friday meant jamming into stores and fighting for the lowest prices on mass-produced products. We wanted to flip that and focus on the idea that this is the start of a season when you’re buying things for people you love, and what better place to do that than a record store? You’re supporting an independent business, talking to real people, and everything in a record store can be a gift, from tiny presents to box sets, turntables, or speakers.
So our focus became: How do we get record stores into the spotlight? That’s actually similar to why Record Store Day started, we threw a party to remind the world (and the media) that record stores still exist. But we didn’t want Black Friday to feel like Record Store Day 2. Our goal is to offer something special that draws people into record stores during that time.
Also, a big difference is that Black Friday releases are meant to be available for several weeks afterward. Not everyone shops that day, maybe they start Christmas shopping later, but if they walk into a store and find something special, that’s a win. It’s about making record stores a go-to place for gifts during the season.
In terms of the selection process, how do you decide what records to include?
Labels, artists, managers, and distributors submit titles. Then we have an advisory committee of record store owners and buyers from across the country, different sizes, markets, and specialties. They review the list, make suggestions, and sometimes help make releases more special, like adding posters or exclusive editions.
The US list tends to be smaller for Black Friday. The fourth quarter already has a lot of releases, and stores’ budgets are stretched across multiple big titles. The focus is on ‘superstar’ artists, not necessarily household names like Billy Joel, but artists who are major within their own worlds. Because it’s a gift-giving season, we lean toward higher-value, premium items, box sets, anniversary editions, things that feel special. It’s the opposite of traditional Black Friday, which is about slashing prices. Our releases might cost more because they’re limited and high-quality.
With the focus on ‘superstar’ artists, is there concern that emerging acts might be overlooked?
Black Friday tends to focus on bigger names because it’s a smaller list and tied to the gift-buying season. Record Store Day in April is more open and inclusive. That said, the exclusive releases are the shiny objects that bring people into stores. Once they’re inside, that’s where discovery happens. Emerging artists can still perform in-store, participate in events, and build relationships year-round.
You mentioned regional differences. Do those influence what record stores look for?
Definitely. Even within a single city, every record store is different. That’s part of what makes the ecosystem thrive. The list is designed to include a broad mix of genres so every type of store, from jazz-focused to punk-heavy, can find something that fits their audience.
We don’t actually categorise releases by genre, but if you looked across a few years, you’d notice shifts. Maybe more jazz one year, more hip-hop another. It reflects what’s happening organically in stores. For example, we’ve seen big growth in pop and hip-hop vinyl thanks to fan demand and store support. We’re now working to bring more 90s R&B to the list because there’s a strong appetite for that. It’s fascinating to see how the list evolves, and how it mirrors broader generational changes in music culture.
Speaking of generations, what’s been the biggest shift you have seen since RSD began?
Gen Z, hands down. They’re deeply connected to the artists they love and are very open-minded when it comes to genre, gender, and generation. They’ll buy a 50-year-old record if they like it. TikTok plays a big role in rediscovering older music too.
Their collections are incredibly diverse. Taylor Swift next to Turnstile next to Jeff Buckley. That attitude has influenced record stores, which now comfortably stock everything from pop to punk. Stores that used to ignore pop releases now embrace them, partly because those sales allow them to take risks on niche artists. The indie charts reflect that. Everything from Taylor Swift to Testament can chart in the same week. It’s a vibrant mix, and it shows how far things have come.
Vinyl has clearly boomed since Record Store Day started. Are there still challenges indie stores face?
Ironically, the success of vinyl has created new challenges. Now that vinyl is popular again, big retailers, who don’t specialise in music, want in. They can sell cheaper and faster because records aren’t their main profit source. Plus, online shopping makes it easy for customers to skip physical stores entirely.
That’s tough for independents, because they built this resurgence. The infrastructure of pressing plants, turntables, everything, it exists because of them. And yet, they’re now competing with massive corporations who’ve swooped in at the top of the mountain. That said, more people buying vinyl overall is still a good thing. It normalises record buying and creates long-term collectors. We just want to make sure indies stay part of that story as it grows.
What is RSD doing to address those challenges?
Beyond Record Store Day itself, we work year-round with stores through the Department of Record Storese, a coalition of around 70 storefronts. There are also other coalitions, and together they form the backbone of Record Store Day. We also host an annual conference, which we call Record Store Day Summer Camp, where stores, labels, and artists connect and share ideas.
We organise contests, marketing campaigns, and listening parties, which are huge right now. They play to record stores’ strengths: real human connection and community. We’ve done national listening parties for Tame Impala, Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, and more. These events help get indie stores included early in label campaigns, not as an afterthought.
This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Have a vinyl industry story to share? We’d love to hear it! Email us at cueburn@vinylalliance.org and let’s start the conversation.
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