15 must-have releases for Record Store Day 2024

This year, Record Store Day features a whopping 387 releases. (Check out the full list here.) Be it hip-hop and funk, soul and metal or alternative and electronica, there's literally something for everyone. (If you can't find something that pops out, maybe recalibrate your heart or something.) But how do you know just what to focus on in a sea of live albums, unreleased tracks and demos and alternate takes?

Well, let this small list be of some help. It certainly represents some of the more impressive releases, but even if nothing still stands out, it's nonetheless valuable. Because ultimately, RSD is about taking the time to figure out what you want even if it's not everything, and exerting the effort and time to get the things that matter most to you. It's as much a list as a representation of the RSD spirit, and why we walk up at 7 a.m. every April in celebration of truly good music.

Happy hunting!

De La Soul, "Live at Tramps, NYC, 1996"

As a whole, 1996 was a great year for both hip-hop and De La Soul. In July of that year, the band unveiled their iconic fourth album "Stakes is High," which continues to define modern hip-hop. But months before, on May 16, 1996, De La Soul delivered a rousing set at Tramps in New York City. The resulting live LP not only includes the title track, but appearances from Jungle Brothers (on 1989’s “Buddy"), Common and a then-unknown Mos Def (whose appearances on "Stakes is High" similarly elevated his own career). It's a time capsule of essential musical history, and something that encapsulates what truly defined ‘90s hip-hop.

Meat Puppets, "Live in Montana"

They may be local boys, but Meat Puppets are just as well known for making noise elsewhere. Recorded at both the Sundance Club in Bozeman and the Top Hat Club in Missoula on Dec. 7 and 8, 1988, the double "Live in Montana" album is now available on vinyl for the first time ever. Not only are there four bonus tracks included, but the remainder of the tracklist highlights both the band's core sound and just how inventive and wild they were some 36 years ago. Those who've never heard or seen the band live (why?!) are in for a proper snapshot of their boundary-stomping approach to indie rock.

Paramore, "Re: This is Why"

If 2017's "After Laughter" launched a new era for Paramore, then 2022's "This Is Why" cemented the band's status as daring pop darlings. Case in point: "Re: This is Why," a remix album being released on physical media for the first time ever, with contributions from a suite of genre-spanning acts. Be it Foals tackling the title track, Wet Leg on "C’est Comme Ca" or Jack Antonoff reworking "Sanity," the 12-track effort showcases just how important and inventive the band's output has become in recent years. All hail Paramore, pop's most consistently weird, endlessly approachable royal rockers.

David Byrne and Paramore, "Hard Times" b/w "Burning Down the House"

And speaking of Paramore, they've got another (albeit more limited) must-have for this year's festivities. The band covered the classic tune as part of "Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense," an album created to help commemorate the 40th anniversary of the titular concert film. In turn, Byrne recorded a horn-heavy take of "Hard Times" for inclusion on this 12-inch. The end result? The kind of wild and wonderful musical celebration that has defined both acts' careers.

The Black Crowes, "Wanting and Waiting"

After some 15 or so years, The Black Crowes finally released a new album, "Happiness Bastards," back in March. This special RSD release not only includes the record's first single, but "Morsels and Mongrels," a previously unreleased song from those same sessions. Long-time fans will hear a warm and familiar Crowes, but also an act that's clearly accepted aging with a certain dignity and an even greater sense of excitement. Supplies may be limited for this release, but you'd be a fool to not try and revisit these down-home rock legends.

Pixies, "Live From Red Rocks 2005"

There exists two version of the Pixies. (Well, more with lineup changes, but let's not mention that.) There's the version we heard on iconic records like "Doolittle" and then the version that shows up live, like on this 2005 concert from the scenic Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in Colorado. The concert spanned a whopping 27 tracks, and includes everything from "Gouge Away" and "Where Is My Mind?" to "Number 13 Baby" and "Gigantic." Fans young and old alike can use this LP to understand just how powerful and profound Pixies are when they're thrashing away in 3D.

The Dandy Warhols, "Live at LEVITATION"

If you've not attended the Austin Psych Fest since it began in 2008, you're missing out. Here, some of the most intense and brazen psych-rock acts hit the stage for a celebration of massive, all-consuming music. In the case of The Dandy Warhols, which played back in 2013, the resulting set (captured here as an "RSD First" release) expertly showcases the power and sexuality that's made the band iconic for decades. Not only is the music a proper trip, but the splatter vinyl will be fun to stare at with each new play of the record.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, "Magic Secrets No. 2"

Let's face it: That Oasis reunion likely isn't happening. But lest we forget, Noel Gallagher has been doing some really amazing things with his other band. Don't believe us? Just peep these two demos, "In A Little While" and "Love Will Tear Us Apart," originally released circa Christmas 2023 as a numbered 7-inch. Maybe they're not "Champagne Supernova," but it's clear that Gallagher is just as much a musical heavyweight, and the unfinished sense that informs these songs proves that with gusto. It's not settling, but genuinely vital rock 'n' roll.

Sleater-Kinney, "This Time / Here Today"

Yes, "Little Rope" is a newer album, having only hit shelves in late January. Yet there's no denying that the record is still hugely important, as it both defines who Sleater-Kinney are some 30 years into the career and what might lie ahead for Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker. Plus, with bonus tracks "This Time" and "Here Today" being released for this RSD, there's even more of a chance to explore the bright and brilliant past, present and future of Sleater-Kinney. They'll likely break your heart and still have you singing along at full volume.

U2, "Atomic City (U2/UV Live At Sphere, Las Vegas)"

Nevada's Sphere, if you're not familiar, is a circular venue wrapped in a massive LED screen that makes for a deeply immersive concert experience. And so what better act to help open this multimedia extravaganza than U2, which kicked off the 40-show "U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere" residency in September 2023. While this 10-inch can't recreate the full Sphere experience, we still get a new live version of "Atomic City" as well as a corresponding Mike WiLL Made-It remix. If you close your eyes, you can almost fake it.

The Offspring, "Splinter (20th Anniversary)"

Sure, 2003's "Splinter" may not be among the band's most iconic or celebrated records. (That'd be either 1992's "Ignition" or 1994's "Smash.") But the album still has standouts like "Hit That" and "(Can’t Get My) Head Around You," and with the album out of print for a decade or so, it'll be nice to hear these tunes as intended. Plus, just because something's not iconic doesn't mean "Splinter" ain't great — it's a showcase of just how effective a latter-day The Offspring was in making big, brash rock. At least it's not a 7-inch of "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)," right?

Joe Pesci, "Little Joe Sure Can Sing"

Before he starred in A-list fare like "Raging Bull," "Goodfellas," and "Casino," Joe Pesci tried to be a singer. Operating under the name Joe Ritchie, he recorded an album in 1968 that includes covers of The Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill," "Fixing a Hole" and "Got to Get You into My Life," among other tracks reportedly inspired by the sounds of Little Jimmy Scott and Billie Holiday. So, did the world miss out on Joe Pesci the pop star? Maybe not, but there's no denying the same massive personality that define these entertaining ditties.

Various Artists, "Mejor de Los Nuggetz: Garage and Psyche from Latin America"

"Nuggets" was a groundbreaking collection of early garage and psych rock released back in 1972. Now, with organizers "hoping to capture that [same] lightning in a bottle," we get a similar spotlight to the equally impressive Latin rock scene of the mid- to late '60s. Highlights include a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" by Los Apson, a cover of The Who’s "My Generation" by Lone Star and tracks from other bands like Los Mustang, Los Shains and Los Matematicos. Regardless of how much you know about this specific garage scene, this one will rock your socks off in the very best way.

Wilco, "The Whole Love Expanded"

If you're a fan of Wilco, and you want to buy some vinyl that also maximizes your spending, this deluxe edition of 2011's "The Whole Love" is clearly the way to go. This RSD release features three full EPs — including each single, EP and bonus tracks — as well as a live recording from The Loft and some unreleased demos and alternate mixes. It's not only a new way to hear classics like "Sunloathe" in a new context, but the record itself just feels so quintessentially Wilco in its sound and scope. Plus, who doesn't like carrying around a massive LP box set?

Garbage, "Lie To Me"

Yes, the last new Garbage album came in June 2021 out with the mostly great "No Gods No Masters." But while "Lie To Me" isn't an album proper, there's still some real gems. Namely, a cover of This Mortal Coil’s "Song To The Siren,” the Dave Grohl-featuring remix to "Bad Boyfriend" (from 2005's "Bleed Like Me") and two unreleased tracks, "Better Not Lie To Me" and "Revenge and Hurt." So, it's sort of like a little Garbage sampler platter, and a really efficient way to explore the emotionality and passion that's defined their career. And did we mention it comes in lime-colored vinyl?