New releases from Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, The Cure, Stevie Nicks and more were among the top sellers from Record Store Day 2023 in the United States, according to data tracking firm Luminate.
Swift’s vinyl debut of her acoustic live set Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions leads the best-sellers among the albums released for the annual indie record store celebration. The vinyl debut of Pearl Jam’s concert album Give Way, recorded on March 5, 1998, during its Yield Tour, was the second-biggest title. (See lists below, which are ranked by album sales generated in the week ending April 27.)
Dozens of unique and limited-edition albums and singles, mostly vinyl pressings, are released for Record Store Day. Often, these titles will be produced in relatively small quantities, though Swift’s Long Pond had an extraordinarily large number of albums available: 75,000 in the U.S. She sold through the entire pressing, and the album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated May 6. (Typically, a high-profile Record Store Day title might have a production run of 10,000 – 25,000.)
Tied for the third-biggest Record Store Day 2023 albums are The Cure’s picture disc release of the live album Show and Nicks’ Bella Donna: Live 1981. The former was recorded during The Cure’s 1992 Wish album tour, while the latter was recorded during Nicks’ White Winged Dove Tour on Dec. 13, 1981. (Thus, the top four Record Store Day albums were all live efforts.)
Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Albums at Independent Record Stores in U.S.
Rank, Artist, Title
1. Taylor Swift, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (grey colored double vinyl)
2. Pearl Jam, Give Way (double vinyl)
3 (TIE). The Cure, Show (double vinyl picture disc)
3 (TIE). Stevie Nicks, Bella Donna: Live 1981 (double vinyl)
5 (TIE). Grateful Dead, Boston Garden, Boston, MA 5.7.77 (five vinyl LP box set)
5 (TIE). The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet (swirl-colored vinyl)
7. Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes: B-Sides (vinyl)
8. Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, The Sound Emporium EP (vinyl)
9. Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival, You (gold-colored 10-inch vinyl)
10. The Ramones, Pleasant Dreams (vinyl)
11. Beach House, Become (crystal clear-colored vinyl)
12. Billy Joel, Live at the Great American Music Hall, 1975 (double vinyl)
13. The Allman Brothers Band, Syria Mosque Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971 (steel grey-colored double vinyl)
14. Van Halen, Live: Right Here, Right Now (four vinyl LP set)
15. Jerry Garcia Band, How Sweet It Is… (double vinyl)
16. Madonna, American Life: Mixshow Mix (Honoring Peter Rauhofer) (180 gram vinyl)
17. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Return to the 36 Chambers (double vinyl picture disc)
18. Miles Davis, Turnaround: Rare Miles From the Complete On the Corner Sessions (sky blue-colored vinyl)
19. Dolly Parton, The Monument Singles Collection: 1964-1968 (vinyl)
20. Chet Baker, Chet (180 gram vinyl)
21 (TIE). The Black Keys, Live at Beachland Tavern March 31, 2002 (tangerine-colored vinyl)
22 (TIE). Paul McCartney and Wings, Red Rose Speedway (half-speed vinyl)
23. Blur, Blur Present the Special Collectors Edition (colored double vinyl)
24. Tom Tom Club, Tom Tom Club (Expanded Edition) (double vinyl)
25 (TIE). Sisters of Mercy, The Reptile House E.P. (smoky-colored vinyl)
25 (TIE). Various Artists, Jazz Dispensary: Hotel Jolie Dame (psych-sunset orange marble-colored vinyl)
25 (TIE). Wilco, Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (vinyl)
Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Singles at Independent Record Stores in U.S.
Rank, Artist, Title
1. The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute / The Widow (12-inch vinyl)
2. U2, Two Hearts Beat as One / Sunday Bloody Sunday (180-gram 12-inch white-colored vinyl)
3. Motley Crue, Helter Skelter (12-inch picture disc vinyl)
4. Post Malone, Waiting for Never / Hateful (12-inch translucent red-colored vinyl)
5. Fleetwood Mac, Albatross / Jigsaw Puzzle Blues (12-inch vinyl)
6. Bjork, The Fossora Remixes (12-inch vinyl)
7 (TIE). Maya Hawke, To Love a Boy / Stay Open (7-inch vinyl)
7 (TIE). Sam Smith & Kim Petras, Unholy (colored 7-inch vinyl)
9. The Doors, Break on Through (3-inch vinyl)
10. The Doors, Love Her Madly (3-inch vinyl)
Source: Luminate, for the week ending April 27, 2023
