Record Store Day Promises to Be 'Best Yet'

The 2010 Record Store Day is shaping up to be the best in the event's short history, organisers have said, promising "the most exclusive releases yet."

Record Store Day began in the UK in 2008, taking its cue from the US event designed to encourage people to shop at their local independent record store. The idea is that special releases on vinyl and CD are put out especially for the day, and this year's event sees an array high-profile artists contributing.

Spencer Hickman, manager of Rough Trade East in London and an organiser of the event, told NME.com, "Last year was really great but this year's really firing. It's got a bit easier, I haven't been going begging for releases, people have been going, 'We've got this unreleased Rolling Stones single, do you want it?' There's been such a wealth, the best thing is there's been such a cross-section. It goes from Crystal Castles to Bruce Springsteen, Foals to the Stones. There's just lots of exciting stuff."

Record Store Day is this coming Saturday, April. 17, in both the UK and US. For information on all the releases and a list of participating record stores, visit the Record Store Day Web site.