The annual celebration of independent music retail returns on 18 April with vinyl releases from Empire of the Sun, Holy Holy, Spacey Jane, Bluey, and more.
Record Store Day 2026 has just dropped its first batch of Australian exclusive releases, and it’s shaping up to be one of the strongest lineups in the event’s nearly two-decade history.
This year’s collection spans the full spectrum of Australian music. Empire of the Sun, Kee’ahn, Crooked Colours, Holy Holy, and Spacey Jane are all represented, alongside Ruel’s What It Sounds Like—a 12″ packed with singles, unreleased demos, and stripped-down recordings. Mutti Mutti songwriter Kutcha Edwards has teamed up with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra for Warta-Kiki on blue vinyl. Queensland’s Bluey returns with Up Here on a limited zoetrope picture disc, proving that kids’ TV and vinyl collecting aren’t mutually exclusive!
Catch up on all the latest news here.
Holy Holy’s contribution carries particular weight, following the announcement of their indefinite hiatus in 2025. The band is offering Sweet Bitter Sweet as a vinyl debut exclusively for RSD. Originally released digitally last year, the record splits into two halves: five newly written songs paired with five reimagined versions of tracks from their 14-year career. The band describes it as “an intimate parting gift for fans” with the poignant reflection, “The living of life is the saying goodbye—so be it. Some loves just stay with you.”
Newcastle’s Hiss & Crackle is releasing Live At Hiss & Crackle – Volume 1, a compilation capturing the energy of their in-store performances since 2019. Owner Mitchel Eaton emphasises the release celebrates their local music community: “The Newcastle live music scene is thriving, and we are grateful to have these amazing acts grace our in-store stage, and even luckier to record those performances.”
Record Store Day Australia continues to position independent record stores as vital cultural hubs rather than mere retail spaces. These physical environments foster intergenerational connections, from first-time vinyl buyers to seasoned collectors sharing knowledge and keeping musical culture accessible beyond algorithm-driven streaming platforms.
Additional releases include Spacey Jane’s Live At The Hordern Pavilion on coke bottle green vinyl, Starley’s Call On Me as a 12″ picture disc, and JUPiTA’s iO. DELUXE complete with slipmat and stickers. Previous years have featured releases from Ninajirachi, You Am I, Pond, Ocean Alley, Montaigne, Confidence Man, and Peking Duk, among others.
More Australian releases will be announced in the coming weeks. The full release list is available at recordstoreday.com.au.
