Courtesy of Wax Trax
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According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl record sales surpassed $1 billion in 2025, increasing for the 19th consecutive year. For record collectors, Record Store Day marks one of the year’s biggest annual holidays, as artists roll out a wide range of special and limited edition pressings at record stores worldwide.
This year’s Record Store Day takes place on Saturday, April 18. Those in Denver who are looking to join in on the fun will be pleased to find several events across the city’s record stores, many including live music, free food and drinks, and other special surprises that make it worth lining up early for releases from your favorite artists.
Whether you’re lining up early for exclusive releases or you just want to catch some live music and free stuff, here are some of the record stores celebrating RSD 2026, and others where you might just find some deep cuts.
Denver Record Stores With Limited Releases, Live Music and More for RSD 2026
Michael Emery Hecker
Angelo’s CDs and Vinyl
1959 South Broadway
16725 East Iliff Avenue, Aurora
Angelo’s has held several locations around Denver over the years, but today its Broadway and Aurora locations are the chain’s two remaining sites. Beyond featuring a wide range of used and new CDs and records, the shops also have posters, other music memorabilia, and an array of other fun curiosities. While it isn’t widely publicizing any specific events for this year’s RSD, you can find some of the limited RSD releases its locations are set to have on its website.
Michael Emery Hecker
Chain Reaction Records
8799 West Colfax, Lakewood
Chain Reaction Records in Lakewood primarily stocks, punk, metal, and hardcore releases with both new and used LPs, as well as CDs, cassettes, stickers, patches, and tons of other merchandise. Opened by brothers Josh and Justin Lent of local band Clusterfux, the shop is also home to deep-cut records ranging from vintage funk to yacht rock, and much more.
Courtesy of Drop to Pop Records and Curio
Drop To Pop Records and Curio
2185 North Broadway
Drop To Pop Records and Curio on North Broadway is a small, albeit well-stocked record store that regularly throws shows. Despite the small floorspace, the collection is well-curated and collectors definitely shouldn’t sleep on the store’s regularly rotated stock. While it isn’t offering official RSD limited releases, the shop will be throwing its first show of the year for the vinyl-lovers’ holiday, featuring The Nervous and Chain Law. The show is free, though the shop will also be collecting donations for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition.
Courtesy of Invincible Vinyl
Invincible Vinyl
99 Kalamath Street
Invincible Vinyl on Kalamath is another record store that isn’t planning to go heavy on official RSD drops, but the retailer says it will “have a few in the bins” this year. Instead of opening early and encouraging patrons to wait in line for the exclusive drops, Invincible is hosting a “Hard on the Outside, Soft on the Inside” after-party following the morning shenanigans. The shop says the after-party will start at noon, featuring punk bands hosted on a trailer outside, and a converted “Japanese Listening Bar” space on the inside with DJs spinning yacht rock vibes all day.
Expect tons of free stuff, free “Choose Wax” shirts with select record purchases, discounted LPs earned through an Easter Egg hunt, and free snacks and drinks. Plus, owner Dave Cleland will be putting out records from his own personal collection, as well as other special, hand-picked records for the occasion. The event will run from noon to 5 p.m.
Teague Bohlen
Mutiny Information Cafe
3843 South Broadway, Englewood
Mutiny Information Cafe—now dubbed Mutiny Comics and Coffee—has been a Denver staple since its opening, and its 2024 move to Englewood from Broadway certainly hasn’t changed that. The shop joins the list of local spots that aren’t doing huge RSD exclusive releases, though you can still pop in, grab a coffee, and browse the shop’s small selection of records (and massive selection of comics).
Michael Emery Hecker
Recollect Records
1255 Delaware Street
Recollect Records boasts a particularly clean and boutique feel, unlike the oft-messy warehouses many have come to expect from record stores. This year’s RSD also coincides with the shop’s 10-year anniversary, and to celebrate the two, the shop says it will have a ton of new arrivals, along with hosting live music from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Da Beatminerz and The Large Professor. Doors are set to open at noon for the event.
Courtesy of Sold Out Records
Sold Out Records
3751 South Broadway, Englewood
For those focusing their RSD 2026 efforts on Englewood, Sold Out Records is a solid suburban record store option to check out, and it’s celebrating its third RSD this year. Like many, the store has a massive list of over 350 RSD exclusive pressings on order, as well as events running throughout the day, and doors opening super early at 6 a.m.
The shop is also offering prizes and giveways for the first 40 people in line, food trucks, flash tattoos by Low Side Tattoo Company, custom posters and shirts by Lindsey Kuhn, a duo DJ set by Plurthlings from 6 to 9 a.m., and live music from The Far Reaches and other locals running from 2 to 8 p.m.
Michael Emery Hecker
Twist & Shout Records
2508 East Colfax
Twist & Shout is another one of Denver’s most classic, well-regarded record stores since opening in 1988. The current spot marks the shop’s third location, and it has grown significantly with each move, offering deeply-packed bins full of LPs. The shop is opening at 8 a.m. on Saturday for the event, and it will be participating in the official RSD event with hundreds of limited releases available for purchase in person.
Courtesy of Wax Trax
Wax Trax Records
638 East 13th Avenue
The oldest record store in Colorado and the original Wax Trax location, the Capitol Hill shop was opened in 1975 by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher, who also started the Chicago label Wax Trax! The record store was later purchased by Dave Stidman and Duane Davis in 1978, and Dave’s son Pete Stidman took over running the shop in 2020. This year’s RSD will bring celebrations to all three of the shop’s brick-and-mortar locations, as well as a wide range of the year’s most popular limited releases.
On Saturday, the Cap Hill location is hosting a massive RSD party with over 300 official RSD titles, from deep cuts and Euro RSD pressings to other fan favorites. Doors open at 8 a.m., but starting at 7 a.m., the shop will have free donut bites and coffee for those in line, courtesy of Jelly Café. As a sponsor for Blucifer’s First Rodeo, it’s fitting that the location is also hosting a festival preview show for the holiday, featuring free live music from Ritmo Cascabel, Fruta Brutal, and Team Nonexistent from noon to 3 p.m. Additionally, they’re giving away concert tickets, an $800 value Victrola Stream Onyx turntable, and pouring a collaborative beer from Cerebral Brewing dubbed First Pressing.
Courtesy of Wax Trax
Wax Trax Broadway Bazaar
200 South Broadway
Wax Trax opened its so-called “Broadway Bazaar” location as a pop-up shop in late 2023, featuring a smaller selection of records than the original shop, as well as a healthy dose of vintage clothes, home decor, and other random odds and ends. The crew enjoyed the winter pop-up so much that they decided to open the storefront permanently, and it now serves as a modern staple for the Broadway and Baker communities.
Alongside the Cap Hill location, the Broadway Bazaar Wax Trax will be pouring the Cerebral Brewing x Wax Trax First Pressing Hazy IPA on Saturday, as well as giving away more free concert tickets and a Victrola Stream Onyx turntable. The location is opening at 8:00 a.m. and will have free Voodoo Doughnuts for those in line starting at 7 a.m., and over 240 of the top RSD 2026 titles. The storefront will also feature DJ No-Fvce spinning vinyl from 1 to 4 p.m., as well as a yet-to-be-announced special guest.
Oddworld Signs
Wax Trax Northside
3641 West 32nd Avenue
This will be the first RSD event at the new Wax Trax Northside location since opening the new storefront last October. Like the other locations, Northside is offering free food and drinks to those in line at 7:00 a.m. in the form of croissants and coffee from Café Zuri, and doors are opening at 8 a.m. The event will include the Cerebral Brewing x Wax Trax First Pressing, a live DJ Set from Sinistarr from 1 to 4 p.m., and access to over 250 RSD limited editions and a premium used vinyl drop.