Record Store Day, the annual celebration of all things vinyl, celebrated its 17th year this year, bringing with it a predicted £10 million boost to the indie record store industry in the UK alone.
A large part of that is down to the incredible number of limited edition records released for Record Store Day. There were 443 special releases in 2024, with many of them packing striking designs and limited edition album art that only make them all-the-more collectable.
Starting from 2009 (RSD started in 2008 with fairly slim pickings), we have picked out some of our favourite (and occasionally bonkers) limited edition picture disc designs, which make buying vinyl and never listening to it a more understandable viewpoint than ever.
Did you pick any of these up? Do you have another favourite picture disc from the archive? Let us know in the comments.
The Killers – Spaceman (RSD 2009)
After a relatively quiet first year for picture disc releases, Record Store Day was really finding its feet in 2009, with artists and labels realising the potential the event had for sales.
For RSD 2009, The Killers jumped on the bandwagon and released their single Spaceman on a limited edition 12" picture disc. It also included the previously unreleased Four Winds on the B side.
Them Crooked Vultures – Mind Eraser, No Chaser / HWY 1 (RSD 2010)
For RSD 2010, Them Crooked Vultures released a limited edition 10" record with recordings of Mind Eraser, No Chaser and HWY 1, both played live at Hordern Pavilion.
It was presented in a transparent red sleeve, with Vulture Speak on the B-side – an exclusive interview.
Daft Punk – Tron Legacy: Translucent (RSD 2011)
Tron: Legacy was released at the end of 2010, so for RSD 2011, Daft Punk and Disney released three limited edition vinyl designs – all on a translucent record with a choice of blue, red or yellow rings, with blue being the most sort after.
They all had the same tracklist, and featured the songs Derezzed, Tron: Legacy's end title track, End of Line and a rare track called Castor – the latter was only previously included on the special two-disc edition of the soundtrack.
Nine years later, the soundtrack was re-released on RSD 2020 to celebrate the film's 10th anniversary. This was another collector's dream, with a blue translucent glow-in-the-dark design.
Sex Pistols – Anarchy in the UK (RSD 2012)
The Sex Pistols released a limited edition 7” record of their first single, Anarchy in the UK, for Record Store Day 2012. It featured the original single artwork etched onto the record itself.
The re-mastered picture disc also featured the original b-side track, I Wanna Be Me, and was limited to 3,500 internationally.
David Bowie – Drive-In Saturday (RSD 2013)
It's hard to pick just one of David Bowie's many limited edition picture discs, but the RSD 2013 7" record is a striking double-sider worthy of note.
Re-released to mark the 40 years since its original release, Drive-In Saturday was limited to just 3,000 pieces, and includes the stereo version of the title track, as well as the Russell Harty Plus Pop version in mono.
Ray Parker Jr – Ghostbusters (RSD 2014)
In honour of the film's 30th anniversary, Ray Parker Jr released a glow-in-the-dark 10" record of the iconic theme tune.
As well as the original song, there was an instrumental version, extended version and a dub remix. It was limited to 4,000 copies worldwide.
Father John Misty – I Loved You, Honeybee (RSD 2015)
To celebrate RSD 2015, Father John Misty released a red heart-shaped 7" disc featuring an acoustic version of I Love You, Honeybear – the title track of his album of the same year.
It also featured the B-side, I've Never Been a Woman, and was limited to 5,700 copies worldwide.
The Monkees – Saturday's Child / You Just May Be The One (RSD 2016)
The Monkees released a 7" picture disc for RSD 2016, featuring Saturday's Child (mono TV version) with You May Be The One (mono TV version) on the B-side.
It shaped like The Monkees' logo and was limited to 5,000 worldwide.
Toto - Africa / Rosanna (RSD 2017)
For RSD 2017, Toto released a 7" vinyl of their 1982 classic, Africa, with Rosanna on the B side. And of course, it was shaped like Africa. It was limited to 2,500 copies worldwide.
Twin Peaks soundtrack (RSD 2018)
For RSD 2018, Twin Peaks fans were in for a treat – Warner Bros reissued the 2017 Twin Peaks soundtracks as two limited edition double LP picture discs.
The designs featured memorable and poignant stills from the series, including the Red Room's curtains and its chevron floor, Laura Palmer's homecoming queen photo and the New Mexico bomb explosion.
Madness – One Step Beyond (RSD 2019)
Madness celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2019, and they marked it by releasing this limited edition picture disc of One Step Beyond for Record Store Day of the same year.
As well as the original 7" single and 2009 remastered version of the track, this record also had the Italian and Spanish versions of the song, all presented on a shaped picture disc of the band performing their iconic "Nutty Train" dance.
Prince – Sign O' The Times (RSD 2020)
Record Store Day was postponed in 2020, but Prince fans found this exclusive release of his ninth studio album well worth the wait.
The wider reissue of Prince's double album, Sign O' The Times, got a special limited 140g picture disc release for RSD 2020, with 16 tracks and two complementing designs in orange and blue. You can get a closer look at it in this YouTube video.
Mastodon – Fallen Torches (RSD 2021)
Mastodon recorded Fallen Torches on 2019 as a tribute to their long-standing music manager Nick John, who died in 2018.
Originally it had been planned to be released to support their European tour, but as the industry descended into chaos around the pandemic, it just didn't happen.
It was instead included on their album, Medium Rarities, but they also released this special shaped 12" picture disc for RSD 2021. It included title track and the instrumental.
The Cure – Wish (RSD 2022)
For Record Store Day Black Friday 2022, and for the 30th anniversary of The Cure's Grammy-nominated album Wish was pressed onto double picture disc for the first time.
Including hit singles like High and Friday I'm in Love, it was newly remastered audio by Robert Smith and Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios.
T-Rex – Rockin' and Rollin' (RSD 2023)
Look, it may only be the parents of little ones that find this one of the best picture disc releases of 2023, but we dare you to watch it and not be completely hooked.
Aside from it's fantastic writing and heartfelt messages that every seven-minute episode delivers, the music is a huge part of the show too, and Dance Mode is a certified banger. Add that to this striking zoetrope design and this limited edition record a winner in our books.
Blur - Parklife (RSD 2024)
There are so many fantastic picture discs to choose from for RSD 2024, but we do have a soft spot for this one – another zoetrope picture disc, this time of Blur's Parklife.
The classic Britpop album turns 25 in April this year, and this special limited edition record is part of the celebrations.
It was Blur's first number one album in the UK and includes four top 20 singles – Girls & Boys, To The End, End of A Century and Parklife.
MORE:
Record Store Day 2024: dates, guides, and the full list of releases
The 11 best Record Store Day 2024 releases – Gorillaz, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth and more
Read all of our Vinyl Week 2024 features
