Record Store Day's Black Friday edition is back, and this year it's packing a punch with over 170 limited-edition releases set to hit independent record stores on November 28, 2025. The announcement, fresh out just days ago, has vinyl enthusiasts buzzing already. Indeed, it's that time when the music world rallies around mom-and-pop shops, offering exclusives that vanish faster than a sold-out show.
Among the highlights, Bob Dylan fans will geek out over two rarities: a reimagined The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan with tracks pulled from the original 1963 album, plus a 7-inch single of "Masters of War" captured in Alan Lomax's apartment back in 1962. The B-side even chats between Dylan and Lomax—talk about intimate. Moreover, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' The Live Anthology – From The Vaults Vol. 1 finally lands on turquoise blue vinyl, its first physical spin like this.
However, it's not all classic rock revival. Billie Eilish brings her Amazon Songline live set to a 10-inch EP, while Chappell Roan's rising star gets a nod alongside the Wicked For Good soundtrack. Ghost drops a picture disc of Skeletá, and Cage the Elephant unleashes a two-LP live recording from Chicago's Vic Theatre. Then there's the Watchmen movie soundtrack on picture disc, featuring My Chemical Romance's gritty take on Dylan's "Desolation Row." And don't sleep on the heavy hitters: Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, even Mötley Crüe and Alice Cooper rounding out a list that spans decades.
The event underscores vinyl's stubborn grip on the market, with these drops designed to draw crowds to local stores amid big-box dominance. Participating shops nationwide will stock up, but quantities are tight—first come, first served, as always. For the full roster, check the official site, though expect lines and maybe a dash of holiday frenzy mixed in.
Grateful Dead chimes in with three offerings, including Warfield concert tapes from 1980, reminding us how these exclusives keep the analog flame alive. Yet, as Black Friday looms, it's worth pondering whether this ritual truly bolsters indie scenes or just fuels collector mania.