RAPID CITY, SD – A line of music enthusiasts stretched around the block in downtown Rapid City on Saturday as collectors gathered for the annual celebration of Record Store Day.

Jen, one of the owners of Black Hills Vinyl, noted that the scale of the event has shifted dramatically over the last decade.

“It’s easily doubled, if not close to tripled, in the last 10 years,” Jen said regarding the number of titles available for the event. “I mean, we’ve always had a line, but our line wraps around the corner now. It never used to do that.”

Among those waiting in the early morning hours was Zach, a bartender at the nearby Brass Rail. His dedication to the hunt began immediately after his shift ended, as he headed straight to the shop after the bar closed to secure a spot in line before 2am. 

Zach’s wishlist reflected a diverse range of genres, including jazz staples like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, hip-hop releases from Jurassic 5 and RZA, and classic rock from George Harrison and John Lennon. 

The crowd represented a mix of veteran collectors and newcomers to the hobby. While some shoppers sought out specific high-profile releases from artists like Taylor Swift, others were navigating the unique nature of the holiday for the first time. Jen explained that the stock for the day is not a standard inventory but a highly specific, curated list and there are many first-timers who might not fully understand the curated process, the community remains pleasant. Other highly anticipated titles mentioned by shoppers included releases from Pink Floyd and Tom Petty.

“This is my first time ever. I just got into this a year and a half ago.” Said one person in line at 6:30am. “I’ll be damned if I only get a Taylor Swift album!”