What You Really Need to Buy *Before* You Can Go Buy Records on Record Store Day

The eighth annual Record Store Day is April 16th, a day created to help remind consumers to support the unique culture of independently-owned record stores instead of buying music from large corporations. But before you can put your local dollars to good small business use, you’ve got to be prepared.

Here’s what you need to buy *before* you can buy all those records.

Levi’s @ Macy’s

Levi’s have been loved by consumers for over 100 years. Originally created for miners, these sturdy leg-coverings are now worn by everyone from artists to athletes to show off their free spirits in this corporate world. You can’t go wrong with a pair of these denim beauties. They’ll help you look like the individual you feel you are as you saunter from one record store to the next, in the name of supporting independent business.

Organic Kosher Dill Pickles @ Whole Foods

You are going to work up an appetite looking at all those specialty releases. The perfect solution to your hunger is something salty and pickled that costs a tremendous amount.

Don’t like pickles? Not a problem! Whole Foods has a wide variety of items that will help suppress your hunger as you purchase records to support the artists that create them.

Fender Stratocaster @ Guitar Center

Remember how you wanted to learn to play guitar to impress your friends during parties? Specifically with your acoustic cover of “Smoke on the Water”? This is your time.

Guitar Center is able to provide you with the best deals and the largest inventory. You can even go into the store and try out any guitar they have. They also offer lessons, so  so you can teach yourself to play the music you buy on Record Store Day.

“Labyrinth” DVD @  Amazon Prime Now

You’re hoping you can find a vinyl copy of the "Labyrinth" soundtrack on Record Store Day. Which reminds you, it’s been too long since you’ve watched the movie. That’s less difficult to find— in fact, you can get it dropped off on your doorstep in minutes with Amazon Prime Now!

To get this service, you will need to purchase Amazon Prime, but it’s well worth it to have nearly-instant access to all sorts of necessities before going out on April 16th. Like maybe a record player would be good.

iPhone SE @ Apple Store

Record Store Day is the perfect time to fill up your Instagram account with pictures of yourself and friends looking through bins of records. To capture your adventures with the best quality, you’ll need to purchase the newest iPhone, because they just made them small again!

After adding up your purchases in advance of Record Store Day, you may realize that you spent too much money to actually be able to go out and support local businesses. But at the end of the day, isn’t the most important thing that you profess on social media how much you love Record Store Day, instead of actually supporting an industry that values artists?

If you disagree, try hitting up a business that’s been helping people get more stuff since 1850—American Express.

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Tony McNamara (@faketonymac) currently performs with Dumptruck, part of The Second City Training Center’s Severn Darden Graduate Program.