Growing up I spent a lot of time in skate shops and record stores. To me they went hand in hand. Record Store Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in April. (For a complete history of Record Store Day please visit their website www.recordstoreday.com) Today, Indie record store owners and artists get together and release special vinyl, CDs and promotional material that would make Barry and Dick from Champion Vinyl jealous (maybe not them since they were really snobby but you get the point.)

We live in an era of technology and I am 100% ok with that. Digital downloads, viral videos and self distribution models have changed the way the music business operates – making record stores having to adapt to survive.

I kept thinking about the microcosm of record stores and my experiences in them – going crating with friends or searching out some import etc. Reflecting on these time I kept coming back to the same question:

“Why are Record Stores Important?”

So I asked people and here are their answers.

Kimber Lanning, Stinkweeds Records / Phoenix, AZ: “Record stores are important because they are community hubs- they are creative gathering places that make people feel connected to their city or town. Music is a social art- it’s best experienced with others.”

Steve Wiley, Hoodlums Music / Tempe, AZ: “Record Stores are important for people that are deeply into music:  People like Kristian (co-owner) and I who love to have the vinyl or CD version of an artist’s album.  People that appreciate the musical art form of the album, or sound quality above that of a compressed file, or even the visual art of CDs, DVDs, and LPs.  People that like to go to a store and be involved with other people that feel the same way.”

@reply: Album artwork. Visual browsing (via twitter)

@hepnova: Bargain bins. Since I select based on record cover, pawing through bargain bins 4 discs has resulted in lifechanging new tunes (via twitter)

I couldn’t agree more. There is something to be said for holding a tangible product, looking at the album art or photography and reading the lyrics and liner notes. To me these things are important. Record stores give me a place to go to so I can talk to other people about new music, old music and nostalgia. Not to mention the networking opportunities it provides me as a music photographer.

I don’t purchase all of my music from record stores – I do use iTunes to download music and I would be lost without my iPods. With that being said to me there’s still a place in my world for the record store.

So today, April 17th, 2010 – find your local independent record store and purchase some music. Take a minute – meet the employees or talk to the owners and start to plug yourself into the local music scene. In the long run by making a purchase you will help ensure that you have a place to go to talk music and be a part of the music community.

What are your thoughts? Do you ever visit record stores or do you purchase music solely online?