Biggest Record Store Day yet? Off the Record says: come and have a go—today.

If you like your Saturdays with a side of crate-digging and a whiff of fresh vinyl, clear your diary. Off the Record—Willen Hospice’s quietly heroic little music shop in Midsummer Place—is throwing its hat into Record Store Day 2026 with more than 800 limited-edition releases and the sort of atmosphere that makes you forget online shopping ever existed.

For the uninitiated, Record Store Day is part global love letter, part glorious scrum: exclusive drops, live bits and bobs, and a community of music obsessives all circling the same racks. It’s the one day of the year when queueing at dawn feels less like a chore and more like a badge of honour.

And yes—about that queue. Doors swing open at 8am, but last year people were already loitering (politely, Britishly) from 6. First come, first served, no elbows—just swift hands and sharper instincts. On the hit list this time: Elton John, Madonna, Blur, Charli XCX, Primal Scream, Olivia Dean, Wolf Alice, CMAT and plenty more besides. Rock, pop, soul, jazz, hip-hop, classical—the racks won’t discriminate, and neither should you.

Sandy Bell-Ashe, one of the team leaders, is equal parts ringmaster and realist. “It’s a real buzz,” they say, with the kind of understatement that usually precedes chaos. “It’s very, very busy—but it’s worth it. It helps us raise much-needed funds for the Hospice’s care.” Translation: you get your rare pressing; someone else gets proper support. Not a bad trade.

Stock-wise, they’ve gone bigger this year—800+ titles—but don’t get cocky. Limited really does mean limited. “We might order ten and get two—or none,” Sandy shrugs. The good news? There’s a healthy dose of Taylor Swift in the mix this time around. “I know I’m an old goat,” Sandy adds, cheerfully, “but I’m a big fan.” Aren’t we all.

Missed the exclusives? Don’t sulk. The shelves will still be stacked with new and pre-loved gems that deserve a spin and a second chance. And the real draw, as ever, is the mood: doors open, chatter rises, sleeves flip, someone finds the one—it’s retail, but with a pulse.

So: get down early, bring your patience, and maybe a tote bag with ambition.

Find out more about shopping, donating and volunteering at Off the Record via Willen Hospice, and keep tabs on the chaos (the good kind) by following Off the Record MK on Facebook and Instagram.