Tour the Stores!

How Record Store tours Make for a Successful Campaign.

DMS VInyl for DMS - 21 Nov 2024
For The Record

Okay... so you've just placed your dream vinyl order with us, and then the imminent task hits; let's do everything we can to shift as many copies as possible and get this album to chart!

To kick things off with good news, just one physical sale equals a whopping 1,000 streams when counting the UK charts.

If you smash your physical sales of records, CDs and cassettes, you will give yourself a fantastic opportunity to gatecrash the album charts. Although, you'll still need roughly 3000 - 4000 sales to do so...

That's where a record store tour could come in handy!

Pictured: Wet Leg performing at Rough Trade record shop. Photo courtesy of The Guardian.

Since record shops first opened, artists have made special appearances to sign records, often giving a stripped-down, impromptu performance in front of a room full of adoring fans.

However, thanks to streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music dominating proceedings, these in-store performances have grown in frequency to help with physical sales. Artists have realised that, by combining a live performance ticket and a record, they can offer a bundle that has mass appeal and makes a significant difference to album sales.

This has led to the birth of the Record Store Tour, and it's undisputed they now play an instrumental role in album campaigns.

Pictured: Metallica performing in-store in 2016. Photo courtesy of Billboard

The Guardian writes that "the idea of the in-store performance as a key part of an album launch dates back a decade or so, partly because physical sales of music were so low that the extra sales from a handful of appearances could dramatically affect chart position for bands with a loyal fanbase."

A great example of the power of in-store performances is Skindred's recent album campaign, which saw them narrowly miss out on a number 1 album, having done a heroic two in-store performances everyday during their release week.

"Whether it’s the whir of fresh coffee being ground at the bar or ending up awkwardly wedged up against the avant-jazz CD racks, in-store performances carry an unmistakable charm. There’s the nervous excitement of not just getting to watch your favourite artist live in unique surroundings, but also the opportunity to meet them and pick up a signed record or poster. It goes beyond the usual gig memento – a ticket stub or wristband are often shoved into a shoebox and rarely see the light of day again, but a signed record is truly irreplaceable."

"Entire release campaigns are often centred around these intimate events, with tours of iconic record shops across the country carefully scheduled around an album’s release. These shows can dramatically boost chart positions, as well as strengthening existing bonds with fans all across the UK." - NME

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