JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hundreds of people lined up outside a Riverside record store Saturday morning for a chance to get their hands on a special release from their favorite artist, in honor of Record Store Day.
Tiger Records, like many independent record stores around the country, celebrated the 17th annual Record Store Day on Saturday.
It's typically a day for music lovers from across all genres to come out and find something they love.
"Hundreds of releases all come out the same exact day. So, the fans of those records, all kinds of different people, all kinds of different collectors, have something that they want that day," said Tiger Records Owner James Siboni.
Some people in Jacksonville waited overnight to get their hands on limited edition LPs.
Siboni said he saw about 20 people in line with sleeping bags outside the store around 8 p.m. Friday.
"We came in today at 7:45 to get ready, and the line was probably, maybe like, 300 deep down, down a couple blocks," said Siboni, adding that his store sold around 1,000 records all day.
He said Record Store Day is something local stores can rely on to help boost sales and even get some customers back in the door later in the year.
"They might come for Record Store Day and then you see them a little more throughout the year. It gets them excited about records again," Siboni said. "It's a crazy day. It's fun and stressful and a lot to prepare for, but it's super fun and it's obviously good for business."
This year was the best turnout the store has seen since participating in Record Store Day. Siboni said that success generally is based on what records are released.
"There's a variable about which records are being released, you know, like how much sort of hype it has," said Siboni. "In our four years of doing it, this was the biggest, most anticipated list of records."
For a store that's been open in the Riverside community for less than five years, Tiger Records has reaped the benefit from the resurgence of vinyl.
Vinyl sales went up 10 percent in 2023 to rake in around $1.4 billion, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
But why is vinyl making a comeback?
"It's like a direct way to support an artist that maybe you really love. It's collecting their stuff, you get to sort of own it, and hold it and bring it home," said Siboni. "I think a lot of us, really know, people really just into collecting things like the hunt of finding the records you're looking for is really fun and gratifying and it's a good hobby."
And for the most popular record selling on Saturday?
"Definitely Taylor Swift," Siboni said.
The pop star released her 11th studio album "The Tortured Poets Department" just one day before Record Store Day.
In honor of the album release, Swift sent record stores around the country handwritten notes to give out when anyone purchased the new record.
"Apparently, they are super limited," Siboni said. "It's in her handwriting, it's on like stationery, said it's from the desk of Taylor Swift."
Tiger Records was sent around 20 of the letters, a unique opportunity only independent record stores were offered.
"If you came here to buy as opposed to shop from Target or whatever you may also get this letter that's going to be collectible," Siboni said.
Other top sellers were Olivia Rodrigo's newest album "Guts" and stuff from The 1975 and Paramore.