Record collecting is for the dreamers. It’s a hobby that rewards patience, persistence, and, above all, an unbridled love of music that knows no bounds. It’s a never-ending quest that takes you through racks and racks of records, to record stores and antique malls and yard sales, all in the hopes of finding that LP.

 

Each year, a new hope for that white whale comes in the form of Record Store Day, a national holiday that opens the floodgates for new, exclusive, limited-release, unreleased and re-released music that draws collectors and audiophiles to local independent record stores all over Milwaukee.

 

If this is your first Record Store Day, ready to dive in and get a taste for what it’s all about, or you’re a bona fide rare record finder, looking for the inside track to a new release, here’s everything you need to know about RSD in MKE this Saturday.

 

Participating Record Stores

Like the list of new and limited releases for Record Store Day itself, Milwaukee has tons of options for you to choose from. There’s a big bash with live music and raffles, classic finds at the city’s longest-running record store and tucked away hidden gems all over town. Here’s who’s taking part in Record Store Day 2026.

Rows of vinyl records are displayed inside a record store, with album covers lined up on the wall shelves and more records organized in bins below. The covers feature a mix of artists and styles, creating a colorful, nostalgic backdrop.

Rushmor Records

Rushmor, Rush Mor, Rush-Mor—however you spell it, this Bay View staple has been a part of Record Store Day from the very beginning. The city’s longest-running record store usually specializes in modern rock, punk, hardcore, prog rock, Euro-rock, rockabilly and heavy metal, and RSD is no different. At Rushmor, you’ll find a smattering of buzzworthy exclusive releases from some of the top names in rock today. If you need recs, Wolfgang the shop dog might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

Nearby: Crafty Cow, Humboldt Park, Hi-Fi Café, The Vanguard, Classic Slice, Honeypie Café, Sorella, The Avalon Atmospheric Theater, Bay View Bowl, Lion’s Tooth Bookstore

A record shop with a vintage feel features wooden walls, antique fixtures, and rows of vinyl bins filled with albums. Records are organized in large crates and tables throughout the space, with framed artwork and music memorabilia displayed along the walls.

ACME Records & Music Emporium

Where most record stores pack their stores tight with racks of records, ACME Records gives you a little more space to browse. It’s a store with character, with concrete floors, mismatched shelves, exposed beams in the ceiling, and the golden pipes of an organ lined up against the back wall. And then there’s the reigning employee of the month and Chief Barketing Officer, Gertie the shop dog. ACME’s been around since 2012, carving out a niche in used LPs, but on Record Store Day, they’ll add to their collection with special releases that you can only pick up in-store.

 

Nearby: Café Corazon, Centraal Grand Café & Tappery, Colectivo Coffee, Sugar Maple, The Highbury Pub, Milwaukee Brewing & Distilling Company, Voyager, LuLu Café, RSVR Milwaukee, The Soup Market, Café India, Room Service, Lost Whale, The Mothership

Lilliput Records

Lilliput Records

Over on the East Side, one of the city’s most popular stops for music hosts an annual blowout to mark the occasion. Beyond a RSD collection that spans genres, decades and artists, Lilliput has turned the day into a community event, with free coffee, giveaways, raffles, and live music and DJs from open to close. Sure, the line to get in winds down the block, but for a complete Record Store Day experience (not to mention one of the biggest selections of RSD drops), this is a great place to start.

 

Nearby: Nomad World Pub, Nomad Coffee Bar, Dorsia, Saint Bibiana, Colectivo Coffee, Twisted Plants, Sweet Joy Brazilian Café, Nashville North, The Deep Groove, Zaffiro’s Pizza, La Masa, Rochambo Coffee & Tea House, Jo-Cats Pub, Kompali Tacos

A busy record store is filled with people browsing tightly packed rows of vinyl, flipping through albums and comparing finds. Bright overhead lights and clean, modern shelving line the space, with a large “Irving Place Records” sign on the back wall anchoring the scene.

Irving Place Records

Less than a 10-minute walk down the street will take you to a more boutique experience. Tucked away amongst coffee shops, restaurants, houses and apartment complexes, you might miss Irving Place Records if you’re not looking for it, but its lime green logo and music paraphernalia in the window help it stand out. It’s a smaller shop, with a more curated collection, perfect for a less rushed Record Store Day experience.

 

Nearby: Allie Boy’s Bagelry & Luncheonette, Pizza Shuttle, Vivarium, Wayfinder MKE, Purslane, Comet Café, Rice n Roll Bistro, Stone Bowl, EE Sane Thai-Lao Cuisine

A small, laid-back record shop features wooden bins filled with vinyl along the walls and in the center of the room. Sunlight filters through the front window, where a seating area with chairs and a couch sits near the entrance, giving the space a relaxed, neighborhood feel.

We Buy Records

Just as the name would suggest, this no-nonsense shop has tons of used records in racks, shelves and crates in every corner of the intimate space. Tucked away in the creative Riverwest neighborhood, you’ll find it by the neon red sign, lit with the store's name and the company slogan, “We Buy Records.” It’s an intimate space where you never really know what you’ll find, with a rotating inventory that day. And on Record Store Saturday, you might just find that gem that you’re looking for in addition to a bunch of gently used records to fill out your shelves.

 

Nearby: Shawarma King, Foundation, Uptowner, The Daily Bird, Nessun Dorma, The Tracks Tavern & Grill, Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Black Husky Brewing, Colectivo Coffee, Riverwest Pizza, The Gig, Bremen Café

A wide view inside a record store shows long rows of vinyl bins stretching toward the back, organized by genre and artist. Fluorescent lights line the ceiling above white support columns, while shelves along the walls display more records and audio equipment.

Record Head

An under-the-radar record emporium can be found in the nearby suburb of West Allis, with Record Head. Selling slabs of vinyl for over 50 years, the seemingly endless shop has tons of new and used vinyl. What was once a department store has evolved into a music haven that locals love. You can lose yourself in the rows and rows of vinyl, CDs and sound equipment that make them all sing, and on Record Store Day, you’ll be able to cross off a few of the items on your wish list.

 

Nearby: Camino – West Allis, Flour Girl & Flame, Ope! Brewing Co., Kegel’s Inn, Freese’s Candy Shoppe, Perspective Brewing, West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe

2026 Record Store Day Releases

No two collections are the same. Lucky for you, no two Milwaukee record stores are either. With releases from artists like Charli XCX, Caamp, Grateful Dead, Lucy Dacus, The Cure, Tate McRae, Pink Floyd and Milwaukee’s own Violent Femmes, comedians like Adam Sandler and Marc Maron, and so many more, there’s plenty to see at RSD to help you fill your shelves. Check out the full list of releases here.

 

It just sounds better on vinyl. Drop the needle on RSD 2026, and plan your Milwaukee adventure today.