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Saturday 18 April 2009 is Record Store Day. A day when music lovers come together, celebrate and show some affection (by actually buying something) for their local and independently run record shop.

RSD began in the US in 2007 but has spread internationally since, so you've little excuse for not taking part. The likes of Eagles Of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes (he's the Ambassador, actually), Paul McCartney and Jack White are all lending support (more on that here), which, in this age of downloads, piracy and Amazon.com, is useful.

Exclusives

A major highlight, of course, is the abundance of music released exclusively for the occasion. And if you're in any way a collector of limited edition pieces, unreleased rarities and long-lost live tracks, you'll be in vinyl heaven.

Below are MusicRadar's top picks – not that your local store will have them all (they have to pick and choose what they order) – but if you do come across one or two, buy them both. Happy browsing…

20 cool Record Store Day exclusives (in alphabetical order)

1. Black Kids - Wizard Of Ahhhs 10"
Band's debut hype-making demo on a physical format for the first time

2. Booker T - Warped Sister/Reunion Time 7"
As in Booker T And The MGs – featuring Drive By Truckers and Neil Young on lead guitar!

3. Camera Obscura - French Navy/The World Is Full of Strangers 7"
First track comes ahead of album release, second is previously unreleased

4. Cursive/Ladyfinger - Split 10"
Features four songs: two new, two previously unreleased on a picture disc

5. The Dead Weather - Hang You From The Heavens 7"
First release from Jack White's new band, and a first for Third Man Records

6. The Decemberists - The Rake's Song/East India Lanes 7"
The b-side is an unreleased rarity

7. Elvis Costello - Complicated Shadows/Dirty Rotten Shame 7"
Features a previously unreleased track

8. Elvis Costello/Jenny Lewis - Carpet Baggers/Go Away split 7"
Available for the first time in the US

9. Flaming Lips/Black Keys - Borderline/Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles split 7"
Two great bands, one vinyl

10. Flight Of The Conchords - Pencils In The Wind/Albi The 7"
Both exclusive new tracks

11. Loney Dear/Andrew Bird - Split 7"
Comes with a hand silk screened cover

12. Lykke Li/Perro Del Mar - After Laughter/At Your Best split 7"
Both are previously unreleased covers

13. Pavement - Live in Cologne 1997 LP
A previously-unreleased show in Germany

14. Sonic Youth/Beck - Pay No Mind/Green Light split 7"
Sonic Youth covering Beck and Beck covering Sonic Youth

15. Sonic Youth/Jay Reatard - Hang Them All (Jay Reatard)/No Garage (Sonic Youth) split 7″
Another split, another RSD exclusive

16. Bruce Springsteen - What Love Can Do/A Night From The Jersey Devil 7″
Comes in clear sleeve with 3"x5" photo

17. Thermals/Thao - Get Down Stay Down split 7"
Two artists, four unreleased tracks

18. Vetiver - Wishing Well/Pay No Mind 7"
Two non-album tracks from oft Devandra Banhart cohorts

19. Tom Waits - Live From The Gillterdome split 7″
Recorded live in Atlanta and Edinburgh

20. Whiskeytown - San Atone/Great Divide 7"
Two unreleased tracks from Ryan Adams' old band

Next page: even more highlights

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