Record Store Day in Reykjavík, Iceland
Two dates to know: Record Store Day Black Friday is Friday, November 29, 2026, and the next main Record Store Day is Saturday, April 17, 2027.
What is Record Store Day?
Record Store Day is an annual event built around independent record stores. The main event traditionally lands on the third Saturday of April each year; Record Store Day Black Friday is traditionally held the day after US Thanksgiving. Both days bring exclusive, limited-run vinyl and CD releases sold only at participating independent shops — not big-box retailers, and not mail order until the in-store exclusives sell through. Because pressings are limited, popular titles can sell out within the first hour, which is why a line-early culture has grown up around the day even at shops that are otherwise quiet on a weekday morning.
Tips for the day
- Arrive early. At busy shops, lines for popular titles can start well before opening.
- Bring cash. A cash line often moves faster than card on a shop's highest-volume day of the year.
- Check each shop's own site or Instagram in the week before the date — participating shops post their own opening time, line policy, and which exclusive titles they've ordered in.
- Release lists are first-come, first-served and vary store to store. A title in stock at one shop may not show up at another, even across town.
- Expect one-per-customer or per-household limits on the most in-demand titles.
- Not every independent record store participates every year, and allocations vary shop to shop — confirm directly with the shop rather than assuming based on a past year.
Shops to check in Reykjavík, Iceland
Independent record shops open in Reykjavík, Iceland right now. We don't yet track which specific shops participate in Record Store Day or what they've ordered in for a given year — check each shop's own site or Instagram close to the date for their exclusive-release list, opening time, and line policy.
- 12 Tónar
Internationally known record store and indie label under one roof on Skólavörðustígur, with coffee, live gigs and specialist music literature; strong on Icelandic jazz, classical, alternative and electronic, new and secondhand.
2 sources
- Alda Music Plötubúð
Vesturbær record shop with a large selection of new, sealed vinyl across all genres, including limited editions, picture discs and turntable accessories; ships internationally and stocks a small K-pop section.
2 sources
- Geisladiskabúð Valda
Compact secondhand media shop trading since 1998, mixing CDs, DVDs and retro games with a genuinely deep stock of used vinyl leaning heavy metal, alongside other genres; friendly, bilingual owner and free coffee for browsers.
2 sources
- Hljómsýn
Ármúli hifi and home-audio specialist trading since 1973, with a dedicated vinyl-records section alongside turntables and stereo equipment; selection changes regularly and is best browsed in person.
2 sources
- Lucky Records
Long-running Rauðarárstígur record store with a large choice of new and used vinyl and CDs plus band merch; a hub during Iceland Airwaves with a deep selection of Icelandic music and in-store shows.
2 sources
- Plötubúðin.is
Well-regarded record shop in Hafnarfjörður, part of the Reykjavík capital region just south of downtown; large selection plus an active online store.
2 sources
- Plötumarkaður Óla - Vinyl Market
Small, recently-opened Barónsstígur vinyl shop run by a personable owner, with a wide selection of Icelandic albums and classic vinyl for browsing and buying.
1 source
- Reykjavik Record Shop
Small, owner-run Klapparstígur shop with a curated selection of Icelandic, American and international vinyl; strong in jazz, pop/rock and soul/disco, mostly used stock graded VG+ and up, plus its own record label.
2 sources
- Smekkleysa Coffee & Record Shop
Record shop, coffee/tap-beer bar and label storefront for Smekkleysa ('Bad Taste'), founded 1986 and famous for releasing the Sugarcubes and Björk; deep Icelandic-music catalog plus books, merch and live events.
2 sources
- Space Odyssey
Small curated shop for experimental electronic music -- Krautrock, ambient, noise, dub and techno -- selling new and used vinyl, CDs and tapes; praised by regulars as Reykjavík's spot for deep electronic crate-digging.
2 sources
See the full record store listing for Reykjavík, Iceland.