Record Store Day 2025 [Black Friday] is upcoming and EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE wants to encourage you all to come out and help all your local record shops celebrate the day by purchasing as many wonderful new vinyl releases as possible!

We hope you find something you love to take home with you, whether that be something released exclusively for Record Store Day or something fantastic from what the store nearest you regularly stock.

Yes, every day should be Record Store Day, we agree, so we encourage you to make stopping by your favorite record store AND stopping by this website a regular thing - because we’ll be telling you about awesome things going on at record stores all year long!

And so, as our dear friends at Sony Legacy Recordings have once more kindly sent us quite a few of their RSD 2025 [Black Friday] releases for review, as always, we shall review and highlight them all.

From Bob Dylan to Pee-Wee Herman, and from Cage the Elephant to Billy Joel, Legacy’s offerings this year include rare and previously unreleased materials from legendary artists across its broad catalog slate.

Billy Joel, Live From Long Island (3LP – First Time on Vinyl): The classic Nylon Curtain tour homecoming concert at Nassau Coliseum on December 29, 1982 now available as a stand-alone 3LP set. Newly mixed from the original master tapes and produced by Billy’s longtime live sound engineer Brian Ruggles.

Side A:
1. Allentown
2. My Life
3. Prelude / Angry Young Man

Side B:
1. Piano Man
2. Don’t Ask Me Why
3. The Stranger

Side C:
1. Scandinavian Skies
2. Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
3. She’s Always A Woman
4. Pressure

Side D:
1. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
2. Just The Way You Are
3. Goodnight Saigon

Side E:
1. Stilleto
2. (Band Intro)
3. Until The Night
4. It’s Still Rock ‘N’ Roll To Me

Side F:
1. Sometimes A Fantasy
2. Big Shot
3. You May Be Right
4. Only The Good Die Young
5. Souvenir

This absolutely blockbusting 1983 concert from Billy Joel entitled Live From Long Island has always been robustly met with overwhelmingly positive praise. His performance, the band, and overall entertainment value is off the charts from the very start.

Highlights include strong renditions of some of his classic songs, with his impressive musicianship to the fore, his dynamic stage presence at its finest throughout the entire show. In the past, people (including myself) have complained that the audio quality at certain times on the live recording could have been better, but here on this brand new RSD 3LP vinyl set they have obviously upped their sonic game. Because it is now as good as it gets, all leveled out across the board, no deep dips and soulless pockets. Now this is the way it should sound here on these Legacy recordings vinyl LPs.

Bob Dylan, The Original Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1LP): First ever release of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan as it was originally conceived, including four tracks that were withdrawn before the album came out: Rocks And Gravel, Let Me Die in My Footsteps, Rambling, Gamblin Willie and Talking’ John Birch Paranoid Blues with the original never-before seen liner notes.

Side A:
1. BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND
2. ROCKS AND GRAVEL
3. A HARD RAIN’S A-GONNA FALL
4. DOWN THE HIGHWAY
5. BOB DYLAN’S BLUES
6. LET ME DIE IN MY FOOTSTEPS

Side B:
1. DON’T THINK TWICE IT’S ALL RIGHT
2. RAMBLING, GAMBLING WILLIE
3. OXFORD TOWN
4. CORRINA, CORRINA
5. TALKIN’ JOHN BIRCH PARANOID BLUES
6. HONEY, JUST ALLOW ME ONE MORE CHANCE
7. I SHALL BE FREE

In short, this is a great folk album that is very dear to my heart. There are so many emotions packed in this, I don’t even know where to start, in all truth.

So I will begin with the wonderful Bob Dylan’s Blues, which I am still willing to defend against anyone’s negativity if needs be. I think this track is beautiful musically and lyrically and brings in the feeling of nostalgia which is apparent on so many tracks here: Forgotten friendships on this track, forgotten romantic relationships on Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance and a soon-to-be-forgotten relationship on Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright. All these songs really awaken the painful joyful feeling of nostalgia for me.

Of course there is also Dylan from his political side. Even though The Times They Are A-Changing is his real protest album, the political statements on this one are way more sophisticated. Blowin’ in the Wind is a beautiful piece of protest music, but it also deals with existentialist philosophical questions. And then we have A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, which is first and foremost a beautifully mysterious poetic piece, but at the same time feels like a directly political protest song too. Both of them are classics for a reason.

The other tracks that I did not mention yet are great too and are more light-hearted. Down the Highway just shows that Dylan is a damn good singer, whilst the album closer I Shall Be Free shows that Dylan doesn’t take himself so seriously (he’s freewheelin’, after all). This has the effect that even though this album has so many heavy themes (emotional and political) it doesn’t drag you down at all. It is still a lot of fun to listen to, especially now that it has been remastered and re-released by Legacy Recordings.

Cage The Elephant – Live From The Vic In Chicago (2LP on Yellow and Black Splatter Vinyl – First Time on Vinyl): Limited edition 2LP featuring Cage the Elephant’s explosive live set from The Vic in Chicago. Pressed on vibrant yellow and black splatter vinyl, including hits like “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” “Shake Me Down,” “In One Ear” and more.

Side A:
1. In One Ear
2. 2024
3. Aberdeen
4. Tiny Little Robots
5. Lotus

Side B:
1. Around My Head
2. Japanese Buffalo
3. Back Stabbin’ Betty
4. Back Against The Wall
5. Flow

Side C:
1. Indy Kidz
2. Always Something
3. Sell Yourself
4. Rubber Ball
5. Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked

Side D:
1. Shake Me Down
2. Sabertooth Tiger
3. Psycho Killer
4. Shiver

Cage The Elephant’s live album consists of their entire 19 song set list and includes their big singles like “Shake Me Out” and “In One Ear.” As much as those songs are good, the other, lesser-known tracks to a casual fan make the show truly great though, in my humble opinion.

“Japanese Buffalo” and “Indy Kidz,” in particular, show off their utter rawness as a band, even without watching the show visually, trust me on that. CTE also do a rather awesome rendition of Talking Head’s “Psycho Killer” to help close out the show, which is a nice little cap to end such a massive show.

There are, as a fan, a couple of songs that they didn’t do, including “James Brown,” “Free Love,” and “Right Before My Eyes.” However, even with them excluded in the show, the set list was incredibly solid (just like their albums).

Frontman Matt Shultz is what makes this show so amazing. His raw style of singing, combined with his stage antics (including jumping into the crowd during the first song, and his obvious movements and shakes throughout) makes for an unmistakably awesome live event. I’d even go as far as to call him the new Iggy Pop, but that’s just me.

Lou Reed, Metal Machine Music: Power to Consume, Vol. 1 (2LP): Inspired by Lou Reed’s groundbreaking 1975 noise opus Metal Machine Music, this collection assembles a formidable lineup of sonic provocateurs — Aaron Dilloway, Drew McDowall, Thurston Moore, Pharmakon, The Rita, and Mark Solotroff — to explore the outer edges of distortion, feedback, and raw electronic texture.

Each artist channels the spirit of Reed’s original manifesto of anti-music, pushing their own boundaries through modular synthesis, tape manipulation, harsh noise, and industrial decay. The result is a visceral, immersive experience that celebrates chaos, confronts structure, and redefines what music can be.

Side A:
1. Drone Cognizance - Thurston Moore

Side B:
1. Psychic Motor Disorder - Aaron Dilloway
2. Blunt Instruments - Pharmakon

Side C:
1. Feedback - Drew McDowall
2. Terminal ’25 - Mark Solotroff

Side D:
1. 109 90 (45 RPM) - The Rita

The original was always a decent noise album, in my humble opinion, but more interesting from a historical perspective than musically, perhaps. From what I can remember (I last listened to that original a year or more ago) the sounds aren’t quite layered enough for me to find it truly beautiful, but it laid the groundwork for the exquisite harsh noise style that would be explored in the 80’s and 90’s by Merzbow and his ilk, and for that I will forever be thankful.

That’s not to mention the impact it allegedly had on genres like industrial and noise rock, but then I don’t listen to too much of that (except Boris, who regularly collaborates with noise musicians anyway) so it doesn’t mean that much to me.

On another note, most noise rock/pop I’ve listened to seems to rather miss the point of the style. Noise is about gorgeous rich textures, not just adding infinite reverb to a guitar. The latter can sound nice and cathartic but the only noise-pop album I’ve ever heard that truly displayed an understanding of noise was the first Animal Collective album.

Here we get a varying amount of musicians that undertake this monster project, such as Aaron Dilloway, Drew McDowall, Thurston Moore, Pharmakon, The Rita, and Mark Solotroff. Stand outs here for me personally, and after two spins on both vinyl, are Psychic Motor Disorder from Aaron Dilloway and Terminal ’25 by Mark Solotroff.

Danny Elfman, Big Top Pee-Wee (The Original Soundtrack Album) (Picture Disc): Step right up! Enjoy Danny Elfman’s whimsical, larger-than-life score for “Big Top Pee-Wee” (1988). Being released on a picture disc showcasing none other than the eccentric Pee-wee Herman himself.

A must-have for collectors of Elfman, Pee-wee, and film scores, “Big Top Pee-Wee” captures the magic, mischief, and musical imagination of a one-of-a-kind cinematic clown.

Side A:
1. Main Title
2. The Girl On The Flying Trapeze
3. Pee-Wee Flies
4. Medley: Happy House/Pee-Wee Herman Had A Farm
5. Rise ‘N Shine
6. The Greenhouse
7. Sneaky Walk
8. Race To School
9. The Big Storm
10. Medley: Pee-Wee To The Rescue/Lion Problems
11. Where’s Midge?
12. Circus Parade
13. Sad Drive Home
14. Circus In The House
15. Happy Circus
16. Zsa Zsa’s Delight
17. Elephant Ride
18. The Big Kiss
19. Rejection

Side B:
1. Mace’s Speech
2. Man To Man
3. Psycho Winnie
4. Rimprovero
5. I Love You
6. Medley: Pee-Wee Tries/Town Spies
7. The Side Show
8. Pee-Wee’s Love Theme
9. Angry Mob
10. Transformation
11. Big Top Finale
12. Pee-Wee’s Big Surprise
13. End Credits

And finally, as promised, here are the remaining titles that were not sent for review, but will all still be getting released this coming Black Friday RSD 2025:

Wilco/Jeff Tweedy/Daniel Johnston – dBpm 15 (1LP - Red Vinyl)

Twelve rarities and unreleased tracks highlighting fifteen years of music on dBpm Records. Most available for the first time on vinyl. Includes a previously unavailable version of “Casper The Friendly Ghost” by Daniel Johnston and Jeff Tweedy, and Wilco’s cover of The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down.”

Miles Davis, Live At The Plugged Nickel: December 23, 1965 – Set Two (2LP – First Time on Vinyl)

One of the most legendary engagements in jazz history, the Miles Davis Quintet’s stand at The Plugged Nickel in December of 1965 saw Miles, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams deliver a masterclass in controlled volatility, dismantling tradition and reshaping their language night after night. The Plugged Nickel recordings document the Second Great Quintet revolutionizing improvisation in real time, welcoming surprise, discarding certainty, and turning “wrong” notes into revelations.

Sony Legacy will re-issue the box set of all seven sets of The Complete Plugged Nickel Sessions in January 2026 as a first salvo in a year-long Miles Davis Centennial celebration and will release one of the more blistering complete sets as a 2LP release on black vinyl for Black Friday. Containing over an hour of familiar songs turned inside out including standards like “All Of You” and “My Funny Valentine” and Miles originals like “So What“ or “Agitation.”

Prince and The Revolution- Around The World In A Day (5x 7" Singles)

Prince’s seventh studio album, and the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution, Around The World In A Day, was released on April 22, 1985. Such was Prince’s prolific output, it came just ten months after the Academy Award winning hit album, Purple Rain, and a mere three weeks after the conclusion of the Purple Rain Tour.

Featuring no fewer than four singles, Around The World In A Day saw Prince and the Revolution change musical direction yet again, experimenting with psychedelic textures, incorporating new instrumentation, and expanding the genres of songs within the album.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album, the Prince Estate in partnership with Warner Records and Legacy Recordings, will release Around The World In A Day: The Singles, exclusively for Record Store Day Black Friday. With audio newly remastered by original mastering engineer Bernie Grundman, with additional mastering by Chris James, the limited edition 7” box set features all four singles from the album (“Raspberry Beret”, “Paisley Park”, “Pop Life”, and “America”), plus a brand new exclusive 7” single of the 1985 track “4 The Tears In Your Eyes”, which Prince originally contributed to the We Are The World album.

Each 7” is presented on a unique vinyl color and presented in their original 7” sleeves, in a clamshell box, all featuring elements of the Around The World In A Day LP sleeve, originally designed by Doug Henders.

www.RecordStoreDay.com