In 2002, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors adopted vinyl enthusiast Gary Freiberg's proclamation to declare August 12th Vinyl Record Day, celebrating the date Edison invented the phonograph in 1877. The day has now grown into a nonprofit organization working towards the preservation of all things vinyl. Addicts we are, we're celebrating Vinyl Record Day the right way, full of International flavor.
Across The Pond
BB London's Top Vinyl Picks
David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
Brixton born Bowie created a masterpiece that is considered one of the greatest albums of all time, with Rolling Stone magazine ranking it the 35th greatest ever, Ziggy Stardust proves that the language of music is universal.
The Beatles, Abbey Road
Not only is the recording sessions for the 11th studio album the last in which all four Beatles participated, but the album cover is one of the most iconic to date. So iconic that a live feed website has been created, so you can watch millions of fans pay homage to the magic four, just remember to look both ways!
Amy Winehouse, Back To Black
London’s girl, the late great Amy Winehouse released her second and final studio album and the world fell in love-- nothing can quite compare to her emotive-blunt lyrics accompanied by Sharon Jones’ band The Dap-Kings.
Sex Pistols, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols is the only studio album by English punk rock group Sex Pistols, released on October 28, 1977 by Virgin Records. At the time of its release, the band was already extremely controversial, having swore on live TV, been fired from two record labels and banned from playing live in most parts of England. The album's title added to that controversy, with some people finding the word "bollocks" offensive. Many record stores refused to carry the album and some record charts refused to list the album, showing just a blank space instead.
Skepta, Greatest Hits
The UK is home to many underground genres and unless you’ve been in a cave in the middle of a jungle, you’ve probably heard the man of the moment spitting at major festivals, BBC Radio, and, well, everywhere. His debut album Greatest Hits was released in 2007. Fast forward to present day and Boy Better Know is taking over – first the UK, then the Universe.The Big Apple
BB New York's Top Vinyl Picks
A Tribe Called Quest, The Anthology
Featuring hip-hop classics like "Bonita Applebaum" and "Can I Kick It?", A Tribe Called Quest's The Anthology definitely ranks as one of the best vinyl albums, both lyrically and rhythmically.
The Strokes, Room on Fire
Hailing from NYC, The Strokes hold a special place in our heart as one of the baddest rock bands of all time. Their album Room On Fire stands the test of time in New York's rock 'n' roll history.
The Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense
How do you choose the best Talking Heads album for Vinyl Day? By choosing the vinyl release of their epic concert film, Stop Making Sense. Covers all of the bases from one of the greatest concert films ever made.
Lettuce, Rage!
Brooklyn Bowl alumni, Lettuce help all of us "Blast Off" into a funky dimension with their album Rage!
The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico
What could be more apropos for Vinyl Day in New York than The Velvet Underground & Nico. With an album producer Andy Warhol classic as their artwork and timeless songs like "Sunday Morning" this album remains a staple.Vegas Baby
BB Vegas's Top Vinyl Picks
The Killers, Hot Fuss
This debut LP by Las Vegans The Killers is easily one of the most successful alt-rock albums of all time. The Killlers formed when Brandon Flowers responded to an ad in Las Vegas Weekly posted by Dave Keuning looking for bandmates, and wrote their first song together, 'Mr Brightside', at their second rehearsal ever. Now, Brandon Flowers has a successful solo career and the gang owns and runs their own recording studio, Battle Born Studio.
Gladys Knight & The Pips, Imagination
Although the Empress of Soul and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gladys Knight only bought a home in Las Vegas in 2004, her sound transcends all concepts of time and space. Together with The Pips, Knight recorded a handful of classic R&B tracks like "If I Were Your Woman", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", and "Baby Love". But, nothing crackles quite as good as when the needle drops on "Midnight Train to Georgia" off their staple LP, Imagination.
Jenny Lewis, The Voyager
Produced by Ryan Adams at his Pax Am studio, ex Rilo Kiley member Jenny Lewis wrote The Voyager during one of the most difficult times in her life. Lewis commented on the process to Rolling Stone, stating: "After Rilo Kiley broke up and a few really intense personal things happened, I completely melted down. It nearly destroyed me." Fittingly, the Las Vegan's The Voyager tells her story about finding herself and the time to finally turn off.
Shamir, Ratchet
Las Vegas singer-songwriter Shamir Bailey came out of the gate hard last year, scoring a coveted 8.3 on Pitchfork for his debut Rachet, a hypnotic mix of hip-hop, dance pop, disco and sprawling vocals to spare. His success followed a short, less than two year period after he sent a demo to Brooklyn's Godmode imprint. He now resides on XL Recordings with like-minded M.I.A. and FKA Twigs. Shamir is putting Vegas on the musical map and we can't wait to hear more.
Elvis, Live From Las Vegas
You can't think of Las Vegas without reminiscing about Elvis Presley and the grandeur imprint he left on Sin City's culture. He set the stage for musical acts to perform in Las Vegas at the height of their career, and when he sang "Viva Las Vegas" in his 1964 movie of the same name, it became the city's unofficial theme song. Today, the strip is dotted with Elvis impersonators and Graceland themed wedding chapels. Let this one spin a few extra times for good luck!