As vinyl increasingly becomes a more collectible, sought-after commodity, so too has Record Store Day's reputation grown. Now in its fourth year Record Store Day 2011, which is just four days away -- this Saturday, April 16th -- promises to be the best RSD to date with even more special, exclusive releases than any previous year! As outlined in the video above with Chris Brown from Bull Moose (the man responsible for creating Record Store Day in the first place), there are oodles of amazing releases, including freebies, this year. In the above clip Chris overviews a great many of the notable RSD 2011 exclusive releases. These include records in all formats (7", 10", 12", LP, colored vinyl, picture discs, and box-sets) from such artists as Ozzy Osbourne (RSD 2011's "Official Ambassador"), Foo Fighters, Flaming Lips, Beach Boys, Buck Owens, Big Star, and Fleetwood Mac. You can get a full RSD release list right here! Fleetwood Mac's latest re-release of their mega-successful 1977 album Rumours is unique because it is a Deluxe 2 LP 180 gram vinyl set that plays at 45 RPM. It has been stretched out on a double LP at 45 speed for attaining the highest playback audio quality.

In addition to our usual Record Store Day shenanigans (over 250 exclusive RSD releases!!), Amoeba Berkeley will be unveiling a huge used jazz LP collection that we recently acquired from a private collector!

Many original pressings in excellent/near mint condition will be featured, including many late '50s/early '60s hard bop/ soul jazz/avant garde titles on Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside, Pacific Jazz, Contemporary, Atlantic, and Columbia. There are also many interesting titles we don't see every day (especially in this condition) from the '70s and '80s. So, overall, something for just about any jazz aficionado to be excited about! See you at the store this Saturday!

It really has been a fantastic couple of weeks for music -- I think this year has already been amazing, and so many more great albums are right around the corner! I seriously already almost have my top 50 of the year and it is only March! Tomorrow is April. And May comes afterwards. We have only had three months of new music so far but I already have many favorites. I am still listening to awesome new albums by PJ Harvey, Joy Formidable, Mogwai, J Mascis, Adele, Toro Y Moi, Bright Eyes, The Twilight Singers, La Sera, Esben & the Witch, Cut Copy, Hercules & Love Affair, & Wanda Jackson! I am telling you, this is turning out to be an incredible year for music! I am absolutely in love with the new Kurt Vile and Puro Instinct. Those will most likely end up being my favorite albums of the year. It just keeps getting better. Last week we had new albums by The Strokes, Keren Ann, James Blake, Beach Fossils, & Duran Duran. This week we have the new Radiohead, Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Hunx & His Punx, Moon Duo, Josh T. Pearson & The Obits! There are new albums by Bill Callahan, Cold Cave, The Raveonettes, & The Kills next week! Later in April we have new albums by The Crystal Stilts, TV on the Radio, The Vivian Girls, Sonny & the Sunsets, The Gorillaz, Dengue Fever, Jonny, Panda Bear, & Explosions In the Sky. New Okkervil River album comes in May, and later in the year there will be new albums by Patrick Wolf, Battles, Fleet Foxes, Wild Flag, A Place To Bury Strangers, Mars Volta, M83, The Shins, & Jens Lekman!

If you love Amoeba, you no doubt know what Record Store Day is at this point. But did you know that RSD comes with its own ambassador of vinyl goodness? Yes, it's true, and this year's highly regarded representative is none other than the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne!

This year's RSD falls on Saturday, April 16th and on that day you'll be able to pick up a huge range of special to RSD limited releases from zillions of artists, but from Ozzy you'll find a special 7" of "Flying High Again," plus 30th Anniversary vinyl editions of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman.

Stay tuned for many more RSD details as the date gets closer! To check out past RSD madness at all three Amoebas, click here.