RSD Black Friday 2025 Staff Picks
- Alex Needham
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Record Store Day Black Friday is nearly here, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this year’s exclusive releases. From 8am on Friday 28th November, you’ll be able to get your hands on these limited and exclusive titles at Townsend Records, with online availability following shortly after on the Townsend Store (Sat 29/11/2025 8am). To help you plan your haul, we’ve rounded up our top picks from the drop and linked each one directly, so you’re all set for when the event begins.
Sam Fender & Olivia Dean
Originally featured on Sam’s number 1 album, People Watching, Rein Me In receives a re-working with a new verse and vocals written and sung by Olivia Dean. This limited edition 7” single also includes the live version performed by Sam and Olivia at the London Stadium in front of 80,000 fans.
"Olivia added a female perspective to ‘Rein Me In’, and I think it’s all the better for it. Sharing the stage with her over these last few stadium shows has been a joy. I can’t wait for people to have it". - Sam Fender
Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was released on May 27, 1963. The record marks the beginning of Dylan's writing contemporary lyrics to traditional melodies. This is the first ever release of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan as it was originally conceived, including four tracks that were withdrawn before the album came out: 'Rocks And Gravel', 'Let Me Die in My Footsteps', 'Rambling', Gamblin Willie' and 'Talking’ John Birch Paranoid Blues'.
"It is this continuing explosion of a total individual, a young man growing free rather than absurd, that makes Bob Dylan so powerful and so personal and so important a singer. As you can hear in these performances."- Nat Hentoff
George Harrison
Living in the Material World is the fourth studio album from George Harrison, released in 1973. Living in the Material World is notable for the uncompromising lyrical content of its songs, reflecting Harrison's struggle for spiritual enlightenment against his status as a superstar, as well as for what many commentators consider to be the finest guitar and vocal performances of his career.
"All Things Must Pass might be better, but those songs [on Living in the Material World] are incredible … You can hear from the LP what his aim was; he definitely had a message he wanted to get across". - Klaus Voormann
a-ha
Celebrate 40 years of Take On Me with eight versions of the iconic track by a-ha, spanning from its 1984 single release to later interpretations. Side A includes two early versions, one instrumental from 1985, and the 40th anniversary extension version. Side B contains symphonic, acoustic, unplugged, and live recordings from 1991 to 2018. The collection highlights the song''-s evolution over morethan three decades. A global hit, Take On Me hit number one in nearly every country, reaching #2 in the UK and Ireland. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and has remained a cultural touchstone, globally cementing a-ha’s place in pop music history.
"To me it still sounds fresh on the radio. It started out being called ‘Lesson One,’ then we renamed the song ‘All’s Well That Ends Well and Moves With the Sun.’ A very catchy, short title…I have no doubt that the video made the song a hit. The song has a super catchy riff, but it is a song that you have to hear a few times. And I don’t think it would’ve been given the time of day without the enormous impact of the video." - Magne Furuholmen
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac Live 1975 captures the incredible electricity of the band’s first tour with the legendary lineup of Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham joining Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, & Christine McVie. Recorded 50 years ago at the Capitol Theatre (Passaic, NJ, 10/17/75) & Jorgensen Auditorium (University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 10/25/75), the album features the band’s recent hits ''Rhiannon'' & ''Landslide'' along with some early Fleetwood Mac favorites, including ''Hypnotized'' & ''Oh Well.'' Pressed on vinyl for the very first time!
“I’ve never felt any need to try to fit into anyone else's shoes. I just do what I do, whatever. Maybe one of the reasons Fleetwood Mac has been able to survive for so long is that they've been able to change.” - Lindsey Buckingham
Many more RSD Black Friday 2025 titles are set to be available from Townsend Music.
Releases will be available in-store at Townsend Records on Friday 28th November and will be online on Townsend Music Store at 8 AM on Saturday 29th November.