Hi everybody! Do you have April 16 marked on our calendar yet? Mark it up, because we officially announced last week that Record Store Day 2011 is Saturday, April 16!   And believe me, folks are psyched to hit up your stores!   This here email is jam-packed with things for Record Store Day and BEFORE RECORD STORE DAY so PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU READ IT ALL THROUGH CAREFULLY AND NOTE ALL THE DIFFERENT DEADLINES.

Here are a couple of things you should know about RECORD STORE DAY 2011
1. There is a revised version of the Record Store Day logo with this year’s date on it, and it lives (in three versions)http://www.recordstoreday.com/Page/984.  We ask that you download the 2011 version and place it on our website, Facebook page or wherever you are promoting Record Store Day. (Please make sure to use the 2011 date, and check to make sure you don’t have the old date on your site)

2. Speaking of Facebook, here’s a little tutorial that our publicists at Stache Media created to show you all how to maximize your Facebook relationship with Record Store Day. Check it out at: http://www.recordstoreday.com/Page/991   

3. The official deadline to turn in the PLEDGE (revisit that HERE), which places you on priority lists for allocations of Record Store Day commercial product, has passed. Later this week, we’ll send you the list of those stores whose COMPLETED, SIGNED pledges we have on file. At that time, if you don’t see your store name on there, you’ll have a slight reprieve: a few days to get it in to us. 

4. WE HAVE EXTENDED THE DEADLINE FOR SENDING IN YOUR CHECKS AND FORM TO BE PART OF THE PROMOTIONAL MAILINGS. All the info you need is below, and the new deadline is February 1.
  
RECORD STORE DAY 2011
Like last year, we’re asking that those stores who wish to receive the Record Store Day-branded tools (stickers, banners, posters, and whatever we come up with this year) as well as the added value tools that we work with the artists, labels and distribution companies EXCLUSIVELY for the stores who are registered to participate at this level, make a monetary contribution of $125 per location. This is the same amount as the last two years, so inflation has NOT hit Record Store Day! In fact, the only thing that has changed since last year is that in order to receive the promotional tools, you must also have signed and turned in The Pledge that relates to Commercial Product. (We’re sure you see the logic here—we need the promotional tools to go to those stores who have pledged to play fair and respect the spirit of Record Store Day). Registering and paying this amount per location will place you on the list to receive all the Record Store Day  PROMOTIONAL tools we create or collaborate on. And remember (and this is IMPORTANT): any indie record store can participate in Record Store Day in any way they choose. We are NOT charging you to celebrate Record Store Day or have a listing on the site. If you fit the description we have for a participating store, you’re in. We just want everyone to know that we do offer the option to receive the promotional materials and tools we create for Record Store Day, and to do that we ask that a financial contribution be made to cover the direct costs of creating, packing, shipping, promoting, organizing, gathering, etc. etc. all those items (not to mention the day-to-day running of Record Store Day itself.) NOTE: we are unable to include international locations in this mailing this year. If you are one of our global Record Store Day buddies, please contact your labels and distribution companies directly. The commitment amount we’re asking for is $125 per LOCATION (if you’re a chain, please multiply $125 by the number of locations you’ll have involved).  
We will need to receive a check and your information no later than January 15, 2011, so that we’ll have a list of stores as we begin to finalize what those tools are going to be.  (As we did last year, we’ll send you regular updates on exactly what the tools are, as they’re confirmed). We’re going to ask you for one more thing, too. In an attempt to help us keep this simple and organized, please take the following steps:                          
 
1.  Make out a check for your total amount ($125 x number of locations) to Music Monitor Network (the MMN is acting as treasurer for Record Store Day). 

2.  Print out this email and fill out the info at the bottom. (PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL INFO IS COMPLETED. WE NEED ALL THIS INFO IN ORDER TO CASH YOUR CHECK

3.   Mail the check and the printed info sheet with the info below to the following address, to arrive no later than January 15, 2011. 
Music Monitor Network (attn: Record Store Day) 4441 Six Forks Road, Suite 106-145, Raleigh, NC 27609

4.   Record Store Day will check to make sure we have your signed Pledge, and then we will cash your check and add you to the list of stores to receive the Promotional Tools. The stores on this list will get updates on the tools as they are confirmed. 
 
RECORD STORE DAY REQUIRED INFO TO FOR YOUR STORE TO BE PLACED ON PROMOTIONAL TOOLS MAILING LIST * STORE/CHAIN NAME:
* NUMBER OF LOCATIONS :
* TOTAL  AMOUNT OF CHECK ($125 x # of Locations):
*MAIN MAILING ADDRESS (this is where the Record Store Day materials will be sent):
* STORE ADDRESSES (these are the addresses that will be posted on the site for customers to use):
* MAIN CONTACT FOR RECORD STORE DAY CORRESPONDENCE: Name: Email: Phone number: 
* I WANT TOOLS IN THE FOLLOWING GENRES (check all that apply): ___ ROCK (mainstream) ___ ROCK (indie) ___ URBAN ___ JAZZ AND OTHER NON-POP GENRES 
*THIS IS IMPORTANT:  Please list here ALL email addresses that should be placed on the email list we use to communicate important information about Record Store Day to you. This is the ONLY way we  will be communicating with you, as we do not place this information on the www.recordstoreday.com site (it’s a consumer site, we don’t place internal information there). 
EMAIL ADDRESS(ES) FOR RECORD STORE DAY COMMUNICATIONS:
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PROMOTIONS
WIZ KHALIFA  
This will be very exciting for those of you who rock the Urban music. Much like the Cee-lo, Decemberists and Social Distortion promotions where you were provided with a physical version of the iTunes single to sell for $2, which contained a $2 coupon for the full length later (thus encouraging customers to visit your store twice), we have a SINGLE/COUPON promotion from WIZ KHALIFA.  The details are below, and this is one of those promotions where YOU MUST RESPOND WITH ALL THE INFORMATION BELOW BY THE DEADLINE in order to be included in this promotion.  The details of the piece, and the information we’re requesting is below:

We will provide a CD single with a bar code, which you agree to SELL to the customers, and then honor the coupon when it comes back.

WIZ KHALIFA SINGLE:  Street date 2/15  (FULL LENGTH STREET DATE TBA)
FORMAT: CD Single
UPC: 075678827334
TRACK LISTING: “Black and Yellow (Explicit Album Version)” and “Roll Up (Explicit Album Version)”
LIMITED NUMBER OF SINGLES AND WILL BE ALLOCATED TO YOU, NUMBER YOU RECEIVE DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF STORES PARTICIPATING.

If you are interested in this, please respond to carrie@recordstoreday.com NO LATER THAN MONDAY 1/24 (no extensions on this deadline). Please also make sure that all this information is in your email. We can not add you to the list without all this information.

- Store name  
- Number of stores participating  
- Store contact name, email and phone  
- Address for single to be shipped  
- How will this be promoted (facebook, twitter, website,  email, text, in-store signage... Please list them all) 

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NEW RELEASES
TALIB KWELI  Gutter Rainbows
This is not coming through Record Store Day, and please don’t contact us to purchase it, but do know that Talib Kweli’s new record is ONLY PHYSICALLY AVAILABLE in the US at indie record stores!  If you are interested in bringing in this title, which streets on 1/25, contact TYLER MCWILLIAMS at Fat Beats:718.875.8191x207 tyler@fatbeats.com

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ADDED VALUES 
On www.recordstoreday.com we regularly promote upcoming value adds that we have worked with various labels to create. The ones we promote on the site are indie exclusives, and are available to all of you either through your coalition, your chain or with your order from Alliance. Alliance gets an allotment of these to send to all Record Store Day store who order the albums they are associated with from them. Keep in mind, though, that the allotments are limited, and will go first come, first serve. On the site, we are always very careful to let people know that all stores may not choose to stock the pieces we are promoting, and that they should always check with their local store for availability. It is always your choice to stock any of the commercial or promotional pieces we promote on the site. Below are the street dates and titles we have added values for. If you are not already getting added values directly from your coalition or chain, you can contact Ken.Glaser@sorc.com to place an order.

STREET DATE 1/18  THE DECEMBERISTS  We’ll have a lithograph which is quite nice and is made up of images that were taken during the making of the record. BANNER ATTACHED TO HELP YOU PROMOTE IT.


STREET DATE 1/25 IRON & WINE  We’ll have a button pack as an added value. 

STREET DATE 2/1 BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS  We’ll have a button pack for added value. The release is LIVE FOREVER, which is the last concert Bob Marley performed.

STREET DATE 2/15  DRIVE BY TRUCKERS  We’ll have a CD EP to use as added value for the new release THE BIG TO-DO. This is a six song live EP, and it’s a really nice added value piece. 

STREET DATE 2/22 G. LOVE We’ll have a 7” single with two tracks (“Feeling Lowdown”, “Baby Honey Girl”) for the album, on which he worked with the Avett Brothers

PROMOTION START DATE 3/8  ELTON JOHN/LEON RUSSELL We’ll have a 7” single from this album, which has already been out, but there is a tour, a Grammy nomination, and a Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction (Leon’s) to celebrate.  So this added value 7” is available, and you can start it on 3/8.