The feeling of dropping the needle and hearing the spinning of a vinyl record is more than just nostalgia for Sisters of Sound Records; it’s a heartbeat. Tucked into Aggieville, located at 1214 Moro St, record collectors are dedicated to making sure no one loses sight of the community behind the music during this year’s upcoming National Record Store Day.
Sisters of Sound Records is more than just a place to buy physical media; it’s a place to connect with other music lovers and find help within the industry.
“Everyone here loves music, loves to listen to music and loves the experience,” Sarah Cunnick, co-owner & operator of Sisters of Sound Records, said. “We love our community, and we want to share it; we want it to grow.”
The perk of physical media is that once you own it, it’s yours. You don’t need to listen to it right when you get it; it could be put away to discover later and even be passed on to friends or family. Physical media also allows true support of artists. Record Store Day captures the importance of all these ideas and celebrates independent record stores all over the world.
“While it is a celebration of the shops, I really feel that it is a celebration of the community,” Cunnick said. “We all share the same thing: the love of music, live or recorded. It’s a chance for us all to get together, talk music, share experiences and our favorite artists.”
This Record Store Day, Sisters of Sound Records has a day of festivities planned, including new and limited edition releases, with sales on just about everything.
“We’ll have free coffee and donuts at 9 a.m. while folks are still lining up,” Cunnick said. “We’ll have free tote bags, stickers and buttons while supplies last. We’ll also be giving away some tickets to Frog Wizard Festival on May 2.”
The excitement for Record Store Day is felt around campus. Andrew Ruzicka, freshman in regional and community planning, started collecting records in 2021 and has exponentially grown it since.
“I’ve always been very intentional about listening to music,” Ruzicka said. “I enjoy that physical records allow me to search through all the music I have accumulated to then choose what is right for the moment, instead of just hitting shuffle on a playlist. Many physical records include artwork and printed lyrics, enhancing the experience.”
Physical media also allows listeners to be more intentional with their music choices and removes the incentive of monthly subscriptions. Ruzicka makes an effort to purchase records he’s not familiar with to discover new music.
“It’s eye-opening to see that our favorite songs exist in ‘real life’ rather than just on a screen, or just how much music exists in the world that we have not yet been exposed to,” Ruzicka said. “I believe that’s the feeling most people experience when in a record store; they just don’t realize it. When you go and support a local business, you are more likely to see that money invested back in your community rather than going to corporate America.”
Making an effort to go once or twice a week, Ruzicka finds Sisters of Sound astounding.
“I feel that the music selection in Sisters of Sound reflects where we are in the county; it really allows you to see the music that represents Manhattan, Kansas,” he said. “Without a physical store, there is no way to gain that perspective. I plan to visit Sisters of Sound on Record Store Day.”
Sisters of Sound Records will open their store to all of Manhattan’s music lovers, bright and early Saturday, April 18 at 7 a.m.
