After a 20-year absence, the Record Token returns to British record shops today. To commemorate its remarkable comeback, the Entertainment Retailers Association is inviting music-lovers across the nation to hunt for their original, unspent tokens for a chance to win shiny new ones worth £20 each. One lucky person will be picked to win a massive £100 Record Token.
50 winners will be selected at random to each win a £20 Record Token, with one lucky vinyl-lover picked to win the grand prize. The nation will have one week from 14–20 May to uncover their old tokens. Winners of new Record Tokens can redeem them in participating independent record shops nationwide.
The revival of the Record Token, in partnership with National Book Tokens, comes as a direct result of Britain’s continuing love affair with vinyl. The format has been growing steadily for the past decade and in 2017, LP sales were worth £87 million and responsible for 14% of physical music sales.
The Record Token has been designed with flexibility in mind; it can be purchased in-store or online, can be used for vinyl, CD and cassette and will be the perfect gift for the new generation of music lovers.
ERA CEO, Kim Bayley said: “There has never been a better time to bring back record tokens and we predict they will be much coveted gifts this year for music fans of all ages. The unstoppable growth in vinyl sales and year on year increase in independent record shop openings show that the UK’s love affair with vinyl is here to stay.”
