Paul Weller at the O2 ian London during his Feb/Mar 2018 UK arena tour (Alberto Pezzali / Live4ever)
The ‘Love Record Stores’ initiative has been launched to help support independent records shops through the current lockdown.
Centred around the #loverecordstores hashtag, the initiative aims to encourage music fans to continue shopping and buying music with independent stores via their online outlets. “Independent record stores have played a key role in supporting and developing artists and their music for decades, so now it is time for music companies and the artists they represent to step up and give something back,” Jason Rackham, managing director of [PIAS], remarks.
“We must support these small businesses if they are to survive this crisis and at the same time we can still play a big part in helping them to continue to introduce their customers to new music. By speaking directly to their audiences about the importance of record stores and encouraging music fans to continue shopping with them online, artists can play a big part in helping secure the survival of this vital part of our industry.”
Paul Weller has lent his support, saying he’d be ‘lost without his favourite record shops’. “Rough Trade, Sounds of the Universe, Honest Jon’s and all the other independents,” he continues. “Let’s all keep them all going in this very strange time. Music will lift our spirits and soothe our souls.”
