RSD Black Friday 2026 in Los Angeles: The Survival Guide Nobody Asked For (But Everyone Needs)
Every year, the day after Thanksgiving, millions of Americans wake up early to fight over a discounted air fryer. And every year, a smaller, better-dressed group of people wakes up early to stand in line for a Grateful Dead box set. This guide is for the second group.
Record Store Day Black Friday 2026 lands on Friday, November 27, and both Nivessa stores are participating: Nivessa Hollywood and Nivessa Pico. Doors open at 8:00 AM. There will be free donuts. There will be people in pajama pants holding coffee like it owes them money. It is, frankly, the best morning of the holiday season.
What is RSD Black Friday, exactly?
Record Store Day is the twice-a-year celebration of independent record stores. The big one happens in spring. The Black Friday edition is the cozier, giftier sequel: a list of exclusive and limited releases that only go to indie shops, all hitting the bins on the same morning. No online preorders, no holds, no shortcuts. You show up, you dig, you leave happy (and slightly poorer).
This year's list is a genuinely unhinged mix. Prince live in Las Vegas on three LPs. Masayoshi Takanaka's city-pop classics. Carly Rae Jepsen. Noah Kahan. A KATSEYE dance-break record. Ween. Motley Crue. A Charlie Brown Christmas advent calendar edition. An Iron Maiden Eddie toy, because why not. If your family is impossible to shop for, this list was built for you.
The 8 AM game plan
1. Tell us what you want before the day
This is the single most useful thing you can do, and it takes about a minute. We place our RSD order based on what customers ask for, so if you want something, tell us. Head to our RSD Black Friday page, tap the titles you want, pick Hollywood or Pico, and send it. We will always order what you ask for, and we do our best to have it in the bins that morning. (RSD rules mean we cannot hold or reserve copies, but asking is how they end up in the store in the first place.)
2. Pick your store and commit
Hollywood and Pico both get RSD titles, but each store's stock is based on what that store's customers request. Choose one, request your titles for that store, and show up there. Store-hopping on RSD morning is how people end up crying in a parking lot on La Brea.
3. Make a ranked list
Not a vibe. A list. Number one is the record you would trade a sibling for. Number five is the one you will grab if it is still there. Go to your top pick first. Browse after.
4. Arrive early, but be cool about it
The line is part of the fun. People trade recommendations, argue about pressings, and discover that the stranger next to them also owns every Ween bootleg. Bring a coffee. We bring the donuts.
5. Budget like a responsible adult (then add twenty dollars)
RSD releases are special pressings, so prices vary. Decide your number before you walk in. Then accept that you will find one extra record you did not plan for. That is not a failure. That is Record Store Day working as intended.
The Thanksgiving leftovers strategy
Here is a move we fully endorse: make a turkey sandwich Thursday night, wrap it, and eat it in line Friday morning. You will be the envy of everyone around you. Or do not, and just eat donuts. We are not your mom.
Where and when
- Date: Friday, November 27, 2026 (Record Store Day Black Friday)
- Doors: 8:00 AM at both stores
- Nivessa Hollywood: 6434 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles
- Nivessa Pico: 5770 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
- Free donuts for the line, as usual
Quick FAQ
Can I preorder RSD titles? No. Record Store Day releases are in-store only on the day. What you can do is tell us what to order so it is actually in the store.
Which store should I go to? Whichever one you requested your titles for. Both are participating.
Is it worth getting up that early the day after Thanksgiving? You are going to be awake at 6 AM anyway because your uncle is loading the dishwasher loudly. Might as well get a record out of it.
Tell us what to order for RSD Black Friday. Pick your titles and your store (Hollywood or Pico) and we will order what you ask for.
See you in line on November 27.
