Good Music Can Improve Market Performance: Here Are Top Record Store Day Picks With Albums To Soothe Your Soul

Saturday, April 23, is the annual Record Store Day when hard-core vinyl aficionados and music fans who just want something different to listen to will converge around the world on their local independent record stores to flip through albums or CDs, listen to music (many stores have live performances) and discuss — though mostly disagree — about different merits of albums and if Taylor Swift is worthy as the first Global Record Store Day Ambassador (Psst: She is and is dropping an as-yet-unannounced title for the event.)

The music lovers’ celebration was founded in 2007 by a group of independent record store owners and employees who wanted to share their enthusiasm and celebrate the unique record store community. (And though some may cringe, the book and movie “High Fidelity,” do a great job of illustrating it.)

The first official day was April 19, 2008, and it has continued since then around that date in April, though during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 the dates altered a bit.

Something established as a tradition early on was the Record Store Day Official Release List, put together mostly by organizers and includes special vinyl and CD releases, as well as promotional products, made especially for the day.

The 2022 list has 344 choices. They run the gamut from punk to pop, but for this, the focus is on music that puts you in a good mood.

Why? Well, with the stock and crypto markets like they are now — and if you are holding Netflix Inc NFLX stock — we all need a little cheering up.

According to a study shared by Harvard Business Review, data gathered by London Business School's Alex Edmans and two coauthors showed the average positivity of songs "people in 40 nations listened to on Spotify" correlated to how well that country's stock market did over the same time. "They wanted to see if there was a correlation between mood, as reflected by the music played, and financial returns. There was. The conclusion: When people listen to happy songs, the market outperforms."

See Also: What's My Age Again? CD Sales Grow For First Time Since 2004

For the article, Benzinga turned to two vinyl-picking pros: Doug Granger, a former Tower Records employee (or self-described 12-year “Tower grunt”) and DJ Soul Sister, a dedicated record collector who spins some of the most popular shows in New Orleans and beyond, as well as hosting a show on the radio station, WWOZ.

Note these are albums on the list, not a particular song on the ones that have more than one.

DJ Soul Sister’s Picks

• Virgo Vibes - Roy Ayers
• Here Comes... Fats Domino - Fats Domino
• Live At Studio 104 Maison de la Radio, (ORTF), Paris 1973 - Freddie Hubbard
• ABC - The Jackson 5
• Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places - Kid Creole and the Coconuts
• The Hustle - Van Mccoy
• In the Basement - The Pharoahs
• Super Freak - Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers
• Breakin': Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists
• The Best Of Chi-Sound Records 1976-1983 - Various Artists
• Latin Legends Live (Tierra, El Chicano, Malo) - Various Artists
• Love Is All I Bring - Various Artists
• Panama's Soul Gems - Various Artists
• Soul Power '68 - Various Artists

Doug Granger Picks

• History - America (He didn’t specify translucent blue or white vinyl.)
• In My Prime - Art Blakely & The Jazz Messengers
• Live from Vienna 1967 - Dave Brubeck Trio
• Ahora Me Da Pena - Buena Vista Social Club
• #1s - Mariah Carey
• The Heaven on Earth Tour - Belinda Carlisle
• Live Seeds - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
• Genius Loves Company – Ray Charles
• Chicago at Carnegie Hall, April 9, 1971 (Live) - Chicago
• Follow My Mind - Jimmy Cliff
• L.A. Woman – The Doors
• Ne:EP – Erasure
• Hey Doll Baby – Everly Brothers
• Night and Day (40th Anniversary) - Everything But The Girl
• Here Comes... Fats Domino – Fats Domino
• Ragged But Right - Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band (This will be released June 18.)
• Live at the Rainbow 1977 – Freddie Hubbard
• Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places - Kid Creole and the Coconuts
• Darlene Love: The Many Sides of Love – The Complete Reprise Recordings Plus! – Darlene Love
• Bright Side – The Lumineers
• Who’s That Girl (Super Club Mix) - Madonna
• Modern Lovers 88 (35th Anniversary) – Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers
• We Insist – Max Roach
• The Bluegrass Sound – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys
• Donna Summer – 40th Anniversary Pictures Disc
• Soul Power ’68 - Various Artists
• Complete Captured Live – Peter Toth
• A Celebration (40th Anniversary) – U2
• Live at the Rainbow (45th Anniversary) - Ultravox

Photo by Jamakassi on Unsplash