Ear wax: Miami shops celebrate Record Store Day

Girl, put your records on and tell me your favorite song — Saturday is Record Store Day.

Why it matters: The annual celebration of independent record stores featuring local events and exclusive artist releases puts a spotlight on the recent surge in popularity for analog music.

• Vinyl record sales topped $1.2 billion last year, up 17% year-over-year and outpacing CD sales for the first time since 1987.

What's happening: Miami's most popular record stores are celebrating with free drinks, food vendors, $1 vinyl deals and exclusive RSD goodies, including:

• Sweat Records has live DJ sets, sushi, frozen coffee and drinks from 9am-7pm, plus an after-party at Understory from 7pm-midnight with a DJ set from Com Truise. (Doors open at 9am, but line up before 8am and you can call to reserve a record to buy.)
• Technique Records celebrates its 5-year anniversary with complimentary drinks and French sandwiches for sale from 10am-8pm. (Book an early access appointment online)
• Lucky Records opens at noon with live DJs on the patio.

Be smart: We asked Sweat Records owner Lolo Reskin what Miami artists sound best on vinyl and she gave us some sweet picks.

• "Danger High Voltage" by Miami's "queen of soul" Betty Wright, who Reskin tells us was a friend of the shop.

• "Miami Soul: Soul Gems From Henry Stone Records," by various artists from the "soul, funk and r&b heyday" in the '60s and '70s, including Wright, Latimore and George McRae.
• More current artists featured at the shop include Afrobeta, Richie Hell and Seafoam Walls.
• The shop also has a local section online and in-store.

💭 Martin's thought bubble: Collecting records can be an expensive hobby, but it makes me feel more connected to my favorite artists.

• I can touch and feel their albums, display them in my home and — especially for independent artists — contribute to their livelihoods and future music far more than through streaming.