Rough Trade 50th Anniversary Events and Releases Announced
Founded in West London in 1976, Rough Trade is a globally recognised independent music brand built on a DIY ethos. The original store was established not just as a place to buy records, but as a community space, driven by passion. Five decades on, Rough Trade remains dedicated to connecting artists and fans.
Central to the 50th Anniversary celebrations is a curated series of 50 essential albums spanning five decades, from 1976 to 2025, featuring era-defining albums by artists including Patti Smith, Aphex Twin, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Björk, The xx, Rina Sawayama, Pulp and many more. The albums will be released as Rough Trade Exclusive vinyl editions in five drops of ten titles, each representing a decade. The first drop arrives in February 2026, with subsequent releases every other month, concluding in October. Each title will be available to purchase individually, with an additional option to subscribe to Rough Trade Club: Essential, a new year-long vinyl subscription tied to the 50th anniversary celebrations.
The subscription comprises 12 exclusive vinyl releases selected from the anniversary curation, with members receiving one hand-picked album every month, pressed on Rough Trade Exclusive vinyl and featuring an exclusive insert including liner note contributions from the artists or key figures behind some of the most iconic albums of the last five decades.
While the 50th anniversary vinyl editions will also be available outside of the subscription, Rough Trade Club: Essential is limited to 500 subscribers. Membership also includes all existing Rough Trade Club benefits, such as free online shipping, in-store discounts and priority access to events, alongside exclusive anniversary merchandise not available elsewhere. The subscription is priced at £395 (€495, $595) www.roughtrade.com/about/rough-trade-50
Central to the 50th Anniversary celebrations is a curated series of 50 essential albums spanning five decades, from 1976 to 2025, featuring era-defining albums by artists including Patti Smith, Aphex Twin, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Björk, The xx, Rina Sawayama, Pulp and many more. The albums will be released as Rough Trade Exclusive vinyl editions in five drops of ten titles, each representing a decade. The first drop arrives in February 2026, with subsequent releases every other month, concluding in October. Each title will be available to purchase individually, with an additional option to subscribe to Rough Trade Club: Essential, a new year-long vinyl subscription tied to the 50th anniversary celebrations.
The subscription comprises 12 exclusive vinyl releases selected from the anniversary curation, with members receiving one hand-picked album every month, pressed on Rough Trade Exclusive vinyl and featuring an exclusive insert including liner note contributions from the artists or key figures behind some of the most iconic albums of the last five decades.
While the 50th anniversary vinyl editions will also be available outside of the subscription, Rough Trade Club: Essential is limited to 500 subscribers. Membership also includes all existing Rough Trade Club benefits, such as free online shipping, in-store discounts and priority access to events, alongside exclusive anniversary merchandise not available elsewhere. The subscription is priced at £395 (€495, $595) www.roughtrade.com/about/rough-trade-50
Alongside the vinyl releases, Rough Trade have partnered with concert promoters Bird On The Wire to host a number of special events in 2026.
The first events to be announced include a very rare live appearance from Jim O’Rourke together with Eiko Ishibashi taking place at Union Chapel on April 13th.
Tickets on sale Friday 16th January at 10am: https://birdonthewire.gigantic.com/eiko-ishibashi-jim-o-rourke-tickets/london-union-chapel/2026-04-13-19-00
25 years after their seminal album ‘Any Other City’, Glaswegian art-rock band Life Without Buildings play an exclusive reformation show at KOKO on November 19th.
Tickets on sale Friday 16th January at 10am: https://birdonthewire.gigantic.com/life-without-buildings-tickets/london-koko/2026-11-20-18-30
Further celebratory events will be unveiled throughout the year.
The first events to be announced include a very rare live appearance from Jim O’Rourke together with Eiko Ishibashi taking place at Union Chapel on April 13th.
Tickets on sale Friday 16th January at 10am: https://birdonthewire.gigantic.com/eiko-ishibashi-jim-o-rourke-tickets/london-union-chapel/2026-04-13-19-00
25 years after their seminal album ‘Any Other City’, Glaswegian art-rock band Life Without Buildings play an exclusive reformation show at KOKO on November 19th.
Tickets on sale Friday 16th January at 10am: https://birdonthewire.gigantic.com/life-without-buildings-tickets/london-koko/2026-11-20-18-30
Further celebratory events will be unveiled throughout the year.
The anniversary follows a period of significant activity for Rough Trade. In 2025, the company launched its first global Album of the Year list and continued to expand its international footprint, operating seven stores across the UK, one in Berlin and two in New York, including a second, new location at Rockefeller Center alongside its existing Sixth Avenue store. The previous year, two new UK stores also opened during the year, in Liverpool and on London’s Denmark Street.
Across its venues and event spaces, Rough Trade hosted more than 1,500 live events worldwide in the past year, ranging from in-store performances to large-scale album launches and tours. Vinyl sales increased by over 20% year-on-year.
In December 2025, Rough Trade published its Top 30 Albums of the Year list, highlighting independent and genre-driven artists from the UK, US and Europe. The list featured artists including Viagra Boys, Pulp, Black Country, New Road, Lambrini Girls, Turnstile, Samia, Bon Iver, Hayley Williams, Jehnny Beth, Smerz, Brutalismus 3000 and Buntspecht. Selected artists collaborated with Rough Trade on exclusive vinyl releases and special editions available through Rough Trade stores.
Across its venues and event spaces, Rough Trade hosted more than 1,500 live events worldwide in the past year, ranging from in-store performances to large-scale album launches and tours. Vinyl sales increased by over 20% year-on-year.
In December 2025, Rough Trade published its Top 30 Albums of the Year list, highlighting independent and genre-driven artists from the UK, US and Europe. The list featured artists including Viagra Boys, Pulp, Black Country, New Road, Lambrini Girls, Turnstile, Samia, Bon Iver, Hayley Williams, Jehnny Beth, Smerz, Brutalismus 3000 and Buntspecht. Selected artists collaborated with Rough Trade on exclusive vinyl releases and special editions available through Rough Trade stores.
