Organizers of Record Store Day have announced that Bruno Mars will serve as 2026 Record Store Day Ambassador, lending his star power to the annual celebration of independent record shops and vinyl culture. The event returns on Saturday, April 18, marking its 19th year since launching in 2008 to champion brick-and-mortar music stores worldwide.
Previous Record Store Day Ambassadors have included Taylor Swift, Metallica, St. Vincent, Brandi Carlile, Jack White, Paramore, Joshua Homme, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Chuck D, Dave Grohl, Run the Jewels, Pearl Jam, Fred Armisen, Amanda Shires & Jason Isbell and Post Malone.
Mars shared in a statement: “Independent record stores are so important because you get the chance to immerse and surround yourself with music and that’s why I’m so excited to be this year’s Record Store Day Ambassador. I love collecting vinyl because nothing is better than sitting on your couch putting on a record and just listening to music like that. It feels like a lost art. To actually sit down, put a record on, and consume it is a very Romantic idea. Go out and support your local independent record store on Record Store Day this year.”
To kick things off, indie record stores across the U.S. will host listening parties on February 25 for Mars’ upcoming album, “The Romantic,” ahead of its February 27 release via Atlantic Records. Fans can expect giveaways and in-store celebrations tied to the album.
Record Store Day will also feature an exclusive Mars release, “The Collaborations,” a compilation highlighting standout partnerships including “Uptown Funk” with Mark Ronson, “Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga, and the Grammy-nominated “APT.” with ROSÉ.
Following the album launch, Mars will hit the road with The Romantic Tour, his first full headlining trek in nearly a decade and his first-ever stadium tour. Produced by Live Nation, the massive 72-date run across North America, Europe, and the UK has already made history, setting records for both Live Nation and Ticketmaster with 2.1 million tickets sold worldwide in a single day.
Record Store Day co-founder Michael Kurtz said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to have Bruno Mars as our 2026 Ambassador. The world of record stores brings together so many different musical styles, so many people with different musical tastes. Bruno has done a similar thing throughout his life and career, working across different genres, with his wide range of projects and collaborators, all for the love of music and the emotions it brings up. If he ever needed a break from the studio, he’d probably make a good record store employee, with great Staff Picks and customer recommendations.”
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