National Vinyl Record Day: The 12 essential albums in my collection I listen to all the time

A selection of vinyl records and a turntable — (Image credit: Parlophone, XL, Dead Oceans / Edited by Gemini)

Today is National Vinyl Record Player Day so, if you have a turntable it's time to dig out a few of your favorite records and give them a spin!

But perhaps you're looking for a few tips on how to fill out your shelves or even a place to start your collection? Music is so subjective and it's impossible to create a truly definitive list. For that reason I've broken my suggestions down into four sections.

First off I've picked out three must-buy all-timers, from legendary artists – think legends like David Bowie and Miles Davis. Then I've thrown in a few underrated classics (the Broadcast album is one of my favorite records ever) followed by some modern masterpieces, and rounding out with three of the year's best releases so far. All 12 of these films are well-worth your time and finding a copy on vinyl.

All-timers

Underrated classics

Modern classics

The best of 2026 (so far)

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Will Salmon is Tom's Guide's Collections Editor, curating advice on the best products to spend your money on. Will has been writing about tech and entertainment for almost 20 years, including stints as GamesRadar+'s Streaming Editor, editing comics website Newsarama, and writing for lots and lots of magazines. You can read his work in SFX magazine, GamesRadar+, and right here on Tom's Guide.