Robert Plant has been named the latest Record Store Legend by Record Store Day, an honour recognising the former Led Zeppelin frontman’s lifelong passion for physical records and sustained support for independent shops and emerging artists. A commemorative plaque marking the award was unveiled at Spillers Records in Cardiff — widely regarded as the world’s oldest record shop — where Plant’s ties to Wales and the store’s history were celebrated.
Record Store Day’s citation highlights Plant’s decades-long relationship with record shops, from his childhood in England through his touring years. Plant himself has spoken about the importance of physical releases, saying that “once you get to the physical record it’s because you really want to know and be a part of what the artist was considering.” The musician, who began making records in 1966, added that listeners seek a “connection between the music and the art of the whole thing.”
Plant has repeatedly been spotted crate-digging and browsing independent stores around the world. Notable public visits cited by Record Store Day include Nail City Records in West Virginia in 2025, Mills Record Company in Kansas City in 2023, Schoolkids Records in Raleigh in 2011, and regular patronage at Waterloo Records in Austin. A famous 1970 photograph shows Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page at Bleecker Bob’s in New York, symbolising his long association with record-shop culture.
Spillers Records manager Ashli Todd said the store was honoured to host the plaque, praising Plant as “a connoisseur of his craft whose appetite for musical discoveries has not waned with the passage of time.” A video documenting Plant’s visit to Spillers and the plaque installation has been released by Record Store Day organisers.
The Record Store Legend accolade is jointly awarded by Record Store Day US and UK. Elton John was the first recipient in 2017, named on the event’s 10th anniversary, and Johnny Marr received the honour in 2025. The announcement comes as Record Store Day prepares for its 19th annual celebration on Saturday, April 18, 2026, when thousands of independent shops worldwide will mark the day with in-store performances, parties and hundreds of limited-edition releases.
Plant will mark Record Store Day 2026 with an exclusive EP, Saving Grace: All That Glitters, released on Nonesuch Records. The four-track record features material drawn from the folk and Americana tradition that has animated Plant’s recent work with the Saving Grace band and singer Suzi Dian. Tracks include the traditional tunes “The Blackest Crow” and “Two Coats,” both arranged by Robert Plant and Saving Grace, alongside Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl” and Bert Jansch’s “Poison.”
The award and the Record Store Day release underscore Plant’s pivot in recent years toward roots, folk and Americana reverence, while reaffirming his role as an advocate for independent record shops as cultural hubs. As vinyl and physical releases retain a devoted following, Record Store Day’s recognition positions Plant among a small group of artists celebrated not only for their recorded output but also for their visible, ongoing engagement with the community of record stores that helped shape modern music culture.