QUICK TAKES - April 18, 2009

Despite the success of online retailers, the explosion of Internet downloads and the high-profile closings of Virgin Megastores and Tower Records stores, bricks-and-mortar record stores aren’t all spinning toward oblivion.

Although hundreds of independent music retailers have gone out of business in recent years, about 2,000 are still around, and many are thriving.

The survivors will celebrate today, as acts such as Erykah Badu and Franz Ferdinand gather to pay homage to the hometown record store. Now in its second year, Record Store Day is being celebrated at more than 1,000 independent record stores in the U.S. -- including Amoeba Music in Hollywood, Fingerprints in Long Beach, Pepperland Music in Orange and Atomic Records in Burbank.

Artists such as Disturbed and Ani DiFranco are paying tribute with in-store appearances. Others such as Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, the Smiths, Modest Mouse and the Decemberists are offering special-edition vinyl releases.

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Associated Press