But for a keen fan, nothing will match the experience of browsing the shelves of a favourite music shop and choosing a new CD or a record to add to the collection.

To mark Record Store Day on Saturday, many artists issued special releases that can only be bought in independent shops.

Vinyl singles from Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead and Bob Dylan have been pressed to mark the occasion, and many shops in the UK and the US are hosting concerts or special events.

Many musicians have sent messages of support to the shops. "There's nothing as glamorous to me as a record store," said Paul McCartney.

"When I recently played Amoeba in LA, I realised what fantastic memories such a collection of music brings back when you see it all in one place. I hope that these kinds of stores will be there for us all for many years to come."