Bruno Mars Named 2026 Record Store Day Ambassador, Unveils Collab LP
Bruno Mars Named 2026 Record Store Day Ambassador, Unveils Collab LP
Bruno Mars is the 2026 Record Store Day ambassador, releasing The Collaborations and hosting listening parties ahead of The Romantic and a world tour.
Bruno Mars is stepping into 2026 as the official Record Store Day ambassador, a role that fits his longtime love for vinyl and independent shops. The year already promises a full slate: a new album, The Romantic, his first in about a decade, and a global tour on the horizon. Mars even filmed a message at Las Vegas's Moondog Records to explain why physical records matter in a digital age.
As part of Record Store Day on April 18, Mars will release The Collaborations, a compilation LP spotlighting his standout joint efforts. The tracklist includes star-powered pairings like Uptown Funk with Mark Ronson, Die With A Smile with Lady Gaga, and Apt. with Rosé, giving fans a fresh reason to hunt down vinyl on the big day.
Leading up to the release, Mars is teaming with more than 200 independent record stores nationwide to host listening parties on February 25. The full album drops February 27, with participating shops listing events on recordstoreday.com. Co-founder Michael Kurtz says the partnership captures the community spirit that makes record stores special.
Mars' ambassadorial role comes alongside a busy 2026 schedule for the star, who promises a huge year ahead with The Romantic and a global tour. The partnership underscores the tactile joy of music and the enduring appeal of digging through crates and listening to records in person.
Record Store Day organizers highlight Mars’s strong connection to shops nationwide and his message that immersing yourself in a physical record store offers an experience you can’t replicate on a screen.
