New Funk, Soul, RnB & Disco Releases

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New Funk and Soul Vinyl Releases: Fresh Grooves, Labels and Reissues

What you'll find among new funk, soul and R&B records

New funk releases on this page fall into two camps. First, brand-new albums from artists who record with a deliberately vintage sound, such as Nu Genea with their Neapolitan disco-funk or Thee Sinseers with their sweet soul. Second, reissues from a deep back catalog: The Isley Brothers, Funkadelic, Ann Peebles, Betty Harris and Fatback keep coming back on fresh pressings. Funk, soul and disco grew up on the format, from jukebox 45s to extended 12-inch disco singles, so funk soul vinyl is still the way many fans want to hear it.

How to keep up with new soul and funk vinyl

New albums come out worldwide on Fridays, so that is when fresh soul and funk records show up at stores. On top of new music, labels schedule anniversary reissues months ahead, and Record Store Day brings limited exclusives that sell through quickly. The easiest way to stay on top of it is to follow labels as closely as artists: the retro-soul imprints release a handful of records a year, and nearly all of them on vinyl.

Daptone Records, home of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Big Crown Records and Colemine Records for modern retro soul
Stones Throw for more adventurous funk and soul
Numero Group, Soul Jazz Records and Mr Bongo for reissues and rarities
Craft Recordings for the Stax catalog

Comparing prices on new funk albums

A single new release often comes in several versions: standard black vinyl, a color variant, a store or label-webshop exclusive, or a double LP with bonus tracks. Prices differ between stores and between versions, sometimes by a lot. This page lets you compare offers from several partner stores for the same record before you click through to buy. Check the barcode, since two identical-looking covers can be two different editions.

For a reissued classic, look at who remastered it and from what source; serious reissue labels spell that out. A deluxe double LP with bonus tracks is not automatically the better deal, so compare what is actually on the records before paying extra for the bigger edition.

Pre-order now or wait for release day?

Limited color variants can sell out before release day, so if you want one specific edition, pre-ordering is the safer bet. For standard black vinyl there is less urgency: labels often repress titles that sell well, and prices can shift after release. Disco 12-inch singles and 45s, pressed in small runs, are the ones most likely to disappear.

Frequently asked questions

What day do new funk and soul records come out?

Friday, the global release day for music since 2015. Vinyl can reach some stores a little later than CD or streaming, because pressing and shipping schedules are different. Reissues follow the same Friday calendar, and Record Store Day exclusives land on the event day itself.

Does every new R&B album get a vinyl release?

No, but many do. Most retro-soul labels release everything on LP, often with 45s as well. Big mainstream R&B albums sometimes reach vinyl weeks or months after the digital release, and a few never do. If an album is missing here, it may simply not have a vinyl edition available at partner stores yet.

What is a disco 12-inch single?

It is a 12-inch record cut at 45 rpm, usually holding an extended version of one song. It appeared in disco clubs in the mid-1970s, and the wider grooves give more volume and bass than an album track. Reissued disco and boogie 12-inches are still popular with DJs and collectors.

Is a funk reissue as good as an original pressing?

A well-made reissue can sound excellent and costs far less than a clean original. Quality depends on the source used and the care the label puts in. Original pressings keep their collector value, but on the used market you need to check the condition of both the record and the jacket.