Music Stores
A list of the coolest music shops around.
101 Music
North Beach - San Francisco, CA United StatesFor those who savor the hunt as much as the feast, 101 Music is the perfect music store. Nearly every square nanometer of the shop's two locations are replete with vinyl records spanning multiple genres. It's up to you to separate the...
101 Music
North Beach - San Francisco, CA United StatesFor those who savor the hunt as much as the feast, 101 Music is the perfect music store. Nearly every square nanometer of the shop's two locations are replete with vinyl records spanning multiple genres. It's up to you to separate the trash from the treasure, but if you do strike gold...
Abodeon
Porter Square - Cambridge, MA United StatesEmphasizing the marvelous in the mundane, Abodeon presents a collection of well-designed home furniture and accessories spanning continents and decades. Most items come with a short description stating what you're looking at and why...
Academy Annex
Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY United StatesNew York City rents don't really allow for those everything-under-the-sun record shops with hundred of thousands of records stacked every which way--and thank God for that. Instead there are shops like Academy Records, a more refined record...
Academy LPs
East Village - New York, NY United StatesNew York City rents don't really allow for those everything-under-the-sun record shops with hundred of thousands of records stacked every which way--and thank God for that. Instead there are shops like Academy Records, a more refined record...
Academy Records & CDs
Flatiron - New York, NY United StatesNew York City rents don't really allow for those everything-under-the-sun record shops with hundred of thousands of records stacked every which way--and thank God for that. Instead there are shops like Academy Records, a more refined record shop making up in depth what it may lack in...
AKA Music
Old City - Philadelphia, PA United StatesCall us old fashioned but 117 reviews for a disc at online music shops will not replace the recommendation of one single employee at a good independent record shop. AKA Music is one such place. The store is lined with a wide selection of CDs....
Amoeba Music
Telegraph - Berkeley, CA United StatesFor anyone who doubts for a second the ability of independent music stores to survive against the corporate megastore witness Amoeba. The huge, vibrant record store stocks thousands of new and used CDs and vinyl (including tons of imports), DVDs,...
Amoeba Music
Haight - San Francisco, CA United StatesFor anyone who doubts for a second the ability of independent music stores to survive against the corporate megastore witness Amoeba. The huge, vibrant record store stocks thousands of new and used CDs and vinyl (including tons of imports), DVDs,...
Amoeba Music
Hollywood - Los Angeles, CA United StatesFor anyone who doubts for a second the ability of independent music stores to survive against the corporate megastore witness Amoeba. The huge, vibrant record store stocks thousands of new and used CDs and vinyl (including tons of imports), DVDs, posters and more, and they do it all without...
Aquarius Records
The Mission - San Francisco, CA United StatesTired of music stores where the staff's knowledge does not run much deeper than Justin + Britney 4EVER? Try Aquarius Records. The feisty music store, specializing in indie rock, metal, punk and electronica, is like a music education in and...
Base
South Beach - Miami Beach, FL United StatesReader Suggested: The store carries lines by Vivienne Westwood Anglomania and other cult labels. They also carry accessory lines by Martin Margiela and other less known labels (Erika Pena, Louis Moralis, King Baby) I find their taste quite stunning. The best part of their store is their taste in music. I find...
Base
South Beach - Miami Beach, FL United StatesReader Suggested: The store carries lines by Vivienne Westwood Anglomania and other cult labels. They also carry accessory lines by Martin Margiela and other less known labels (Erika Pena, Louis Moralis, King Baby) I find their taste quite stunning. The best part of their store is their taste in music. I find...
Bop Street Records
Ballard - Seattle, WA United StatesBop Street Records sort of sneaks up on you--walking the tree-lined streets of a neighborhood known for furniture and clothing stores, you see a relatively non-descript warehouse. Peer inside the cavernous space and behold thousands and thousands...
Bud's Jazz Records
Pioneer Square - Seattle, WA United StatesImagine if you had a friend named Bud and he had a massive record collection. This is what Bud's house would look like. The fact that they're a retail store seems beside the point at Bud's Jazz Records--think labor of love. The...
Criminal Records
Queen Street West - Toronto, ON United StatesReader Suggested: Criminal Records is probably the most unique music store in Canada. Not only do we stock thousands of new CDs & LPs at exceptionally low prices, we specialize in band merch. and swag. We are exclusive on the merch. side with tons of record labels such as Sub Pop, Arts & Crafts, Asthmatic...
Earwax
Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY United StatesEarwax is a wake-up song for the record shops that can't manage to recognize that indie rock has been around in one form or another for several score years. Sure they carry the latest underground/local indie buzz bands and the mainstream...
Etherea
East Village - New York, NY United StatesIn Etherea music is mostly independent, electronic and often both. The smallish record shop keeps its allegiances clear with its deep, focused selection. New and used CDs along with some vinyl read like a who's who of indie and electronic...
Good Records
East Village - New York, NY United StatesGood Records pretty well sums its up. There seem two be to approaches to vinyl shops: the records, records everywhere approach that requires patient digging or the filtered, hand-picked approach. Good Records stocks sought after, well taken care...
Holy Cow Records
Pike Place Market - Seattle, WA United StatesReader Suggested: A small, independent vinyl record store in the heart of the Pike Place Market, Seattle. One the the best selections of quality LPs and 45s in the city and reasonably priced. Friendly and knowledgeable service. Also stocks CDs and Video/DVDs. Something for everyone.