Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires Celebrate Vinyl and Indie Retail as Record Store Day’s 2023 Ambassadors: ‘We‘re Building the Embassy as We Speak’ “Hell yeah, they did it right, picking me,” says Amanda Shires, on being named as one of Record Store Day’s 2023 Ambassadors. Unlike most of the previous stars to hold the position (like last year’s ambassador, Taylor Swift), Shires actually did time as an indie store clerk. She can also offer a heck-yes in support of her co-diplomat, Jason Isbell, a fellow singer-songwriter and her husband. Together, these heroes of Americana-style rock ‘n’ roll know very much of what they speak when it comes to celebrating brick-and-mortar shops and/or vinyl — two conjoined phenomena enjoying major resurgences as of the 2020s, after having been considered at death’s door at the Napster-happy turn of the century. “They’re the ‘First Couple’ of record stores, as far as I’m concerned,” says Record Store Day cofounder Carrie Colliton.
Hull, UK | Celebrating Hull’s lost Sydney Scarborough store with memories and pictures: The beloved music store was an ‘institution’ for people growing up in Hull. A long-lost shop in Hull was the city’s leading music store for nearly a century. Sydney Scarborough was a haven for music lovers, with hours upon hours wiled away amidst its vast offerings. Affectionately known by many as Syd’s, the shop under the City Hall in Paragon closed its doors for the final time in 2001. More than two decades on, its absence is still sorely felt by anyone who made this a regular stop on their Hull outings. Originally selling gramophones and other musical equipment, the store was a well-known established name in the north-east for being pioneers in the home entertainment industry. It once had five booths along the back wall, with five record players on a shelf behind the counter. …Eventually, it became famous for its three floors of vinyl records following a complete refurbishment. This era holds many special memories for people who made Syd’s their second home.
Branford, CT | Vinyl album sales keep rising, as CT customers seek warm authentic sounds of favorite record: Vinyl records nearly disappeared in the 1980s and ’90s when the analogue format was largely replaced by the arrival of the compact disc. But that’s all changed. According to Billboard, vinyl sales have been rising for 17 straight years. Last year, vinyl album sales outpaced CD album sales in the United States for the second year in a row. I wanted to learn more about vinyl sales here in Connecticut. So I visited one of the state’s many vinyl record stores. This one’s in Branford. It’s called Exile on Main Street. Inside a smallish, no-frills record store packed with stacks of vinyl albums, co-owner Paula Kretkiewicz tells me the store has been in Branford for 30 years. Kretkiewicz attributes the spike in vinyl sales at her store to a desire for something physical in a world that is increasingly more digital. “They want to play a record. They don’t want to just stream it,” Kretkiewicz said. “It’s different. It’s definitely more authentic-sounding. CDs sound great, but when you put a record on there’s something about, it is a little warmer. It’s a little more authentic.”
10 Record Stores Every Music Lover Should Visit: These are the ten best record stores in the world that every music lover should visit at least once. There is something so magical about taking a new record out of its case, placing it on a record player, dropping the needle, and hearing the melodic sounds escape. Sure, records are available online, but there is something truly special about stepping into a record store and discovering new music in person. Some music lovers travel far and wide for concerts, including the most iconic UK music festivals and Australia’s most famous music festivals. Some people even travel to Liverpool to see Beatles-themed attractions. Another exciting vacation idea for music enthusiasts is a record store road trip across America, traveling from Nashville to Memphis or Seattle to Portland. There are spectacular record stores worth visiting all over the world, however. Below are ten record stores every music lover should visit at least once.
Plano, TX | See what this manager is looking forward to with Plano’s new record store: Sam Wieland is the manager of Josey Records’ new Plano location. Native to North Texas, Wieland prides himself as an enthusiastic fan of the Dallas Mavericks and Rangers. He went to Columbia College Chicago where he got his degree in television writing and producing and is a passionate movie-goer. How did you develop an interest in music? I guess growing up in the iPod era, and having music be readily available in your formative years plays a significant part in forming your interests in tastes in music, not that it was an impossibility before that. I mean, I’ve got two older brothers who helped mold my taste as well, so that helped in some capacity. I don’t know a thing about theory or key changes(?) or anything like that, I’m just a dummy who likes it when guitars make a noise you’ve never heard before. And drums, drums are cool.
Invercargill, NZ | Invercargill’s New Record Store Now Open: Invercargill’s new record store ‘Threes & Sevens’ officially opened to the public today (Tuesday, 31st January) giving music lovers a new space to also meet up and mingle. Musician Jordan Cossill will be spending three days a week above The Black Shag cafe, that is also expanding upstairs and will complement the new business. New Zealand’s vinyl record industry has started to ramp up in recent years and Jordan saw a business opportunity that fits in with what he personally loves. Having grown up among record stores, as well as his brother who used to work in one, he started buying records to support bands – particularly local ones. Cassettes are also on their way back, especially in the independent music scene, “because they’re an easier collectable that people can put in their pocket as a souvenir,” he said. While Spotify and Apple Music have stolen the show in the past as it was a fast way for new musicians to get noticed, and onto playlists, the ‘physical’ medium was starting to come back again.
Seattle, WA | Matt Vaughan looks back at 35 years of Easy Street Records: Part one of a two part interview with West Seattle’s most well known business owner. Matt Vaughan has owned Easy Street Records,in the West Seattle Junction seemingly forever, since he has been part of the Seattle music industry for over four decades. Westside Seattle spoke with him recently about his career, how he’s become friends with so many music stars and how he and the store have evolved over time. For a dozen years, Easy Street had a second location in lower Queen Anne but rent increases and lease terms forced its closure. Today the store in the junction continues to thrive with its popular cafe, vast collection of vinyl and CDs and numerous in-store live performances. In the past those performances have included such luminaries as Pearl Jam. Macklemore, Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Kings of Leon, Brandi Carlile, Patti Smith, Paul Westerberg, Franz Ferdinand, Lana Del Rey, Dierks Bentley, Robyn, Jack Johnson, Jurassic 5, Wanda Jackson, Steve Earle, Regina Spektor, John Doe, Dick Dale, My Morning Jacket and many others.
Okotoks, CA | Okotoks’ record-selling teen going mobile: Jaica Tipper will continue to peddle vinyl as the proud new owner of the Beatnik Bus. Jaica Tipper is pivoting. The 18-year-old entrepreneur, who opened Tipper Records in Okotoks last spring, is closing the Fisher Crescent store at the end of January as she embarks on a new vinyl-centric venture. Tipper struck a deal late last year to buy the Beatnik Bus, a mobile record store that has been plying the streets of Calgary since 2015, and will officially hit the road with it in early February. “A few months after I opened a guy came in to sell his record collection, but his collection was like 20,000 records so I was like, ‘Do you want to sell it to me in pieces because obviously I can’t buy it all at once?’” she said. Those discussions eventually ended up taking a turn as the collector told Tipper that his daughter was no longer able to continue operating the Beatnik Bus and was looking to sell the iconic business. She’s excited to be the new owner of the 1990 bus that has had all of its seats taken out and replaced by record stands that can accommodate a whopping 7,500 albums.
