3 benefits of physical media I wish more people knew about: …Maybe you know that a digital download or streaming version of a piece of content can disappear, while a physical copy is something you truly own. Perhaps you’ve even considered some of the science-backed reasons physical media can enhance your enjoyment of a piece of content.However, those are some of the more well-known advantages physical media offers over digital media. If they’re not enough to convince you that physical media’s comeback is more than just a fad, consider these points.
London, UK | HMV to close ‘commercially unsustainable’ Oxford Street store again: The music retailer said a surge in rents and the cost of renovation work will lead to the closure of the site just three years after it reopened. The music retailer HMV is to close its Oxford Street store just three years after reopening the site, blaming rent rises and a “substantial” renovation bill. It said landlords planned to nearly double the rent at the site, which with the “substantial” cost of the revamp will make the West End shop “commercially unsustainable.” The location at 363 Oxford Street is where the first HMV store opened its doors in 1921. Over the decades it has hosted performances and autograph signings from some of the biggest names in music, including Sir Paul McCartney and David Bowie.
Sacramento, CA | Sacramento record store suffers hundreds of dollars in damage after break-in: Kicksville Vinyl and Vintage on R Street in Sacramento was broken into Saturday night. The owners say nothing was stolen, but the damage to inventory was significant. Kicksville Vinyl and Vintage on R Street in Sacramento was broken into Saturday night. The owners say nothing was stolen, but the damage to inventory was significant. Surveillance footage shows the suspect inside the store around 7 p.m., throwing and smashing items before police arrived and arrested them. “That’s sort of significant being such a small business. You know, we’re a mom and pop, you know, my wife and I. So yeah, it’s a lot to deal with,” said Tim Matranga, co-owner of Kicksville Vinyl and Vintage.
Cork, IE | Stevie G: Bunker Vinyl closing is a massive loss to the Cork music community: John Dwyer’s Bunker Vinyl was an important space for music fans. Record shops remain an integral part of our music community here in Cork, and we received a big blow this week with the announcement that John Dwyer’s Bunker Vinyl is closing down. Bunker Vinyl has become a beloved part of the music scene here, and John has long been one of the most highly regarded people in Cork. The last few years have been particularly tough for Bunker, which was damaged by floods and affected by outside roadworks too, and it has taken its toll on John, who has cited health reasons as one of the factors which have contributed to his decision.
Ennis, UK | Ennis Record Store Launches Phase Two Of Campaign To Save Shop’s Future: Ennis’ only remaining record store is hoping to keep the momentum behind their effort to save the shop’s future by launching phase two of its fundraising campaign. The Record Break is raising funds for the outright purchase of the premises on Market Sreet after being informed of the owners’s intention to sell the property. The shop surpassed it’s 10% milestone after selling out of its €50 founder bricks, and now is offering creators, music labels, and local businesses the chance to purchase a brick on the Business & Heritage Wall. Founder, Sinead Nic Síoda, says she’s been blown away by the support so far.
CY | Good coffee, cold drinks and a little vinyl therapy: These Cyprus cafes and bars give your next outing a soundtrack worth putting the phone down for. Cyprus knows how to stretch a coffee into a three-hour conversation. Add a few records to the mix, and suddenly nobody’s in much of a hurry to leave. For anyone who likes their music with a little crackle and their evenings with a good soundtrack, Wiz Guide English has rounded up spots where vinyl is part of the personality. The collection brings together cafés, places to eat, rock bars, and pubs—plenty of ways to give your usual outing a different spin. There’s something satisfying about letting a record play. No frantic skipping, no notification interrupting the chorus, and no algorithm deciding that your favorite song should be followed by something wildly unrelated.
Dover, NH | New England Toy and Record Super Show-Dover: Oct 17th, 2026–Oct 18th, 2026. The two-day event will feature more than 80 tables of vintage and modern toys, vinyl records, collectibles, comics, and artwork. Children ages 10 and younger receive free general admission, making the show an accessible fall outing for collectors and families throughout New England.
Burnsville, MN | Outdoor concert will toast niche businesses’ stick-to-itiveness: Record store, brewers mark anniversaries. Brews, music and entrepreneurial spirit will be celebrated Saturday, Oct. 17, at an outdoor concert and gathering in Burnsville. Three niche Burnsville businesses—two brewpubs and the south metro’s only independent record store—will mark anniversaries and toast their stick-to-itiveness. South Metro Music is celebrating five years in business, Ineffable Brewing Co. six and Trove Brewing three. The music begins at 2 p.m. on the patio at Ineffable, 1905 County Road 42 W., on the southwest corner of 42 and County Road 5. The veteran Twin Cities shock-metal band Impaler will headline, with opening sets by Midwest Mommy and My Cousin Dallas.
Saratoga Springs, NY | Saratoga Record Riot spinning back into town: Record collectors who need-le a little crate-digging serotonin this weekend are in luck! The Saratoga Record Riot is returning to the Saratoga Springs City Center on Sunday, October 18. The event will feature vinyl records, CDs and other physical media of all kinds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sellers from across New York State and beyond will offer up titles for everyone across more than 50 tables. Attendees can expect to find all genres of music. From punk to country and metal to jazz, these options don’t even scratch the surface…
Athens, GR | The Analog Way: Vinyl Rises Again in Athens. In an era of endless streaming, vinyl is back, with young people at the helm. Stelios Eleftheriou, co-organizer of Athens’ Vinyl Market at Technopolis, talks to To Vima International Edition about the analog experience and the new generation of collectors in Greece. The 1970s and the early to mid-1980s were, by most accounts, the golden age of the vinyl record. Beyond the concert halls and radio airwaves, young people bonded over a shared love of music, by embracing vinyl as a type of ritual — sliding a disc from its sleeve, often gently wiping the surface with a soft cloth, reading the lyrics on the liner notes provided, placing the disc on the record player and finally softly dropping the needle.
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