Nashville, TN | ‘I’ve Embarrassed Myself’: Metro Commission Orders Owner of Demolished Historic Structure to Rebuild: The former home of The Groove record store in East Nashville was torn down without permits in February. The owner of the illegally demolished East Nashville structure, formerly home to The Groove record store, has been ordered to rebuild the structure as close to its original form as possible. The Metro Historic Zoning Commission handed down the order at a Wednesday public hearing at which commissioners unanimously agreed with the recommendation from staff. The building, built around 1921 and a contributing structure to the Lockeland Springs-East End Neighborhood Conservation Overlay, was demolished on Feb. 16 without preservation or codes permits.
London, UK | Legendary vinyl store Rough Trade celebrates its 50th birthday: Rough Trade, a vinyl store based in Brick Lane, celebrates its 50th birthday this year. The first shop in Notting Hill was opened by Geoff Travis, a former English teacher, who now co-owns the Rough Trade record label—now a separate company. Nigel House, who began working at the store while studying landscape architecture, then bought the store in 1982, along with two others who were working there at the time. House, said: “I just love the culture of music—meeting people, seeing people, seeing bands. I like the subversiveness of it.” He added: “These days it might not be as political as it used to be—but it’s still great. I love it!”
London, UK | The 10 best record shops in London, according to Ezra Collective: The must shop stops for any London-bound record collector, according to Mercury Prize winner Joe Armon-Jones of Ezra Collective. In the age of streaming and digital media, there’s something undeniably satisfying about having an album you love on vinyl. The sound is warm, the act of lowering the stylus onto the record has an aspect of ritual about it and the cover is a piece of artwork. Vinyl never quite went away, but it did go on the downlow. Many albums in the 1990s and 2000s were only produced in tiny numbers on wax as CDs reigned supreme. But then came the comeback. Whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool collector with thousands of records taking up half your house, or a casual fan who likes to take your favourites out of the digital domain and own the physical album—hunting for records is a pure unadulterated joy.
Tulsa, OK | Tulsa’s vinyl scene spins on through these record stores—and CDs are back in rotation: Starship Records & Tapes’ closure earlier this year resulted in a massive gut punch to Tulsa’s vinyl shoppers. While it was a devastating loss after five decades of serving Tulsans, the good news is there are multiple local shops carrying new and used vinyl and more music-related merchandise—and they all do buy/sell/trade. According to every store owner I spoke with, CDs have become hot items at each shop, with the slim plastic cases of discs flying off the shelves. “I’m selling a lot of CDs because younger people find them nostalgic and you can get them at a good price,” said Daniel VanDurmen, who owns Oil Capital Vinyl. He and every other shop operator are looking to buy all those CDs in your closet and vinyl—especially New Wave.
Fambase Helps Vinyl Record Collectors Build Private Communities Around Rare Music: …Inside the group, members regularly share newly discovered albums, compare pressing variations, and discuss the background of older recordings. A collector may post photos of a rare jazz pressing, while others contribute information about the label that produced it or the year it was first released. Because the group operates within a private environment, conversations tend to be more detailed and thoughtful. Members become familiar with one another over time, and discussions that might disappear quickly on larger platforms are able to continue and develop. For collectors like Miller, the experience begins to resemble the atmosphere of a neighborhood record store where enthusiasts gather to exchange knowledge about music.
Denon boasts that its first-ever Bluetooth turntable is “as stylish as it is capable”—but there’s a catch. Denon unleashes the DP-500BT Bluetooth spinner. Denon has unveiled its first-ever Bluetooth turntable, the DP-500BT, but there’s a catch: it won’t be coming to the UK or Europe any time soon. Still, for other global markets, including the US, the arrival of Denon’s first Bluetooth record player feels like a big deal. The new spinner uses a semi-automatic belt-driven design, with Denon promising a deck which blends classic looks and functionality with modern streaming smarts in a bid to appeal to “both new vinyl fans and long-time collectors.” The DP-500BT has a weighty aluminium die-cast platter and an S-shaped tonearm that is designed to reduce unwanted distortion. Denon teases a sonic signature “that feels rich, present, and detailed.”
Post punk legends Wire announce special Record Store Day release: For Record Store Day 2026, Wire will release Read & Burn 03+ via pinkflag, an expanded reissue of Read and Burn 03 which was originally released in 2007. Ahead the release, they’re releasing a new video for out the single “23 Years Too Late” comprised of archive footage and photos, meticulously compiled by director Malcolm Boyle. “23 Years Too Late” is unique in Wire’s history. The song actually started life as a highly transformed cover of the 70’s Wire single “Dot Dash”—performed under the name “Dip Flash” (included here as an extra track) as part of Iain Sinclair’s London Orbital, a night at the Barbican London on 25th October 2002, celebrating London’s M25 motorway (AKA The Orbital).
Kraftwerk announce ‘Radio-Activity’ 50th anniversary vinyl reissue: Multiple formats will be available, coinciding with a 17-date UK and Ireland tour. Kraftwerk have announced a limited-edition reissue of their landmark fifth album, ‘Radio-Activity’, to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The record is set to be released in three new formats on 15th May, including a Blu-ray audio disc featuring new Dolby Atmos, 5.1 and stereo mixes of the original long-player, alongside an exclusive anniversary booklet. A special edition 12” vinyl picture disc will also be available, containing the 2009 remastering of the album, alongside a full digital release of the Dolby Atmos mix on streaming services. Released in late 1975, Kraftwerk’s ‘Radio-Activity’ was a pioneering electronic concept record that explored themes of atomic fallout, nuclear breakdown, radioactive decay, and radio communication.
Grateful Dead’s 1974 Winterland Shows Get First Vinyl Release in 10-LP Box Set: The soundtrack to The Grateful Dead Movie will arrive on vinyl for the first time. This 10-LP box set contains 44 tracks from the band’s October 1974 Winterland performances. The soundtrack to The Grateful Dead Movie will arrive on vinyl for the first time. This 10-LP box set contains 44 tracks from the band’s October 1974 Winterland performances. Mondo and Rhino Records opened preorders on March 16. The collection was first released on CD back in 2005. The film captured five nights at the Winterland arena in San Francisco during October 1974. Co-directors Jerry Garcia and Leon Gast released it in theaters in June 1977. Those performances marked the last time the group used its Wall of Sound speaker system. The concerts also generated extra attention, since the band planned a break afterward. They wouldn’t tour again until June 1976.
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