North Staffordshire, UK | New North Staffordshire record shop is a hit with music lovers: A new record shop has opened in North Staffordshire—with queues out of the door on opening day. Mike Stanier, from Burslem, began collecting music on vinyl around 15 years ago and has been hosting a series of record fairs in Kidsgrove Town Hall in recent years, which have regularly attracted hundreds into the town. He opened Blue Collar Record Shop on Congleton Road, Butt Lane, on Record Store Day. The store has been two years in the making with Mike building stock up behind the scenes for the shop. Mike said: “Records have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always liked artwork on records, so to actually discover records was just life-changing for me. “For the past two years I’ve just been building stock up behind the scenes, the house was getting full and it got to the point where it was a little bit too full—so I knew it was time to take the leap and actually open a shop rather than the record fairs.”
Brooklyn, NY | SAS Italian Records in Bensonhurst set to close after 58 years: Closure follows death of founder Rita Conte. After nearly 60 years, a Bensonhurst staple is saying goodbye. SAS Italian Records, 7113 18th Ave., will be permanently closing its doors. The news was announced by Antonio Graziano, a friend of the owners, who posted it on the popular Facebook group Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn on their behalf. “We regret to announce that Italian Records, located at 7113 18th Avenue, will be closing its doors permanently,” Graziano wrote. “We are deeply grateful for the support of our customers over the years. As we prepare to close, we invite you to stop by and take advantage of our storewide closeout sale starting at 50%-80% off all items. Your visit and continued support would be sincerely appreciated.” The store opened in 1967 by Ciro and Rita Conte, who came to Bensonhurst from Ponza, Italy.
Londonderry, UK | Cool Discs Music: Traders welcome street reopening after eight months. Traders in Londonderry have welcomed the reopening of one of the city’s busiest streets after it was closed for eight months. Foyle Street closed in August 2024 to allow for a £4.2m major upgrade to the water and sewerage infrastructure. It is due to reopen to traffic later on Friday, five weeks ahead of schedule. Record store owner Lee Mason said he was delighted to see the street returning to normal after a tough time for businesses. For five months late last year, and with the work ongoing, he said his business was hidden behind huge hoardings. “The barriers from August to December were awful, we had no visibility, the shop wasn’t visible,” he told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme. “As I have said many times, we were down 50% at weekends, and probably about 40% Monday to Thursday. “I am just glad it is done and dusted.”
Denver, CO | Analog Escape: Why Young People Are Embracing Vinyl Records. In a world where everything is fast-paced and digitized, there has been a shocking revelation in the music industry, with many consumers reverting to vinyl records as their preferred way of listening to music. For a time, it seemed vinyl would never return to its original glory when ease of access became a priority and music became available to consumers with the touch of a button. However, vinyl’s popularity has skyrocketed in the last decade, with the younger generations being the main contributors to its resurgence. “It’s just a different experience than going to Spotify,” said one young woman on her way into Paradise Records in Boulder. Another added, “I like that I can get to own something physical, and it’s fun to put it on the little player and watch it spin.” With so much hyper-connectivity to the digital world, youth are turning the tables on what it means to listen to music. Vinyl records are a breath of fresh air in what many consider to be a cycle of constant overstimulation and quick dopamine fixes that the younger generation encounters on a daily basis.
Mumbai, IN | The Revival of Vinyl Records via the Youth at this Mumbai Record Store: The Revolver Club in Mahim reopened recently with a collection of vinyl records, music systems, vintage watches, all within the aroma of coffee. “Initially, we would get more middle-aged and old people to the store, however, demographics have changed over the last two years, where there is a young crowd attracted to the vinyls,” says 37-year-old Jude de Souza as we sit inside his Mahim’s vinyl listening store that plays the softer tunes of ‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish. The Revolver Club was first opened in 2016, when it just offered vinyl records. Cut to 2025, it houses a vast collection of records, including English, Bollywood and Indie, that come to the display for people to choose from if they wish to buy. Just beside the records collection, a few are open for the people to listen to as per their choice. “I want to tell people that whether they are interested in rock and roll, hip hop, or Bollywood Hindustani music, they can come here and explore,” he says.
Trax Records Is Releasing a 40th-Anniversary Compilation This Summer: Out digitally and on vinyl in June, Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection features classics by house pioneers including Frankie Knuckles & Marshall Jefferson. Trax Records is releasing a hefty compilation project next month as part of the label’s ongoing 40-year-anniversary celebrations. Out digitally and on vinyl on June 20, Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection features singles and remixes by house pioneers including Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, Ron Carroll, Frankie Bones and Joey Beltram, along with work by the label’s late founder Larry Sherman and its longtime owner/president Rachael Cain, who has long made music under the name Screamin Rachael. The project was curated by the label’s creative director Jorge Cruz, who’s been with Trax since 2009. Cruz will play as part of a release party for the project happening at Chicago’s Reckless Records on June 20. Beyond Cruz’s set focused on the history of Trax, the event will feature sets by Joe Smooth, Ron Carroll, Screamin’ Rachael and more.
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ Vinyl Score Set at Mutant: Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey’s score gets a deluxe physical release. “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” is finally here. And, as is typical, the movie has a rip-roaring score, this time composed by Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey, which TheWrap can exclusively reveal will get a vinyl release courtesy of our friends at Mutant. The release goes on sale later Friday on Mutant’s official site — so get it before it’s gone—in the blink of an eye. “We recognized the extraordinary ambition and bold risk-taking that Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie embraced to bring this spectacular film to life. With a legacy of generation-defining composers shaping the sound of the franchise over decades, the score rises to meet that history,” co-composer Godfrey said in a statement. “It’s an adrenaline-charged, emotionally resonant soundtrack—perfectly suited for a film destined to be remembered as one of the most audacious action epics of our time.”
Louie Vega to auction rare vinyl records, studio gear, more via Wax Poetics: Featuring vinyl by Masters At Work and Nuyorican Soul, a leather hat, rare rotary mixers and a white gold and diamond pendant worth $9,000. Louie Vega has announced an auction of rare vinyl, clothing and studio gear. The event will be administered through Wax Poetics later this month. The US house music legend, one-half of Masters At Work alongside Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez, already sold a significant stack of tracks, albums and kit through the platform last month. This second drop is again taken from his personal collection. Among the items, fans will find two rotary mixers: the coveted British-made Xone V6 from industry leaders Allen & Heath and a rare R1 by Japanese giant Vestax. Both have been used by Vega on world tours. Other heavyweight listings include a Pioneer SVM-1000 and DVJ-1000 digital backline. Elsewhere, hoodies, t-shirts, one of Vega’s trademark hats and around 50 pieces of original signed artwork also feature.
Red Bank, NJ | Big Vinyl Record sale! The Red Bank Record Riot! Outdoors on Mechanic Street, Sunday September 14th: Attention Monmouth County VINYL fans! Come shop OUTDOORS—over 40 tables of LPs, CDs, 45s in the cool surroundings of downtown Red Bank! Dealers from all over NY/NJ area will convene on Mechanic Street for a vinyl record show. Find that special LP that you’ve been looking for. All types of music: punk, funk, country, classical, blues rock, hip hop and more. FREE ADMISSION! Great family fun! Meet you in the budget bins!
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