Category Archives: A morning mix of news for the vinyl inclined

Kolkata, IN | Hindustan Record (Inreco) Leads the Way as the Best Destination for Buying Vinyl Records in India: In the age of digital music streaming, vinyl records have experienced a remarkable resurgence, capturing the hearts of audiophiles and music enthusiasts worldwide. In recent years, vinyl records have made a glorious comeback in India, mirroring a global trend. Music enthusiasts in the country have rediscovered the joy of owning vinyl, appreciating the analog warmth and distinct sound quality that vinyl offers. This revival has not only reignited interest in classic vinyl but has also led to contemporary artists releasing their latest works on this cherished format. Hindustan Record, or Inreco, boasts a musical legacy dating back to 1933. For nearly nine decades, Inreco has played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting Indian music culture. Today, Inreco stands as the torchbearer of the vinyl revival in India, offering an extensive and diverse collection of vinyl records that caters to every musical taste.

Eau Claire, WI | Take a Wax at It: New Record Store Opens in Downtown Eau Claire: Abraxas Wax aims to be a spot for people to listen to new music and relax. Filled to the brim with vivid colors and funky patterns, Abraxas Wax is much more than the average vintage record store. Owner Seth Larson wants the space to be a unique hub for the community, somewhere people can not only jam out to new musical finds but also enjoy a cup of coffee and play a video game or two. The new store, which officially opened Sept. 30, is at 320 Graham Ave., Eau Claire. Folks can peruse the extent of Larson’s wide record collection – approximately 8,000 records! – and other so-called “vintage” forms of media such as cassettes, CDs, VHS tapes, and books. Larson has been collecting records since high school, gathering what he calls an “eclectic range” of music. He has often traveled across the Midwest to treasure hunt for records and build his impressive collection. Recently, Larson has been interested in finding music from various global genres.

Colorado Springs, CO | Independent Records closes after 45 years in Colorado Springs—though a rebirth might be possible: Independent Records, whose eclectic mix of music, videos, smoking accessories, gifts, clothing and posters made it a Colorado Springs favorite for generations of customers, closed its doors last week after 45 years — though a revival of the business remains possible. The retailer’s last day was Saturday, said Lewis Lambert, who, along with his brother, Orville, came to Colorado from California in 1978 and started Independent Records. The brothers had owned record stores in California and other states. Orville, who had taken over as sole owner of Independent Records the past few years, died Aug. 24 after a short illness, according to an obituary notice. He was 78. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Shrine of Remembrance, 1730 E. Fountain Blvd. in Colorado Springs. The closure of Independent Records, at 195 N. Academy Blvd., potentially marks the end of what had been one of the last remaining locally owned record stores in the Colorado Springs area.

Medford, MA | Light of Day Records shifts its stock to Deep Cuts in Medford: A new era is dawning for Light of Day Records. The record and accessory shop has moved its stock from Bone Up Brewing in Everett to the interior of Deep Cuts, a Medford music venue and sandwich shop that opened earlier this year. The store announced the news on social media yesterday (October 1), sharing that the staff was “psyched, amped and positively stoked” about their new home in Medford Square. According to the post, guests will be able to browse Light of Day Records’ selection of new and used vinyl during Deep Cuts’ dining and show hours. Exclusive records released via the shop’s eponymous label, such as titles from Boston artists Rah Zen and Field Day, will also be for sale. The announcement marks the second time the shop has relocated this year, following a shift from Monumental Market in Jamaica Plain to Bone Up Brewing in January.

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Record Store Day announces 2023 Black Friday releases: The annual record store event takes place November 24th. The List of Record Store Day (RSD) Black Friday 2023 exclusive releases has been unveiled. Limited edition releases will include selections from The Beach Boys, Jeff Beck, Dierks Bentley, Buckcherry, Kiss’ Eric Carr, Cypress Hill, The Doors, Dr. Dre, Grateful Dead, INXS, Jonas Brothers, Kix, Limp Bizkit, Post Malone, Joni Mitchell, Willie Nelson, Prince, Skid Row, Lil Wayne, Rob Zombie and many others. These will be available on November 24th at participating indie music retailers. Capitol Records will celebrate The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album on green vinyl with an RSD First release limited to 7,000 copies. The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album was originally released in 1964 and features seven holiday classics and five original tracks, including the singles “Little Saint Nick” and “The Man With All The Toys.”

Portland, OR | Community rallies to clean up Portland’s beloved Mississippi Records music store after suspected arson: A group of community volunteers rallied to help Mississippi Records, an institution in Portland’s indie music scene, clean up on Saturday after the store’s owner says someone tried to burn down the store earlier this week. In a social media post, Mississippi Records co-founder Eric Isaacson, said no one was hurt when someone threw a Molotov cocktail into the business on North Albina Avenue. Isaacson said that a lot of records in the shop were damaged or covered in ash and chemical fire retardant, so he put out a plea for the community to come help clean up. Portlanders showed up to lend a hand. Throughout the morning, the shop had more than 100 people volunteer their time to clean up the mess. They had completed a bulk of the work by the early afternoon, and shoppers were back to digging through the racks.

Beckley, WV | Laying down tracks “Uptown.” When Clint Blunt moved back to Beckley after living in South Carolina for 30 years, he wanted to do something different. Recognizing that the vibrant downtown of his childhood days had dramatically changed, he wanted to see fun places to go besides bars. It wasn’t until Cheap Thrills Records closed that he began to think about potentially filling that void. The Coal City native began looking at vinyl records after receiving a record player and Patsy Kline album for Christmas about three years ago. This started his infatuation with flipping record bins at stores dotted across the southern part of the state. But, if he was going to have a store, he would need more than a personal collection. “So, I went on the search to find a collection of records,” shares Blunt. “I thought that I was going to have to put it together, you know, one estate sale at a time.” As luck would have it, he found an entire collection for sale in Virginia.

Edinburgh, UK | Edinburgh record shop Umbrella Vinyl releases limited edition vinyl with proceeds helping refugees: Umbrella Vinyl in Tollcross launched their independent record label last year. Edinburgh record shop, Umbrella Vinyl, has partnered with music charity The Glasgow Barons to support refugees living in Scotland. The Tollcross shop, which opened in August this year, began life when founders Nick Langford and husband and wife duo, Josh and Laura Thompson, launched a record label in September last year, with their debut record being a rerecording by lesser known 1960s jazz group, Brotherhood of Breath. After producing their limited edition jazz record the Edinburgh business then decided to support the wider music community by donating ten per cent of proceeds of their record to charity. The Umbrella Vinyl team, who champion music from all over the world including jazz, blues, reggae and classical hope their new record will be the first of many on their new label.

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Baton Rouge, LA | The best stores in Baton Rouge to shop for vinyl records: Finding the best stores to shop for vinyl records can be difficult, especially if you’d rather shop in-store than surf on eBay. My personal favorite record store here in Baton Rouge is Capital City Records on Perkins Road. This store’s record collection ranges from the newest pop hits to bootleg and unreleased albums from iconic artists.From Mozambique to Baton Rouge: Prince Chone is keeping jazz alive in LouisianaThe records are organized based on genre and alphabetical order, with the more collectible vinyl hanging upon the walls. The best part of Capital City Records’ vinyl selection is the chance to find rarities, such as first pressings of classic rock vinyl. Another store, Pop Shop Records on Acadian Thruway, could be easily missed upon driving past the building. However, what looks to be a church-like building is actually a quaint record store.

Burbank, CA | Burbank Chamber of Commerce Celebrates the First Anniversary of Run Out Groove Records: On Friday, August 25, 2023, Magnolia Park in Burbank buzzed with energy and the aroma of diverse cuisines as the Burbank Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the first anniversary of Run Out Groove Records. Owned by the dynamic duo of Ellen Rehak and Jeff Ferguson, this boutique record store opened its doors to the music-loving community in June 2022. This joyous occasion was timed to coincide with the rejuvenated Magnolia Park Food Truck Fridays event, which is organized by the Magnolia Park Merchants Association. …Ferguson remarked, “We originally planned to use a food truck night as part of our grand opening last year, but sadly, the events were canceled before we had a chance, so we never got around to having a grand opening. Now that they’re back, we made sure our anniversary ribbon-cutting was part of the fun.”

Auckland, NZ | Legendary New Zealand music label riding the wave of vinyl revival: Legendary New Zealand music label Flying Nun is hoping to cash in on the success of the vinyl revival with the opening of their new Auckland store, 40 years after they first started distributing records by budding alternative musicians. Started in 1981, the name Flying Nun has become synonymous with the best of independent music in Aotearoa, with the label having produced music from the likes of The Clean, The Chills, Straightjacket Fits and Headless Chickens. Now though, through launching an Auckland-based record store on Karangahape Road, Flying Nun General Manager Ben Howe says they are hoping to take the label to a new generation of record-buying fans and in doing so support their fresh batch of artists who are producing music on the label. “…We set up a store in Wellington and that has gone really well, and we have a lot of people in Auckland that we know are fans of Flying Nun artists, so it felt right to have a store here.”

UK | Rough Trade Retail reports record revenue amid vinyl sales boom: Music Week has been reporting on the robust growth in vinyl sales in the last few years. So it’s perhaps no surprise that Rough Trade Retail UK has reported record revenue in its latest financial results, which have been filed at Companies House. For the year ending December 31, 2022, Rough Trade posted sales revenue of £14,348,884, an increase of 35.8% on its previous highest turnover result in 2021. Rough Trade Soho (pictured) launched in October 2022, joining the East and West stores in London as well as shops in Bristol and Nottingham. Live music and bars operate in three sites. Profit before tax was down 38.3% year-on-year to £528,330. Rough Trade’s cost of sales and administrative expenses both increased significantly during 2022. The retailer became a Real Living Wage employer at the start of the year – an effective 12% pay rise for sales assistants – and paid out a profit earning bonus across all staff for the first time.

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Warwick, RI | Black Lodge Collectibles has lots for fans of comics, music, video games & more: On the outskirts of Pawtuxet Village, there’s a shop that’s a true outlier when it comes to collectibles, vintage objects and underground culture. When you walk in, you’ll see a vast array of records, comics, old school video games and one of a kind items that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. It’s a place that’s truly unique and if you’re an enthusiast of anything pertaining to what I just mentioned, then you should most definitely stop by. It’s called Black Lodge Collectibles and it’s located on 1986 Broad Street in Cranston. The shop has been in business for a little over a month with co-owners Derek Wood, Josh Marsie and Ian Fitzpatrick got together to start it up on August 19. I recently had a talk with Wood and Marsie at Black Lodge Collectibles about what gave them the idea to start the establishment, how they’ve amassed their huge collection and what makes the place stand out from the competition.

Dungannon, IE | Unlocking vinyl treasure at Tyrone record fair: Vinyl lovers, young and old, are in for a musical treat as Stewart’s Music Shop in Dungannon, one of the oldest independent music stores in Ireland, opens its doors for its first record fair. Featuring thousands of titles from rare and vintage records to the latest releases on vinyl, the fair will bring together traders, collectors and music enthusiasts from across Ireland and further afield. Knowledgeable record dealers will be setting up stalls on Saturday October 7, bringing their diverse collections with them; everything from rock and pop, country and jazz to hidden gems from local artists. Owner Raymond Stewart is delighted by the current revival of vinyl and welcomes seasoned collectors and the next generation of vinyl lovers to the event. “When our shop opened in 1975, my brothers and I sold almost every person in this town their first single. In the years since, how and when people listen to their favorite artists has changed many times and we’ve loved being a part of the scene through it all.

San Antonio, TX | San Antonio singer-songwriter Jerry David DeCicca playing free album-release show: DeCicca’s latest album, New Shadows, guest appearances by Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo, rising indie-rock singer Rosali and Tortose guitarist Jeff Parker. Bulverde-based singer-songwriter Jerry David DeCicca will perform a release show at San Antonio’s Crazy Rhythms Records on Wednesday night for his latest album, New Shadows. The show is the kickoff for a multi-city “record store tour” that includes stops in Lockhart, Dallas, Austin and Houston. DeCicca has released music for more than 20 years under his own name and that of his previous group, the Black Swans. His carefully observed songs have earned praise from sources ranging from venerated music magazine The Fader to cult lo-fi singer-songwriter Bill Callahan. DeCicca’s New Shadows features synthesizers and drum machines in a deconstructed, experimental approach to Americana. He describes the release as “a literary-goth, avant-Americana meditation.”

Pet Shop Boys announce reissue of hard-to-find album ‘Relentless’ for 30th anniversary: The LP was previously released as three 12″ records and were limited to only 500 copies. Pet Shop Boys have announced a reissue of their hard-to-find LP ‘Relentless’ in honour of its 30th anniversary. The synth-pop duo – comprised of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe – released their fifth studio album ‘Very’ back in 1993. The record reached the Number One spot in the UK charts and includes the band’s singles ‘Can You Forgive Her?’ and ‘Go West’, which remain two of their most popular tracks. …‘Relentless’ was also released as a rare standalone vinyl that was limited to 500 copies. It featured six dance tracks spread across three 12″ records and became a highly sought-after Pet Shop Boys artefact. Speaking of the LP in a press release, the Pet Shop Boys said: “This album was an experiment for us 30 years ago with its six new extended dance tracks. We’re very proud of it and delighted it’s now getting the stand-alone release it deserves.”

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Mystic, CT | A CT record store is marking 40 years as a mecca for collectors with an anniversary party and special guests: The fact that Danny Curland has been buying, selling, listening to and talking about records for 40 years as the owner of Mystic Disc is a cause for celebration. Curland’s employees, customers and friends have planned an anniversary party on Saturday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Mystic River Park near the store in downtown Mystic. Among the special guests at the Mystic Disc 40th Anniversary Gig are Baltimore-based musician Wall Matthews (who co-founded the store with Curland in 1983), the owners of other record shops (including Rich Martin of The Telegraph in New London and Mark Henderson of the Boston-based In Your Ear Records), musician/shop owner James Maple of Mystic’s Lamplighter Trading Post Company, New London journalists Stephen Chupaska and Steven Slosberg, the experimental folk group Xenos, DJ Brian Carter and others whom Curland has inspired or befriended over the years.

Norman, OK | Guestroom Records celebrates 20 years of business, good music: Independent record store Guestroom Records celebrated 20 years of business in September, bringing the Norman music community together. Justin Sowers and Travis Searle started selling records door to door and at garage sales in 2002. After the pair’s success, the first Guestroom Records store was opened in Norman the following year. Guestroom sells a wide range of genres, curated based on customers’ interests. The store has a large selection of classic rock and indie alternative albums. Featured artists include Radiohead, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift. Guestroom sells new and used records, and there is a section for CDs and cassettes. Visitors can also sell their own records to the store or search through its online inventory. When Guestroom first opened, most of the inventory consisted of CDs. Now, due to their increased popularity, the store primarily sells records.

Brighton, UK | Top music awards go to Bjork, Wet Leg and…a Brighton record shop: Resident recognised for supporting independent artists: One name stood out for Brighton music fans at the Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards 2023 – Resident record shop, in Kensington Gardens. The independent music shop joined a roster of winners that included Bjork, Wet Leg and Raye. The shop won the Independent Champions Award—a category that rewards those helping to support independent musicians. The Icelandic singer Bjork, 57, who performed at Coachella Festival in California this year in a set that included hundreds of drones, attended to collect the publicly voted award for best live performer. Raye, 25, who released her debut studio album My 21st Century Blues earlier in the year, took home best independent track with American rapper and singer 070 Shake. Their single Escapism was among the year’s chart-toppers.

Shanghai, CN | AMIRI Unveils Limited-Time Vinyl Space Station in Shanghai Flagship Store: In an exciting collaboration between fashion and music, AMIRI has unveiled a limited-time vinyl space station outside its flagship store in Shanghai. The design elements are inspired by AMIRI’s 2023 autumn and winter show, with a fresh mint green and transparent glass exterior facade. The standout feature is a giant black sheet with the MA Logo printed in the middle, giving the impression of a vinyl record being slowly pulled out of its cover. Inside the space station, AMIRI showcases its latest 2023 autumn and winter items. The brand has also created a vinyl interactive area where customers can purchase and make exclusive records with their own signatures. To celebrate the launch event, there will be a DJ playing vinyl records, creating a sophisticated recording studio atmosphere. The combination of fashion and music in this urban oasis provides a unique and relaxing experience for visitors.

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Glasgow, UK | Glasgow’s best vintage stores for retro clothes and vinyl: If you’re looking to shop second-hand and want to snag yourself some retro items, then Glasgow is the place to be. Like most cities, Glasgow is experiencing a boom in all things vintage with people of all ages seeking out ‘blast from the past’ clothing and even vinyl records. Whether you are looking for a pair of bellbottom jeans from the 1970s or want to channel your inner-1990s, we have you covered.

Miami, FL | Miami’s Lucky Records Shows Passion For All Things Hip-Hop, Funk, Soul & Reggae: Miami is known for its warm weather and colorful culture. A city drenched with the rich history of so many people from different walks of life calling it home, Finding a hub for a city with such a dense art scene is always exciting. Welcome Lucky Records, one of Miami’s most dedicated record shops. With a constantly rotating selection, the small shop has slowly become a museum for the rich history of music from Miami along with a passionate focus on all things hip-hop, funk, soul, and reggae. Along with a plethora of bins filled with genre-spanning selections, Lucky Records stands out as a testament to the diversity of Miami and the beauty that can be made when different cultures clash in harmony.

Poughkeepsie, NY | Poughkeepsie, NY record store finally participating in the Taylor Swift craze: Shake off the old version! Taylor Swift’s album 1989 (Taylor’s Version) re-release is about to hit shelves in October. Fans have been going nuts since 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was announced back in August, rushing to Taylor Swift’s website to pre-order every and all editions of 1989 she’s releasing. That might seem like a silly statement, but Swift has released 8 limited edition versions of her album 1989. Now, 42 days after the original announcement, a local Hudson Valley record story is able to get in on the Swiftie fun. With that being said, local independent record store Darkside Records in Poughkeepsie, NY has finally been given the ‘OK’ to participate in the sale of Taylor Swift 1989 (Taylor’s Version) On Instagram, they wrote: “F-I-N-A-L-L-Y! Taylor’s version of 1989 will be released on 10/27, exactly 9 years to the day since the original was released. We’ll have it on Crystal Skies Blue vinyl, CD, and cassette…”

Wokingham, UK | Uncertain future for town centre shop: Mystery surrounds the future of another independent retailed in Wokingham town centre, Beyond the Download, a retailer of vinyl records and associated music memorabilia in Rose Street, appears to have ceased trading. The business began in 2012 as an online retailer. It operated from Holme Grange Craft Village before moving to the town centre location in 2019. The business also assisted with stage and sound facilities for events in the nearby Peach Place. Wokingham Today has approached the business for comment.

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Waupaca, WI | New Grooves In Waupaca: Music shop sells vinyl. One of Marty Milner’s favorite movies while growing up was “Back to the Future.” His high school friends called him McFly. His dream was to someday own a DeLorean. He never got one but he did follow through on another dream: to own a record shop. He named it Back to the Vinyl. He and his wife Jennifer run the shop on 102 Water St., across from Danes Hall. They opened two weeks ago. “Owning a music store was one of those dreams I thought I’d never actually get. We would walk our dog around downtown and look at spaces for rent. It was always a running joke: that would be a cool place for a record store,” he said. When the Water Street location came up, Jennifer asked, “If not now, when?” Milner’s inventory of vinyl records covers all musical genres. He sells both used and new records. He purchases records and is happy to look at collections and make an offer

Chicago, IL | In Chicago’s ‘top five,’ High Fidelity is a chart-topper: John Cusack will host an intimate screening of one of Chicago’s most impactful films at the Auditorium Theatre in early 2024. Some records never get old. Often on repeat, we grow fonder, more in love with our favorite tracks. Of course, there’s always the fear of getting sick of the songs we love the most, but let’s be fair: nostalgia isn’t easily muted. Like these sorts of records, High Fidelity, no matter how many rewatches, remains a classic hit in Chicago’s cinematic playlist. The movie is whimsical and undeniably fun, packed with a love for music, but not unaware of the troubling side of romance. It’s a film that reimagined the rom-com, inviting emotional complexity and cynicism into the love story, and its influence is still sampled today. And in January 2024, barring any further delays due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, John Cusack will host an intimate screening of the long-admired film at the Auditorium Theatre. The Evanston native will follow the screening with a conversation about his career and the making of the film, plus an audience Q&A.

Seattle, WA | Capitol Hill Rewind – Rubato Records: breaking the lease on Broadway. Exploring the neighborhood’s record-shop history. Rubato Records & Espresso’s brief existence at the Broadway Alley began in 1982. Capitol Hill was one of a few locations—Wallingford and West Seattle stores opened later—for a record shop opened in downtown Bellevue in 1976 by John and Helena Rogers. The pair—who later married and separated but remain friends—also co-founded the New Wave/progressive rock/avant-garde band Student Nurse. Helena remembers selling records to Bob Blackburn, the voice of the Seattle SuperSonics, and former Seattle Mariners ace Randy Johnson at the Bellevue shop. “[Randy] would come in and lowball us trying to sell crappy heavy metal records,” Helena told me during an interview this summer at Georgetown’s Equinox Studios, where she is also an artist who paints. “He would say, ‘That’s all you’re giving me?!’ It was, like, ‘Dude, you have millions of dollars, and we barely have enough money to buy a hamburger after work!’”

Tulsa, OK | Hot sellers: Studio Records keeping Swifties and 90s fans happy: While recently perusing the vinyl at Josey Records, I continued my search for a Jesse Ed Davis record. Never having found one there, I asked an employee how often they hit the shelves. “Rarely,” he said. “You should go check out Studio Records over by the Church. They usually have it.” He was correct. I had two choices, the reissued debut “Jesse Davis” or a used (and more expensive) copy of “Ululu” – Davis’ second album. I went with the debut. Studio Records, 409 S. Trenton Ave., has been in business for five years helping fuel the sustained resurgence of interest in vinyl. On this day, owner Mike Nobels is manning the register when he’s not restocking the shelves. He has fun buying, selling and trading records of all genres. “The kids are really into the ‘80s and ‘90s music because that’s what their parents listened to,” Nobles says. Cue a record needle scratching to a stop.

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Music industry revenues reach record heights in the US: According to a new report, revenues have reached record heights in the recorded music industry across the United States. RIAA’s latest mid-year report shows total revenues grew 9.3% during this period, reaching an all-time high of $8.4billion at estimated retail value. Meanwhile, at wholesale value, revenues reached $5.3billion following an 8.3% surge. …On the whole, streaming has continued to assert its dominance in the industry and now contributes 84% of revenue in the United States. While it’s the fourth year that streaming has made up a similar percentage of revenue, it has grown by 10.3% to $7billion. Last year, vinyl sales grew by 22% and although the medium hasn’t measured similar figures in the latest report, it has still increased by 1%. Physical formats are now at their highest level since 2013, contributing $882 million to the industry with vinyl making up for $632 million of this figure. Vinyl again outsold CDs by eight million units.

How the vinyl industry weathered pandemic disruptions to emerge stronger than ever: Industry experts weigh in on the challenges and opportunities of 21st-century vinyl production and why events like the Haarlem Vinyl Festival are key to the continuing relevance of records. COVID-19 hit the vinyl industry as a perfect storm. Making a recording, even at the best of times, demands an intricate and specialised production process. The pandemic introduced shortages of key materials and skyrocketing manufacturing costs that pushed lead times for new vinyl pressings to as long as 12 months. Stores shuttered. Global shipping delays kept existing stock off shelves. And, as the disruptions of 2020 stretched into 2022, stakeholders across the industry were left with the uneasy but not unfamiliar feeling that maybe the medium of vinyl truly might not recover this time. However, if there’s one thing we should have learned over the last few decades, it’s that vinyl doesn’t go down easy.

Oxford, MS | Sounds of Oxford: The End of All Music amplifies Oxford’s love of the arts: Above one of the Square’s most prominent and historic boutiques sits a record store that provides a whistle of audible art to the streets of Oxford. Founded in March 2012, The End of All Music has been equipping college students and Oxford residents with a vast collection of physical records, CDs, cassette tapes and more for over a decade. Now dubbed “the record guy” by customers of the long-standing record store and fellow Oxonians, The End of All Music founder David Swider has been a familiar face in Oxford for years. He left his hometown of Greenwood, Miss., in 2003 to attend the University of Mississippi and earned degrees in both journalism and English in 2008. During and after his collegiate endeavors, he worked at Square Books but wrapped up his time with them in 2011 to work toward opening The End of All Music.

Los Angeles, CA | Musician-Owned Onyx record press opens in LA: Onyx Record Press, a newly opened vinyl pressing located in Arcadia, Calif., has opened their doors with a focus on the independent musician. “We wanted to directly cater to the independent community of musicians and labels, giving them the means to manufacture vinyl,” explains co-owner, DJ/producer Moe Espinosa, who under the Drumcell moniker, is credited with reviving techno in Los Angeles and Vice dubbed “a hometown hero.” “It’s one of the best ways to connect listeners to music, because there’s nothing like a tangible physical record.” “As an independent artist and label owner, I’ve faced the problems that so many of my friends and colleagues have faced: how to get vinyl made when so many plants ask for high minimums, or the unrealistic wait times that were over a year while we waited for multi-platinum artists to finish their vinyl runs across dozens of plants,” adds Surachai Sutthisasanakul.

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Montreal, CA | A day in the life of…the owner of an independent record store: Nick Catalano loves music. He loves playing music, he loves listening to music. He loves buying rare records. He loves selling new and used albums to vinyl and CD enthusiasts at his store Beatnick, a veritable museum of music history that opened in December 1998 at the corner of St. Denis and Pine Avenue. What he doesn’t love is the part of the process that starts his day at the store — finding a place to park, and then having to lug heavy items from blocks away. Catalano lays the blame at the feet of the Plante administration. “It’s the hunt for parking when you pay thousands and thousands of dollars of business tax,” he told The Suburban as we drove in his vehicle hunting for parking. “Our wonderful Mayor is constantly adding to the bicycle paths and taking away parking spots. She’s, at the moment, extending it from Duluth to Sherbrooke, which means all those parking spots, which you had to pay for, are not going to be available anymore.

Brooklyn, NY | English Presents “Vinyl Chord: A Revolutionary Record Store” at Public Pool Gallery, Brooklyn, NYC: Come check out the brand new Ron English pop-up entitled “Vinyl Chord Records: an imaginary record store”. Public Pool is pleased to present Vinyl Chord: A Revolutionary Record Store with the Godfather of Street Art, Ron English, in which English remixes and remakes the most iconic album covers of the last fifty years.The reimagined album covers will be presented as 12 x 12 inch prints, in editions of 33. The exhibition will include unique hand-painted vinyl records by Ron English to complement the editions. English will also release a new vinyl art toy in collaboration with Tower Records. The show will feature music videos English created for his band The Rabbbits. During the exhibition, English will unveil a new Grin mural on the side of the building. Public Pool is an experimental gallery space made possible by Ethan Cohen Projects and Founders Lab NYC.

Dallas, TX | Best Record Store That’s Become a Regional Chain That Doesn’t Suck—Josey Records: Lingering in Lubbock? Passing through Plano? Traveling through Tulsa? Those are just a few destinations where you can find Josey Records, the Dallas-based record store that has quietly expanded to five additional locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas over the last decade. Growing a company’s footprint often brings with it brand dilution and a diminishment of the original’s spark, but not so for Josey Records. In addition to opening its outposts, the mothership (all 25,000 square feet of it) has maintained its mix of in-store events, unique releases and stewardship of the legacy of Dallas institution Bill’s Records.

Seattle, WA | On the record: New vinyl Hi-Fi lounge in Seattle skips the algorithm and gets back to music basics: The term “Seattle sound” often refers to the heyday of grunge music in the city. But the people behind a new cocktail lounge think Seattle has never sounded better thanks to the high-fidelity listening experience they have created. Shibuya Hi-Fi opens Thursday in the Ballard neighborhood with a rather simple plan to offer good drinks and good music. The execution is more nuanced, and involves an expertly curated selection of vinyl records spun by world class DJs in the hopes that people who have given over their listening lives to streaming services and algorithms can get back to basics. “It really is trying to create an experience that we miss,” said Brian Rauschenbach, one of the masterminds behind Shibuya, who was a longtime DJ and who works in tech as the president and chief media officer at Add3, a digital marketing agency.

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Chicago, IL | Signal Records Opens Wicker Park Store, One Year After Launching In Avondale: Owner Blake Karlson’s second location will include inventory from Dave’s Records, which closed last year in Lincoln Park. A record store that took over the former Bric-A-Brac space in Avondale last year has opened a second location in Wicker Park. Signal Records opened Friday at 1343 N. Ashland Ave. Owner Blake Karlson said in an email Monday he decided to expand after buying the inventory of Dave’s Records, which closed in Lincoln Park in 2022 after 20 years in business. Karlson needed the space to store the influx of vinyl records, and when the Wicker Park storefront was posted for rent online, he jumped on it. “We bought Dave’s Records’ stock back in December, which was about three times the amount of inventory we keep at the Logan store. Between that, the hundreds of boxes I had in storage and the collections I buy or bring in weekly, I just needed more space,” Karlson wrote. “So, I figured if I was going to pay for them to be stored anyway, might as well have it be shoppable… Just fell into place really.”

Makati City, PH | Bigger and better: Music in physical format reigns supreme at One Stop Record Fair. The One Stop Record Fair 2023 brought together music and art in one event for audiophiles and art lovers. The country’s best and biggest vinyl, audio equipment, and artworks were curated by more than 30 merchants gathered at the fair held at Estancia Mall in Pasig City last September 9. From classic rock to pop, music from the ’60s to 2020s, audiophiles dug through crates and piles of vinyl, CDs, and cassette tapes, scoring their “treasures” at a discounted price. Audiophiles were able to purchase interesting titles such as New Order Substance, Sybil Greatest Hits, Eraserheads Circus, Voltes V, Workshy, Queen The Platinum Collection, Julia Fordham, Plakatons, RSD Folklore Taylor Swift, 2Pac, Cocteau Twins Treasure (Japan pressing with OBI), Tatsuro Yamashita Spacy, Taylor Swift Speak Now, UDD Capacities, The Smiths 12″ Single That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, and The Wild Swan. Turntables, speakers, and other audio gear were also at a much lower cost, allowing first-timers and collectors to take their vinyl for a spin.

Philadelphia, PA | Brewerytown Records owner talks the ‘Sound of Philadelphia’ When the world thinks of soul sounds of Philadelphia, heads usually turn to the funky R&B of writer-composers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and their platinum-plated work throughout the 1970s with Philadelphia International Records — the O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin and more. However, there are local artists who have made their mark on Philadelphia soul, but have gone unheralded—until now. That is thanks in part to Max Ochester, owner of Brewerytown Beats record store on N. Bailey Street in North Philly. If you ask the longtime local what is more important to him — documenting great lost R&B and jazz or documenting Philly itself and the rich diversity of its people — his answer lies somewhere in the middle. “Telling the story of lost Philly musicians through re-releases, social media campaigns and trying to revitalize careers — the preservation of the sound that, in turn, builds a legacy by giving a voice to the people that time has overlooked.”

JP | Exploring Japan’s ‘jazz kissa’ cafe culture: Tokyo Jazz Joints documents these vibrant vinyl listening spaces – trending worldwide – in a photo project, podcast and new coffee table book. When was the last time you listened to music? We don’t mean piping lo-fi “focus beats” through your Bluetooth speaker, or jabbing at those misbehaving earbuds while swiping between windows on your morning commute – but really, actively listening? In response to the digital commodification of music, there’s a growing global trend of dedicated communal events and listening spaces, fuelled in part by the hipster-driven vinyl revival. But there’s truly nothing novel about gathering for reverent absorption of a spinning black disc. This fresh breed of audio fetishism is often directly – and always indirectly – inspired by Japanese jazz kissa culture, a rich tradition of audio nerdery with a 100-year history.

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Caversham, UK | Online record seller opens shop: A record shop has opened in Caversham. Pop Classics in Church Street was launched after the success of the business selling music online. To mark the occasion, the store was decorated with a balloon arch and the first 10 customers were given free merchandise. Owner Damian Jones has been buying and selling vinyl online since the start of the millennium. He said: “We decided it was time to take the plunge. We do not know how it is going to pan out or what the uptake is going to be but so far it is looking promising. “I have been collecting and selling records for the past 23 years and there has always been a collector base. People have always collected records and loved the clarity of the music. “DJs have always bought records but in the last 10 years there has been a boom with the resurgence of vinyl production and the falling popularity of CDs. Record stores have always helped the love of this old style of listening.”

Cheyenne, WY | Cheyenne’s Downtown Vinyl changes ownership after more than 18 years: Things are pretty much the same as always at Downtown Vinyl, except for one thing. After more than 18 years of operation, owner Don McKee has sold the store. The information came as a surprise to longtime patrons when McKee announced his departure on Downtown Vinyl’s Facebook page just the day before his departure. “I’ll be doing lots of exploring, traveling, reading, and, of course, listening to lots of music,” McKee wrote in the post. “Thank you very much for 18+ years of support, fun, and conversation!” There was one person who knew about the change, made official on Sept. 11, and that was the woman who stands behind the counter now. Kay Bybee, the new owner of Downtown Vinyl, formerly known as Phoenix Books & Music, was a longtime patron of the shop, and plans to keep the atmosphere of the location just as McKee had built it.

Edinburgh, UK | 10 Edinburgh record shops that were a rite of passage back in the day: Back when a stream was a small river, an apple was just a fruit and YouTube sounded more like an insult, Edinburgh was stacked with record stores that kept the good times spinning. A trip to the record store was considered a rite of passage for Edinburgh music fans back in the day, and we all had our favourites. While there has definitely been a bit of a vinyl resurgence in recent years, it’s nothing compared to the days when there were umpteen record stores to choose from around the city centre alone. The late 20th century was a golden era for the record store scene in Edinburgh. They weren’t just shops where we purchased singles and LPs, but they also served as spaces to discover new sounds, wax lyrical with like-minded souls and exchange tastes and knowledge. We take a look at 10 Edinburgh record stores that were must-visit establishments back in the day.

St. Louis, MO | Marc Maron Visits St. Louis and Falls in Love With Us, Basically: He shouted-out Euclid Records, Akar, Frida’s, Small Batch and more on his podcast today. Marc Maron has a long history with St. Louis. The Los Angeles-based comedian has been touring comedy clubs for years, and he always makes time to stop in St. Louis and enjoy all that we have to offer. He also has a special relationship with our town because he’s had a long-time obsession with ice cream from Clementine’s Creamery. Clementine’s used to send Maron pints of its ice cream until he called it off out of fear of gaining weight. Maron was in town over the weekend again to do some shows at Helium Comedy Club (1151 St. Louis Galleria Street) in Richmond Heights, and while he was here, he dropped in on some of his favorite spots and experienced some new places, as well. …Still, he says the highlight of his trip to St. Louis was visiting Euclid Records (19 North Gore Avenue, Webster Groves).

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RIAA: Half-Year 2023 Music Hits Record Revenue, Driven by Streaming Services and Physical: Retail sales of recorded music continue to benefit from streaming and legacy packaged media. New data from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reports the industry hit new revenue milestones in the first six months of the year after a decade of evolving consumer access to recorded content. …Streaming remains the dominant form of music consumption in the U.S., responsible for 84% of total recorded music revenue and growing 10.3% to $7 billion. Paid subscriptions grew even faster, topping 11% growth over the first half of this year. Over the past five years, the number of people paying for music subscriptions has more than doubled. At the same time, old-school physical reached their highest revenue level since the first half of 2013 with total sales up 5% over 2022 at $882 million. Vinyl maintains its popularity, reaching $632 million for the first half of 2023 and accounting for 72% of all physical music sales.

Oxford, OH | The land might be inhospitable, but Black Plastic isn’t: Nearly 20 Miami University students gathered Uptown on Sept. 13 at Black Plastic Records with one common goal: to hear Mitski. Black Plastic, which opened its Oxford location last fall, hosted an advance listening event for Mitski’s newest album, “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.” Attendees were given free name-tags, wristbands and posters from Mitski’s record label, Dead Oceans. Plenty of attendees shopped for records and other items before the event started. Black Plastic is home to countless vinyl records spanning over every imaginable genre. The store also sells posters, jewelry, pins, shirts and other miscellaneous items. Once the album began, attendees sat on the floor along rows of records to listen. Aside from the smooth sounds of Mitski’s vocals, the store was completely silent. Fans absorbed the music, gazing at the floor or stealing glances at their friends.

Redlands, CA | Overland brings vinyl listening bar to historic site: The Overland is equal parts bar, restaurant and listening lounge, according to owner Bryan Bruce. Spend an evening here and feel the music from all genres on vinyl and played through top-notch audio equipment. Opened in April in the historic Santa Fe Depot built in 1912, The Overland was a dream seven years in the making. It took a lot of work to get the place opened, said Bruce about the conditions of adhering to the state historic preservation office. This included maintaining the historic integrity of the structure throughout the renovation process. The end result is a space that will surprise guests upon entering. The exterior retains its Romanesque pillars in classical revival architecture but inside, three experiences await guests of The Overland. “We wanted to create a space that allowed people to have conversation and really enjoy the environment as well as the company that they have,” said Bruce.

Chicago, IL | Tower Records pop-up honors iconic brand: Remember flipping through those iconic yellow dividers? Music fans in the 80s and 90s remember going to record stores and flipping through the vinyl records or compact discs shopping for their favorite artist’s last albums. For many, that experience happend at Tower Records, which started in 1960 in California and spread to over 200 stores across 15 countries at its peak. MeTV had a chance to visit a Tower Records pop-up store in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, where the iconic brand partnered with The Smashing Pumpkins for a nostalgic music experience. The iconic yellow sign with red letters stood outside the pop-up. Before walking in, the signage included a red neon light Tower Records logo above the door.

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Jackson, MS | Mississippi record store owner hopes “greatest hits” compilations sound good to collectors: Vinyl records have enjoyed a surge of demand in recent years. And while supply chain pressures have eased, high record prices worry retailers like Phillip Rollins, who owns OffBeat, a record, toy and comic store in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. “I went to New Orleans and had a meeting with some of the record stores and labels and my distributors,” Rollins said. “The cost of records was explained, why it was going up, just due to manufacturing.” But Rollins sees a lot of promise in some new prints, like $20 “greatest hits” compilations. “Especially selling records like En Vogue and Notorious B.I.G. for $20 is a good kind of starter way for people to get into music and get into record collecting,” he said. “So that’s been a positive. I hope more labels and distributors implement that.”

Phoenix, AZ | Zia Records opens a new Phoenix store ripe with possibilities: The new storefront has an added 2,000 square feet of space for Zia’s many offerings. Since 1980, Zia Records has been a vital component of Phoenix’s vast and rich arts and cultural landscape. But even that longevity has meant moving around metro Phoenix quite a few times. “I think it’s been six [moves] from the very beginning,” says Mary Papenhausen, the chain’s market and public relations manager. That includes stints at 7th Avenue and Indian School Road and 19th Avenue and Indian School. (There are four other locations in the Valley, including Thunderbird and Tempe, plus one store in Tucson and two others in Las Vegas.) And so, after 11 years, Zia is relocating from 19th Avenue and Camelback Road to 35th Avenue and Bethany Home Road. But just as with every other move in the chain’s storied history, there’s a very good reason.

Liverpool, UK | Tributes paid to Probe Records boss Geoff Davies: “The gateway to enlightenment.” The label boss and record shop owner was considered one of the most important names in the Liverpool music scene. Tributes have been paid across the music industry for Probe Records boss Geoff Davies, following his death. He was aged 80. The music mogul was most famed for co-founding the Probe Records shop back in 1971 with his former wife Annie, and soon became one of the most influential figures of Liverpool’s cultural scene. He died on Tuesday morning (September 12) in Kingswood Mount Care Home, Allerton. Announcing his death, his second wife Anne revealed that Davies was diagnosed with dementia in 2019, and only moved into a care home at the end of April this year. She also told The Liverpool Echo that her husband had had a spell in hospital before being relocated to the care home, and that she saw him deteriorate quickly having been further diagnosed with lymphoma, which was his cause of death.

Charlotte, NC | A new shop for music lovers, vinyl collectors is opening at Camp North End this fall: Soon, Camp North End fans will have a little more music in their lives — Hardy Boys Records is opening its first independent location at the adaptive reuse complex in October. If you’re into records, then you might have seen this coming. Our recent CharlotteFive guide to independent record stores mentioned Camp North End was a possibility for Hardy Boys’ newest location. “We’ve always dreamt of having our own dedicated store, where music enthusiasts can gather, peruse, share stories and just enjoy each other’s company,” Hardy Boys Records owner Dean Hardy said. “Our family has been coming to Camp North End for a long time, and we’re convinced that the dynamic atmosphere here, where people simply want to spend time, makes it the perfect place for us to plant permanent roots in the community.”

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Phoenix, AZ | New Zia Records Phoenix grand opening: How to get deals, swag and more: Zia Records has opened its biggest store yet at 35th Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix, offering an even more expansive selection of records, movies, books, games, toys and collectibles while curating a diverse selection that caters to all tastes and interests. The local chain of independent record stores is holding a grand opening celebration for its bigger, brighter location, which replaces its 19th Avenue and Camelback Road store, on Saturday, Sept. 16, with sales, events and more. The new Bethany Home store will open early at 9 a.m., offering the first 100 customers a free $5 Zia Gift Card, 10% off everything (sale items excluded), free Zia swag (while supplies last) and Double Z-Card points on purchases with DJs spinning music, ticket giveaways from Psyko Steve Presents and more.

St. Louis, MO | The vinyl frontier: 6 of the best record stores in St. Louis: Vinyl remains on the rise. In 2022, record sales grew for the 17th straight year, marking a historic resurgence after the medium’s decline in the 1980s. St. Louis record stores have risen to the occasion. The city is a hotbed for turntable enthusiasts thanks to the collection of new and iconic shops that stock shelves full of freshly released and preowned LPs, from rap and hip-hop sounds to country and pop rock albums. Planet Score Records: Planet Score Records is a Maplewood mainstay that serves as the perfect stop-in destination for the area. Find its storefront just steps away from local breweries like Side Project Brewing, Schlafly Bottleworks and popular dining spots like Strange Donuts and Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken. Inside, you’ll find an ever-changing selection of preowned and fresh-pressed vinyl that’s fit for any collector. The combo makes for a perfect afternoon or evening out in Maplewood…

Camberwell, UK | Free live gigs at Camberwell’s Dash The Henge record store, Sat 16th Sept to Sat 4th Nov 2023: We love the Dash The Henge record store in Camberwell, but we can never get them to send us text listings of their upcoming shows. So here’s a photo of their ‘A Board’ showing upcoming live performances and events from Sat 16th Sept to Sat 4th Nov 2023. We ran that through Google’s ‘recognise text’ function and can present you with these copy’n’pastable listings.

Liverpool, UK | Geoff Davies: Probe Records boss and ‘giant’ of Liverpool music dies: Label boss and record shop owner Geoff Davies, who worked with some of Liverpool’s biggest stars, has died. The 80-year-old co-founded the Probe Records shop in 1971 with his former wife Annie and was considered a driving force of the city’s cultural scene. His death, which was announced online by new wave band Deaf School, follows Annie’s own two weeks ago. Peter Hooton, whose band The Farm worked with Davies, said they had been “giants of the Liverpool music scene”. The couple’s record shop, which once saw such musical luminaries as Pete Burns and Julian Cope serving behind the counter, was first located on Clarence Street, off Brownlow Hill, before moving to Button Street, near Mathew Street, in 1976. With the famous Eric’s nightclub just around around the corner, the shop became a regular haunt of the burgeoning talents of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Echo and the Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes.

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Lubbock, TX | Beloved Lubbock record store announces closing: Another Lubbock business is succumbing to the Hub City Closure Curse, leaving only one store of its kind left standing. Whether you’ve collected vinyl records since their heyday, or you are a part of the younger generations looking to revitalize a classic medium, having a go-to record store is a big deal for many collectors. These stores become a sort of family as you get to know the staff and other collectors during your long visits of scrolling through all the new stock. …Josey Books & Records, after 5 years in Lubbock, has officially announced that they will be closing their Hub City location. They will still be open for a couple of months and will feature liquidation sales starting at 30% off the entire store. These sales will continue to change over the next few weeks, giving bigger discounts as they get closer to closing.

Nashville, TN | Sean Brock opening vinyl-themed bar: Celebrity chef Sean Brock is opening a music-themed bar and lounge this fall at the Grand Hyatt that he says will celebrate “the pursuit of sonic excellence.” The Bar Continental will play music from a collection of more than 5,000 vinyl records, all on high-end, audiophile-approved equipment. Driving the news: The concept is inspired by Japanese “kissa” lounges, where guests listen to jazz records while sipping tea or cocktails. Why it matters: Brock frames Bar Continental as his answer to the music-forward honky tonks a few blocks from the Grand Hyatt. “Visiting Bar Continental is like attending a concert, you feel the music … similar to an experience on Lower Broadway,” Brock said in a statement. “We want to be the place you take your friends visiting from out of town, who may not want to deal with the crowds on lower Broadway.”

Bristol, UK | 18 great Bristol shops we loved and lost but still fondly remember: Many Bristolians will have fond memories of these much-missed stores: Bristol has always been a great city for shopping but our high streets have changed dramatically over the years and many much-loved shops have been lost forever. We asked Bristol World readers to tell us which stores they used to love visiting and still miss. They range from independent record shops and clothes stores to big-name department stores. Here are 18 of the most missed Bristol shops but we would like to hear from readers about any others, and if you have photos, we’d love to share them.

Atlantic Records Celebrates 75th Anniversary with Special Vinyl and Remix Campaigns: Atlantic chairman/CEO Craig Kallman oversaw the curation, which salutes artists ranging from Ray Charles to Lizzo. In September 1947, Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson founded Atlantic Records with a $10,000 loan from Ertegun’s dentist. In 1948, Atlantic began putting out its first releases. Seventy-five years later, Atlantic remains one of the most storied labels in American history as home through the decades to such artists as Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Stevie Nicks, Matchbox Twenty and Crosby, Stills & Nash; and, more recently, Twenty One Pilots, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Lizzo. This year, Atlantic is paying homage to its rich heritage with a multi-pronged, year-long campaign that celebrates some of its most iconic titles. Already started is the release of 90 classic titles, many on crystal clear, colored or recycled vinyl, curated by Atlantic Records chairman/CEO and noted audiophile Craig Kallman.

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