Niagara Falls, NY | Local record store pairs with Underground Railroad Center to educate all during Women’s History Month: There are so many iconic women in Western New York. Women that broke barriers beyond the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area. People like Minnie Gillette, Mary Talbot, Louise Bethune, and so many more. But some historic women of this area could be unfamiliar to some people. That’s why Daredevil Records is teaming up with the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center to host its first ever Women’s History Month Scavenger Hunt. The tasks are fun and something to do with your friends, while also an incredibly educational experience. There are 11 clues for the scavenger hunt. It starts out at the record store, but leads you around Niagara Falls, showing off different landmarks, and teaching everyone about the rich history women have in Western New York. “It’s a very deep history here, and it’s important to learn about all the brave women here that have done incredible things,” Daredevil Records employee, Edyta Chorostkowska said.
Cincinnati, OH | Best selection of experimental music at a record store: Torn Light Records is quickly rivaling Shake It and Everybody’s as one of the best record stores in Cincinnati. Located on Ludlow Avenue, Torn Light has a terrific selection of new and used records, plus a constantly replenished stock of new acquisitions in front of the counter that’s always worth flipping through. Not many record stores give you a sense of the staff and owner’s personal tastes like Torn Light does. They have a thoughtfully curated section of experimental and noise music, modernist composers like John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen, as well as a nice little nook of books tucked in the back, with an eye towards, again, the experimental. Think Georges Bataille, Leonora Carrington, Nicholson Baker and more. And if you aren’t sure what to look for, the staff is always playing an interesting record you’ve likely never heard before, and that just might steer you in the right direction.
Lubbock, TX | Records outsell CDs for first time since 1987, Lubbock store contributes to growth: For almost two decades now music fanatics have been traveling back in time through vinyl records. This form of music has seen a record-breaking growth. According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s, Vinyl records outsell CDs for the first time since 1987. “Records have been on their way back for about 15 to 17 years now. It’s been a slow climb and actually very rapid climb in the last 10 years, so for it to totally take over CD’s, it’s not surprising at all,” said Doug Stapp, owner of Ralph’s Records. Just last year, vinyl’s have sold 41 million albums compared to 33 million CDs. “It’s bigger, you can actually listen to it. You don’t have to lease it on your phone. You actually own something, you can stare at all of the artwork, you get to read all the liner notes, all the fun stuff that goes along with music which is very important to music,” said Stapp. The growth is something that Ralph’s Record is no stranger to, operating for over 43 years with the largest sales coming from young adults.
Boston, MA | New store brings vinyl records to Beacon Hill: There’s a new music store on Beacon Hill selling some very old, and very cool, records. What’s happening: After six years in Providence, Music Research Library reopened at 24 Joy St. on Beacon Hill March 1. Co-owner Vasyl Kochura tells Axios a lot of the Rhode Island shop’s clientele were coming down from the Boston area so he and business partner Zachary Warf decided to find space downtown. He says the foot traffic on Beacon Hill is already better than expected. What they’re saying: “We love obscure records from around the world and we try to curate music for deep listeners who are interested in exploring different sounds,” Kochura said. The shop has listening stations where customers can preview a record before buying it, a feature that’s not always available in modern record shops. Beyond albums, soundtracks and singles, the shop specializes in “library music” — recordings of generic stock music used in the production of movies, TV shows or ads. Kochura said MRL pays top dollar for records, especially collections.
Hinckley, UK | Hinckley’s Nervous Records to re-open for a day to sell stock for animal welfare charity: The town said goodbye to owner Gordon Hayes following his death earlier this year. A record shop which has been closed since its owner died is to re-open to stage a sale which will benefit a charity which was dear to him. Nervous Records, in Hinckley, shut up shop in January following the death of Gordon Hayes – who had been a friendly face to generations of music fans from the town and further afield since the late-1970s. Many of his friends and former customers gathered outside the shop, in The Lawns, earlier this month, on the day of his funeral. They swapped stories of a man who dedicated his life to music and whose packed little shop outlived the town’s other record stores. Now, it has been confirmed the shop will re-open for one day only on Saturday, April 22, between 10.30am and 4pm. All sale proceeds will go to Hillside Animal Sanctuary – a charity of which Gordon, who was 70 when he died, 
DeKalb, IL | Perspective: Aisles of vinyl: Walking into my local record store, I’m swept back to the late 60’s and early 70’s by the smell of incense—and the albums, actual vinyl records with artwork on the covers. In the back near the stage that features local musicians hang clothes and accessories similar to those I wore in those distant decades. It’s a trip and I’m happily having a flashback. For over 25 years my friend, Steve, has owned Kiss The Sky record store, now located in Batavia. On my recent visit 
St. Petersburg, FL | Vinyl records are back, but some things have changed: “…To succeed here, you have to keep changing with the times,” said Erin Stoy, general manager of Sound Exchange, which has locations in Tampa and Pinellas Park. “Any business, you have to keep adapting.” Sound Exchange was founded in 1987, when the CD was all the rage. “It used to be that everybody bought physical music,” Stoy said, “and so Christmas seasons were crazy at the stores, because everybody had CDs, records and tapes on their list. “But that went away. Music stores are a niche thing. Instead of where there’s at least one in every mall in America.” Used vinyl sales – including, of course, those “digger” boxes of $1 records ubiquitous at every media outlet, thrift store and flea market – are not counted by the RIAA. The report 
Champaign, IL | Vinyl records spin back into popularity: Despite the current age of streaming, many still choose to listen to physical albums on record players, even though vinyl albums cost more and are more difficult to find. Joseph McLain, junior in LAS, said he began to collect records because of the art on their covers. Eventually, he began listening to the records as well. “I ended up investing in a decent record player, and I kind of realized that the sound quality is nicer than you can get on a CD or streaming services,” McLain said. McLain said he used the same speakers for digital and physical music, which made the differences apparent. “There are just small details that you can notice on the vinyls that I don’t think you can always pick up in a digital recording,” McLain said. McLain said that in streamed music, recordings have lost softer sounds because of how the songs get 
Muncie, IN | Electric Crayon Records opens as a safe space for students and those suffering with addiction in Muncie: Music has been said to bring people of all ages together, and at Electric Crayon Records, it’s no different. The store opened March 11, and within their first week, co-owner Grant Butler said a 14-year-old and a 60-year-old had already come in looking for similar records. Butler, an addictions specialist at IU Health, has been into music since sharing a room with his punk-loving brother as a kid. His brother was a photographer and would take Butler with him to shows. “When you’re a kid, the first medium you’re given is a crayon, pencil and all that stuff, so it’s kind of like that idea to create, there is electricity to it,” Butler said. “It’s kind of like the idea that you’re drawn to create art, whether it’s music or actual, tangible art or literature, any of that kind of stuff. You’re drawn to it.” “…One thing about a record store though…it’s a lot like a DIY pub club where it just 
London, UK | Independent record store chain announces partnership with award-winning brewery: Independent record store chain Rough Trade is joining forces with London based brewery Signature Brew. The two-time Brewery of the Year Award winner is now serving beverages exclusively on draught to Rough Trade customers at the record store’s East London, Bristol, and Nottingham locations. A core range of beers will be available in stores, including Signature’s award-winning flagship collection: Studio Lager, Roadie All-Night IPA and Backstage IPA. Rough Trade stores will also stock a selection of canned specials spanning a range of sours and porters and gluten and alcohol-free craft beers. Founded in 2011, Signature Brew often hosts music events at its brewery/ music venue in Blackhorse Road, London. It has also collaborated with music artists and record labels such as IDLES, Big Joanie and Hot Chip. Sam McGregor, founder of Signature Brew, commented: “Rough Trade has always been an inspiration for Signature Brew, from their DIY roots and 
CT | At CT music stores, vinyl records are back in a big way: What is this, 1978? Vinyl is the hottest thing in music, and the young and old alike scouring record store bins across Connecticut can’t get enough of it. There aren’t many places people go to lazily stroll the aisles anymore, to take in the ambiance, strike up conversations with the like-minded, chat with the owner, happily kill the better part of an afternoon shopping for what they’ll realize they wanted when they happen to find it. Most of us want things quickly and we want them dropped at our door. But at Connecticut’s record stores, it’s the experience that brings vinyl enthusiasts as much as the music. Young people are discovering 
Glasgow, UK | Assai Records has opened a store in Glasgow: Glasgow is the store’s third Scottish branch. Assai Records has opened a store in Glasgow this week. The Scottish record store, owned by Keith Ingram, opened its first store in Dundee back in 2015 with an Edinburgh location quickly following in 2017. Assai has developed a reputation for 
Pueblo, CO | Could it be the ‘end of an era’? Future of Pueblo’s Independent Records up in the air: Independent Records is up for sale and faces an uncertain future in Pueblo with the store set to either close its doors or be sold to a new owner. If the store is forced to close, it’d mark the end of an iconic record store that has served Pueblo for more than four decades and created countless memories for Pueblo music lovers. The image of hundreds of rock ‘n’ roll fans lining the street outside Independent Records is forever etched in many Puebloans’ minds. As far back as 1980, the record stores were the only places concertgoers could get tickets to many of their favorite artists’ shows, so Pueblo’s Independent Records was often hopping when new concerts were announced. Puebloan Lisa Brown is among those who recall the bustling scene at the record store. She shared that memory with the Chieftain after learning Independent Records might soon 
AXS TV’s Vinyl Obsession Follows Members Of Styx, ZZ Top, N Sync And More Browsing Through Record Stores: There’s nothing quite like walking through a record store with money in your pocket and nowhere else to be. I could spend hours just wandering through the aisles, looking at album covers and deciding, re-evaluating, deciding, re-evaluating and deciding again what to buy. It’s a fantastic way to spend an afternoon, and I’m clearly not the only one who feels that way, as that’s the premise behind AXS TV’s new series Vinyl Obsession. Each episode of the debuting series will follow two famous faces from the music world who hit up a record store and pick out their own personal top five vinyl. But as most of us who love this sorta thing know, picking out records to buy is never as simple as walking over to a specific section, finding your album and then leaving. So, the show follows the celebrities as they hunt through the store and records them telling stories and reminiscing about various albums they 
Jackson, MS | Jackson vinyl record shop promotes local artists through live concerts: For the first time in over three decades, vinyl record sales were higher than CDs, prompting one record store in Jackson to promote local artists’ physical work through live concerts. According to the Record Industry of America, approximately 41 million records were sold, compared to 33 million CDs. Vinyl purchases accounted for 71 percent of physical music sales and reeled in nearly $1.2 billion in revenue. Hayden Boyd, who manages The End of All Music vinyl record shop, believes popular artists heavily endorsing physical copies of their work has boosted the economy for record stores to the point in which it is difficult for stores to maintain a supply of newly-released albums. “People are kind of going back to physical copies of things and records are one that people like to collect, especially with big names like Taylor Swift and all these big pop artists pushing their records really hard. It really helped with the vinyl industry,” Boyd told SuperTalk Mississippi News. “It can also be a problem because 
Detroit, MI | An inside look at Detroit’s Third Man Records: Vinyl is back, and it’s getting more popular by the year. So popular that record makers can’t keep up. A new report shows more vinyl records sold last year than CDs for the first time since 1987. Forty-one million vinyl albums were sold last year, bringing in $1.2 billion, more than double what was spent on digital downloads. Eddie Gillis manages the vinyl pressing plant at Third Man Records in Detroit. Since the state-of-the-art facility opened a few years back, business has been booming. “It has definitely taken off. And it’s not just one age bracket, 
Rockford, IL | Rockford record store celebrates 50 years of nostalgia: Retired bus driver Bob Morris, of Rockford, estimates he has shopped at Toad Hall Books and Records three times a week for decades. “Their selection of music is great,” Williams said. “I’ve purchased everything imaginable here over the years. Jazz, Blues, Rock. I’ve also purchased stereo equipment including amps, turntables and speakers.” Toad Hall, 2106 Broadway, has been quenching collectors’ thirst for popular and obscure records, vintage books and magazines and pre-owned comic books for 50 years. The store’s customer base extends well beyond the Rockford region, according to Nick Naruz, whose family purchased Toad Hall in 2005. “We regularly attract people from Iowa, the (Chicago) suburbs, Madison and Milwaukee,” Naruz said. “There are fewer and fewer stores that sell records and die-hard collectors are going to drive an hour or more to get a great selection, a great price and customer service.
Huntsville, ON | Vinyl record sales continue to rise as listeners look for “elevated product.” Digital streaming is still king for many music listeners, but Trevor Marshall, owner of The Record Shoppe in Huntsville, says there are two ways for music lovers to get music on an “elevated platform.” For the first time since 1987, the Recording Industry Association of America reports that vinyl records outsold CDs in 2022. However, record sales, which accounted for 11 percent of recorded music revenues last year, were still dwarfed by streaming which accounted for 84 percent. The report notes that the revenue from vinyl sales rose about 17 percent to around $1.2 billion in the United States. They note that 41 million vinyl records were sold last year compared to 33 million CDs. Marshall, who has operated his downtown Huntsville store since 2018, says the biggest change he’s noticed over the years is 
New York, NY | Vinyl revival: A new generation of music lovers are bringing back ‘a relic from the past’ Like many people in his generation, Vijay Damerla finds most of his new music online – but the 20-year-old is slowly becoming a vinyl junkie, amassing records in his room. The student says he doesn’t even own a turntable, saying for him, “it’s the equivalent of, like, getting an artist poster, or like even an album poster on your wall.” “Except, like, there’s actually kind of a little bit of a relic from the past.” For Celine Court, 29, collecting vinyl – she says she owns some 250 records – is about the nostalgic, warm sound that many listeners say 
Jack White says Metallica buying a vinyl pressing plant is “outstanding.” “We’re psyched to follow in your footsteps!” the band told Third Man Records owner White. Jack White has responded to Metallica buying their own vinyl pressing plant, calling it an “outstanding” move. This week, the metal icons purchased a majority stake in Furnace Record Pressing in Alexandria, Virginia, one of the largest pressing plants in the United States. White, who owns the Nashville-based Third Man Records and last year, wrote an open letter to major record labels urging them to build their own vinyl pressing plants, has welcomed the news in a message directed to the band. “Welcome to the cause gents!” And thank you for putting your money to 
Poole, UK | Boiler Room Records opens its second store in Poole: An independent record shop selling vinyl and merchandise has welcomed customers after opening a second store. Boiler Room Records officially opened its doors at the Kingland shopping complex in Poole on Monday, March 13, adding to its existing shop in the town’s high street. Launching at Kingland with a well-attended evening event accompanied by live music, Boiler Room Records thanked the Poole community for its support and said the opening of a new store was “an easy decision.” Mark Northey, owner of Boiler Room Records, said: “It is wonderful to finally have the second Boiler Room Records store open on such an engaging high street. “The Poole community has been so supportive of our first storefront, making it 
Brighton, UK | Dub Pistols gets the dance party going in Brighton record store: I know it’s hard to believe it but perennial festival favourites Dub Pistols, have been on the case since 1996 – where’s all that time gone? These party-starters, founded by Barry Ashworth and Jason O’Bryan, are in Brighton on the fourth of five special album plugging bashes, which commenced on the release day (10th March) for their ninth studio album ‘Frontline’ (out via Cyclone Records). The guys were hitting up Rough Trade East with a live band on that day, then on 12th March they were thrilling punters in Kingston. Two days later it was Nottingham’s turn and tomorrow (16th March) they will conclude at Rough Trade in Bristol. All of these gigs were full live band sets, except today’s at Resident in Kensington Gardens in Brighton, which initially I thought was 
Los Angeles, CA | Rockaway Records Acquires World’s Largest Creedence Clearwater Revival Collection: Renowned Los Angeles landmark Rockaway Records recently acquired the world’s largest collection of Creedence Clearwater Revival memorabilia, including thousands of LPs, 45s, original test pressings, posters, autographed items and more. One of the highlights of the newly acquired collection include a 1967 yellow label 45 by Creedence Clearwater Revival, pre-name change as The Golliwogs. This rare 45 is 
Raleigh, NC | Pour House Pressing: Vinyl-Pressing Venture From The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop: Downtown Raleigh, N.C.’s The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop has been around for more than a quarter-century, long enough to become one of the local scene’s key live music hubs. The venue expanded into music retail in 2019, opening a record shop on its upstairs level to sell vinyl records (open Tues.-Sun., noon-6pm, plus online). Now The Pour House is undertaking its most ambitious expansion yet: Pour House Pressing, which will be the Raleigh area’s first record-pressing operation with mass-production capabilities. The operation is taking shape in an industrial area on Freedom Dr., off New Bern Ave. east of the I-440 Beltline. If all goes according to plan, Pour House Pressing will be up and running with the capacity to press up to 1,500 records a day by summer of this year. They’re even talking about hosting tour groups to the facility. “There’s 
Hanover, PA | York County vinyl record store reopens after 24 years of closure: A new vinyl record store, named Squid Wax, officially opened its doors to the public earlier last month. The not-so-new Squid Wax record store, owned and operated by Hanover native Shane Warner, first opened its doors to the rocking world of Hanover back in 1997. The then 24-year-old Warner had previously worked as a manager at a franchised record store named Record Town, which was located at the North Hanover Mall. After managing Record Town, he finally decided to own and operate a shop of his own. Warner’s nickname growing up was “Squid,” and a slang term for vinyl records is “Wax” – hence the store name, Squid Wax. …Now, 24 years later, Warner, whose an insurance agent by day, decided to leap back into the record business by leasing a space on 43 Rear Frederick Street, which was previously leased by his wife for her massage therapy clinic. “In a way this is a redemption,” Warner stated. “I failed once, but 
Philadelphia, PA | Vinyl Record and Retail Store, Latchkey is Hosting an In-Store Throwback Market With 80’s & 90’s Themed Memorabilia: Independently-owned vinyl and retail store Latchkey ( 1502 E Passyunk Ave.) just announced that they will be hosting their first first-ever makers market “Latchkey Presents: A Makers Pop-Up Shop,” on March 25th from 11 am to 4 pm. Guests can expect an extensive showcase of local artisans and vendors setting up shop in-store and as well as some outdoors. Latchkey owner Marc Faletti will also be on-hand with his own one-of-a-kind line of up-cycled and artfully repurposed clothing under his label Lyrical Vintage. This market is the perfect spot for 
Hove, UK | Hove: Capsule Records new store and coffee shop opens in Western Road: A new record store with a coffee shop inside has opened in a busy city centre street. Capsule Records has opened in Western Road, Hove. The store is run by a “passionate team of music lovers” who are able to help customers and guide them towards new LPs or labels. Sarah Hennessy co-founded the shop with Lawrence Bleach and Simon Skevington. She said: “We are really happy with the beautiful, relaxed space we’ve created here at Capsule. It’s somewhere people can drop by for a coffee, listen to great music, have a meeting, have a browse and hopefully indulge in the sheer joy that is discovering a new LP or label.” …“We have sourced some of the best LPs and compilations we can, from old favourites to undiscovered gems,” said Sarah. “Vinyl is something that transcends age. We welcome people who have been collecting for decades, and young music lovers just starting out on their 
Godfrey, IL | RiverBend Records riding vinyl resurgence: For the first time in three decades, vinyl records last year outsold CDs, according to industry reports. RiverBend Records owner Billy Hurst said that’s easy for him to believe. 
Essex, UK | The Essex record shop that doubles up as a cool cafe: If you can’t find the record you want just ask. Vinyl records have really had a revival in recent years, with many modern albums now getting record releases. Certainly, something you don’t get from only streaming music online is the joy of searching through a record shop for that hidden gem and lucky for us one vinyl store here in Essex is the perfect place to do some vinyl hunting. Hey Joe, in Brentwood, is a bit different from others as it also doubles as a coffee shop as well as selling a huge range of records, all brand new. When I heard about Hey Joe I knew that I had to go along to check it out. I have recently got a record player and have been meaning to go and look for some records, not that I needed an excuse to pop along. Hey Joe can be found in the Baytree Shopping Centre, right at the entrance so it is very easy to find. It had a great vibe to it as soon as I walked in so 
AU | Ball Park Music, Confidence Man and more feature in Australian Record Store Day 2023 releases: Releases by Peking Duk, Ocean Alley, Polish Club, Underground Lovers, GUM and Ambrose Kenny-Smith – along with a new ‘Bluey’ soundtrack album – are among other local Record Store Day highlights. Releases by Ball Park Music, Confidence Man, Peking Duk, Ocean Alley and Polish Club are among the Australian records that will be available as part of this year’s 
UK | UK recorded music revenues rise for an eighth successive year in 2022: The BPI, the representative voice for independent labels and major record companies across the UK, today reports that UK recorded music revenue1 rose by 4.7% year-on-year to reach £1.32 billion for the full-year 2022. This figure, which also includes revenues from synchronisation (sync) and public performance2, represents an eighth consecutive year of growth and is up by 36% on the £968.6 million reported in 2017. This is the highest nominal annual amount on record, though, when adjusted for inflation, the figure falls hundreds of millions of pounds below the total reported in 20063 – the first year which includes sync and public performance. Growth in 2022 was again fuelled by climbing streaming revenues, which rose 6.3% year-on-year to £885 million and which now account for 67.2% of industry revenue – up from 66.2% in 2021. The rate of streaming growth and record label investment in A&R and marketing is enabling a great many more artists to 
Los Angeles, CA | A window into LA’s budding scene for Latin vinyl records: In an age that’s seen the rise of digitized music and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, physical media can seem like a relic of an era gone past; one where records spun on turntables in nearly every house in America. However, in recent years, old-school vinyl has reasserted itself back onto the music collectors’ scene. 2022 marked the 17th consecutive year that record sales grew, benefitting record shops and vinyl pressers alike. At Sonido del Valle, a shop in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, the vinyl comeback has mostly come in the form of Spanish-language records that underscore the area’s rich Latin American roots. Most of the shop’s offerings are used, and many are more than half a century old. “LA has a really long and rich history of Latin record labels that have been here since the beginning of recorded music,” said owner Rene Perez, who has been running the shop for around five years. “I was just sort of drawn to it. And that’s what kind of made me want to start specifically focusing on that 
