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

The biggest-selling rock album of 2024 may surprise you: The best-selling rock album of 2024 is 47 years old. In a year dominated by pop, country and hip-hop, Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 masterpiece Rumours was the highest-charting rock album on Billboard’s 2024 year-end chart, landing at No. 34, just one spot ahead of Elton John’s 2017 greatest hits collection Diamonds. Just 29 of the Top 200 albums on Billboard’s year-end 2024 chart were from rock artists. Depressingly, none of them were released this year. All but five of the 29 were greatest hits collections. Besides Rumours, the only non-compilation rock albums to make the chart were Nirvana’s Nevermind, AC/DC’s Back in Black, Linkin Park’s [Hybrid Theory] and Sublime’s self-titled 1996 album.

Kingston, UK | Kingston record store hailed as the ‘most influential’ in the UK: Kingston’s Banquet Records has been dubbed “the most influential record store in the UK right now at helping an artist or a band secure a number one,” by The New Statesman’s Hannah Barnes, in a podcast. Speaking about the concerts Banquet Records hosts at Pryzm, Barnes said: “They really do bring the big guns to Kingston. “In the last few years, we’ve seen some great people […] The Who, Elbow, Stormzy, Keen, Snow Patrol. “Billie Eilish was there in 2019. This year alone Rod Stewart, who, as if he didn’t need to be anyway, but is now confirmed as a legend by his 2025 Glastonbury booking. “So, they’re [Banquet Records] clearly doing something right.” Speaking about Banquet Records more generally, Barnes said: “Well they love music and any kind of music, but what they did very early on, even before it was Banquet Records when it was Beggars Banquet, is they tried to combine the person that buys records with the person that goes to gigs, and more recently they’ve done this with astounding success.”

Adelaide, AU | Celebrate 10 years of Crackle and Pop Records at The Wheaty: The pop-up record store is celebrating double digits with a special event at The Wheaty on Saturday, December 21. Adelaide’s favourite pop-up record store, Crackle & Pop Records, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this weekend with a special event at The Wheaty. Get down to everybody’s favourite craft brew pub in Thebarton from 2:00pm this Saturday and have some beers, buy some records and chat with the current owners Adam and Anita and their son Jack. The man who founded Crackle & Pop Records, Mark, will also be in attendance, so buy him a beer and let him regal you with tales about the early days of the business that first began as a stall at the Gilles St Market on December 21, 2014. Held in the front bar from 2:00pm until 6:00pm, music lovers can get their vinyl fill before catching The Adelaide Sax Pack perform later in the evening, with Bunnychownow serving up delish curries out front.

Palos Park, IL | Grooving into retirement: Teacher spins new life with record shop: Independent record shop Long Live Vinyl brings music lovers together with retro vibes and timeless grooves. In the 1960s, the record player wasn’t just a device—it was a lifestyle accessory as essential as shag carpeting and avocado-colored appliances. Nestled in the corner of countless living rooms, these spinning musical oracles brought rock, soul, and psychedelic grooves to the ears of America, all while sitting atop a sea of shag so thick it could probably host its own ecosystem. Families would gather around, pretending to listen to The Beatles or Motown hits, but let’s be honest, half the time they were just mesmerized by how the record player seemed to defy logic by spinning backward, while the music played forward.

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The Beatles had the bestselling Record Store Day Black Friday single: Fans of The Beatles were out in full force for Record Store Day Black Friday. Billboard reports that the Fab Four’s “I Want To Hold Your Hand”/”I Saw Her Standing There” 7-inch vinyl was the top-selling single on Record Store Day Black Friday, while the 3-inch vinyl release of “All My Loving” came in at #5. Stevie Nicks also had one of the bestselling singles, with the white-colored 7-inch vinyl of her latest single, “The Lighthouse,” landing at #3 behind Pearl Jam‘s “Waiting for Stevie (Live)”/”Wreckage (Live)” vinyl. U2 was also a big draw at independent record stores, with the How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb black and red colored vinyl the sixth-bestselling album on Record Store Day. Van Halen’s Live in Dallas 1981 on red colored double vinyl was #8, the Ramones’ Greatest Hits on red colored vinyl was #9 and the Grateful Dead’s four-vinyl LP set, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT 5/5/77, was #10.

El Cerrito, CA | Iconic Down Home Music expects to raise enough money to buy East Bay space: Fundraising continues as music store and 2 film and music nonprofits make downpayment on buildings. It appears the music will continue to play at an iconic record store on San Pablo Avenue. Down Home Music and two nonprofits feared they would lose the space they’ve occupied since the 1970s. Now the music store, Les Blank Films and The Arhoolie Foundation have secured a contract agreement with the property owners that will allow them to buy the buildings if they can raise some additional money. Harrod Blank, the owner of the film company his father founded in the 1970s, said the agreement gives the tenants until April 15 to raise $2.4 million. Blank said they have already made a 10% down payment. The group has started a Go Fund Me page with a goal of $65,000. So far, $53,000 has been raised from more than 300 donors.

Northwood, FL | Soulmates grooves in Northwood with retro vinyl and spin sessions: The vinyl culture, art, and entertainment have taken root here. Nicholas Estrada feels enthusiastic about being part of this movement and wants to contribute as much as possible to this new scene with his store, Soulmates. A new record store in Northwood is making some noise with a hip selection of vinyl records, turntables, and an interactive DJ for events. Soulmates owner Nicholas Estrada landed in West Palm Beach from Tampa, where he had been living for a while before he took off and started traveling around the world. “I’m a water person,” Estrada says. “I have a charter boat biz on the side. I lived abroad, in the Caribbean and Hawaii, but it was time to come home. I’ve always been a music lover and a fan of physical media. I wanted to start my own business, so here I am after I started collecting, doing markets, and getting the name out there. There was only one other record store in the West Palm area. I saw the need for another one.”

Nashville, TN | East Nashville record store celebrates 25th anniversary: Grimey’s New and Preloved music has been a Nashville staple for 25 years. In East Nashville, the beloved record store Grimey’s is celebrating 25 years in business. From new releases to old classics, the rows of records, vinyl and CDs bring regulars and visitors to the store every day. Grimey’s first started up in Berry Hill in December 1999, before moving to 8th Avenue South and finally to a former church on Trinity Lane. “I can’t believe it’s been 25 years, it just flew by, it’s crazy,” said co-owner and self-proclaimed vinylist Doyle Davis. “I think of Grimey’s as a gateway to the Old Nashville,” he went on. “If you just moved to Nashville and you love it, and you kind of feel lost finding your way in….if you want to be a local, shop at Grimey’s.” You can find all kinds of music, a bookstore, plus in-store performances and other events at Grimey’s.

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Noah Kahan, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo top Record Store Day Black Friday sales: If you spent Black Friday flipping through vinyls at your local indie record store, chances are you went home with albums by Noah Kahan and Billie Eilish. Noah had the top-selling Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 release, according to Billboard. His Town Hall (Stick Season Collaborations) on tiger eye brown vinyl collected all eight duets from his album Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever). They included collabs with Hozier, Gracie Abrams, Post Malone and Kacey Musgraves. Billie had the #2 release: A version of Hit Me hard and Soft with just the vocals isolated. Olivia Rodrigo‘s Guts (Spilled)—the deluxe version of her album Guts—was the #3 seller, pressed on red and purple vinyl.

Denver, CO | The Best Record Stores in Denver: From used jazz to new pop, the vast array of vinyl in Denver-area record stores makes for a collector’s heaven. Not so long ago, pundits predicted that vinyl records were going the way of the dinosaur. But that asteroid never hit. Instead, vinyl’s miraculous comeback in the age of streaming is every music collector’s unlikely dream come true. That is, if they don’t mind depositing their paychecks directly into the bank account of their local record store every month, particularly when Record Store Day hits twice each year: in April and on Black Friday in November. In pursuit of personal bankruptcy and a stellar record collection, here are a dozen of Denver’s best record stores—an embarrassment of turntable riches.

Columbia, SC | As it celebrates 45 years in Columbia, Papa Jazz Record Shoppe moves back home after renovations: When Papa Jazz Record Shoppe first opened in 1979, eight tracks and 78 rpm records made up the bulk of sales for the Five Points institution. Cassette tapes were years away from being the predominant music-listening medium. CDs were on the cusp of invention and more than a decade from relevancy. “There was no need for a credit card machine,” said Tim Smith, who bought the shop in the early ’80s and has owned it ever since. Forty-five years later, the medium may have changed but Papa Jazz has remained a stalwart hub for music lovers and casual listeners in Columbia. And because what was old is new again, vinyl records make up 70 percent of the shop’s sales, Smith said.

Coronado, CA | Imperial Beach Records & Radio Opens—A Trip Down Memory Lane For Some, New Experience For Others: It only took one look at the Thriller album by Micheal Jackson to remember my younger self, who traveled by train with a group of other kids to our high school. One of those kids had a connection with music. His family owned a record store. To save me a trip to buy it in person, my friend brought me the album on the train after the record came out, and I gave him cash for it. It’s something I haven’t thought about since it happened, but the memory is still strong. Some of us who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s remember buying vinyl records and playing them on the turntable. That bit of nostalgia has picked up more and more recently, with many buying turntables and records and remembering a time when life moved more slowly.

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Nuneaton, UK | Former Nuneaton beauty salon taken over by very different business: A former Nuneaton beauty salon has been given very different future – as a record shop. For almost a decade Beauty and Co was based on Church Road. The salon closed but a new business has opened up in the building, which is located opposite the Lamb and Flag pub. Reaper Records, according to its Link Tree page, is ‘bringing vinyl back from the dead‘. The independent store officially opened at the weekend and prides itself on buying and selling vinyl records and music memorabilia. The store is the new ‘HQ’ for the business, which also sells and buys on Instagram, eBay and Link Tree. Nuneaton is no stranger to playing home to independent record stores. For years, generations shopped in What Records in the town centre.

Columbia, SC | This legendary Columbia record shop has debuted renovations and upgrades. Take a look. The legend has returned home. Papa Jazz Record Shoppe, a staple in Columbia’s Five Points neighborhood for more than four decades, has officially reopened its longtime storefront at 2014 Greene St. The return to that address comes after roughly five months of renovations to the space. Papa Jazz had been operating out of a temporary space at 747 Saluda Ave. since July while the remodeling was going on. The return to 2014 Greene St. was marked Tuesday by a ceremony at the store that was attended by shop owner Tim Smith and his staff, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, City Councilman Will Brennan and a host of other city luminaries.

Washington, DC | Spin Time Records Has Opened a Physical Store: The Capitol Hill record store specializes in music from DC-area artists. Jon Lottman, who launched the virtual record store Spin Time Records in 2021, has opened a brick-and-mortar location to sell his well-curated selection of vinyl—a stock that heavily favors local musicians. Spin Time started as a pandemic-inspired career shift—Lottman used to work as a videographer and documentary filmmaker who focused on environmental issues. The idea was a way to combine the love he has for his hometown and his interest in record collecting. The Capitol Hill native says he believes that if record stores specialize in something, they bring a better experience to the customer. “People will ask, ‘Is this any good?’ If it’s in here, that means it’s at least pretty good,” he says. While the virtual business blossomed, Lottman spent years looking for a store location and jumping through bureaucratic hoops.

Dalston, UK | Vinyl Bitch: Dalston-based collective tackling turntablism inequality. …For the past year, Vinyl Bitch has been hosting monthly open decks at the queer venue Dalston Superstore on Kingsland High Street, but also workshops, record shop crawls and parties. Since they started, vinyl sales in the UK have hit the highest levels since 1990, and with over 15 record shops, their home borough Hackney is something of a hotspot for what’s now commonly referred to as the “vinyl revival”. Against this backdrop, Vinyl Bitch’s efforts to democratise vinyl DJ scene is riding the zeitgeist. “I think the timing of the resurgence of vinyl, and also the MeToo movement and kind of these continued discussions on making spaces more inclusive, and you know, FLINTA-focused spaces, I think just like… it’s time!” says founder Madison True, also known by her DJ alias MADDØG.

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5 Small Businesses Bringing Back Vinyl Records: Streaming may reign supreme, but these five small businesses see the value in tangible music. Vinyl records have seen a renaissance in the 21st century, and this trend is not slowing down. Demand for this analog medium has climbed over 17 consecutive years, and in 2022, LPs officially eclipsed CDs as the most popular physical recorded music format. Some speculate that nostalgia has driven the return to the turntable, while others credit Record Store Day for the vinyl revival. Whatever the reason, these five small businesses were inspired by this comeback and are among the few record-pressing outfits in the nation.

Columbia, SC | Columbia celebrates the grand re-opening of Papa Jazz Record Shoppe: Papa Jazz Record Shoppe in Columbia is celebrating its grand re-opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2014 Greene Street. Five Points Association and owner of Papa Jazz Record Shoppe, Tim Smith, has owned the record store since 1982. The record store remains the last of several that once lined the city’s Five Points district. …Papa Jazz offers a wide selection of records across all music genres, providing a vibrant marketplace for buying, selling, and trading vinyl records and CDs. Papa Jazz is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Asheville, NC | Static Age Records encounters an uncertain financial future following Hurricane Helene: Staff at Asheville record store and music venue, Static Age Records, face the effects of insufficient fall tourism as they continue to host live music. “Through the wake of the aftermath you couldn’t think of anything else to do besides help. It wasn’t until three weeks later we realized we were now struggling,” said Sophie Hull, Static Age Records’ director of operations. In the weeks following Hurricane Helene, Hull and Jesse McSwain, owner of Static Age Records, said they did roughly 20 percent of the business they normally do due to a lack of tourism in downtown Asheville. “Everybody makes all of their yearly money in a few months with slow time in between,” McSwain said of local businesses in Asheville. “Some businesses rely totally on tourism, I’m sure. At least we have a lot of local connection.”

Edinburgh, UK | 25-year record: Inside the Edinburgh hi-fi business embracing the vinyl revival and streaming: Twenty-five years is a very long time in the rapidly-changing world of audio. Back in 1999, compact discs and cassettes dominated the music consumption market, the vinyl record appeared to be in terminal decline, a minority of people were downloading tunes and the file-sharing start-up Napster had only just begun disrupting the status quo. Fast forward to the dying days of 2024 and digital streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal now account for well over four-fifths of our music consumption in the UK, the CD has almost gone the way of the dodo, despite talk of a mini revival, and the (original) Napster is but a faded memory. And, to the delight of those who still value the physical, the 12-inch long-player is enjoying a surprise renaissance.

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Music Lovers Are Ditching Streaming For Vinyl: According to The Economist, vinyl is having a huge resurgence, growing faster than streaming with a rate of 15.4%, compared to streaming’s 10.4%. Even more impressively, vinyl has outsold CDs for the fourth consecutive year. What’s driving this vinyl resurgence? The answer is devoted music lovers, who are snapping up records from their favorite artists, with Taylor Swift leading the charge. In April, Taylor smashed records with her album The Tortured Poets Department, selling a staggering 700,000 vinyl copies in just three days. And her dominance doesn’t end there with her albums accounting for an astonishing 7% of all vinyl sales in 2023, with over 3.4 million records sold that year alone. The vinyl boom is proof that, even in a digital age, fans still value the tangible connection and nostalgia that only physical records can provide.

Glasgow, UK | We visit Blitzkrieg record shop which has moved to a new premise across from the Barrowlands: From live music to rare records to special prints Blitzkrieg is an artistic hub in Glasgow’s East End. All of Glasgow’s independent record shops have adopted their own unique positioning in the structure of the city’s social fabric, each driven by a passion for analogue music, specialised genres and an ambition to immerse in community. Individually they are an expression of a person’s creative interests, reflected in design and stock, and because of the healthy offering there is a hub suitable to almost every taste. It is commonly believed that Glasgow punches above its weight when it comes to musical offering and the demand for these stores is proof of that. Along the Gallowgate, directly across from the Barrowland Ballroom is Blitzkrieg—recently relocated from a smaller premise on London Road. At its core it embodies the city’s DIY spirit and approach to music, a trove of rare finds and host of live sessions.

Athens, OH | ROAR brings the noise to Athens: Despite the rise of the MP3 and platforms such as iTunes and Spotify, recent years have seen a resurgence of the record store. While big record store chains disappeared around the time of the Great Recession of 2008, boutique record stores began to emerge from the ashes. Unlike compact discs or cassette tapes, vinyl records have a unique appeal because of a combination of nostalgia, collectibility and sound quality. In 2022, nearly $1.2 billion worth of vinyl records were sold in the United States. Republic of Athens Records, also known by the abbreviation ROAR, opened in November 2021. Initially located at 79 E. State St. near Stimson Avenue, ROAR moved to a new location at 30 E. State St. in 2022. At present, ROAR’s neighbors include The Side Bar, the Bleeding Heart Boutique and Passion Works Studio. According to Mackenzie “Mac” Price, ROAR’s social media marketing director, the move has been beneficial…

Fullerton, CA | OC’s punk legacy lives on at Fullerton record store: Being a punkhead himself, William Evans, owner of Black Hole Records and guitarist of SoCal punk band Naughty Women, was looking for better ways to make a living while still being in the music industry. He had worked many different jobs throughout his life, at one point working in a newspaper mailroom, but he was always in bands and the world of music always found its way into his life. Evans figured working at a record store would help him fulfill his wishes. However, with many store owners he worked with being incompetent by his standards, he decided to use the connections he made during that time to open his own record store. Born out of the Orange County punk scene, Black Hole Records has been serving Fullerton’s community of individuals looking to escape mainstream media since 1986. The store originally got its name from the notorious Black Hole, a flophouse and hangout for punk and LGBTQIA+ youth that was also considered one of the birthplaces of OC punk.

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Carlisle, UK | Five independent Carlisle shops worth checking out for Christmas shopping: Vinyl Cafe. Perhaps the most unique cafe in town, Vinyl Cafe is both a fantastic record shop and a small cafe in the back. Their stock is constantly changing and they’ll usually have the newest and most popular releases for record collectors and casual spinners alike, as well as a decent selection of second-hand discs. They’re also an ardent participant of Record Store Day which, if you didn’t know, is one of the saving graces for independent music shops that both encourages people to visit their local store and also involves unique and very limited releases distributed to various shops. Make the music head in your family happy, and support a local shop, by shopping here for Christmas this year.

Fort Worth, TX | Made in Tarrant: How this Fort Worth record store became a staple in Foundry District: Jenkins Boyd is the owner of Doc’s Records & Vintage at 2628 Weisenberger St. in Fort Worth’s Foundry District. Founded in 2006, the family-owned business is home to new and used vinyl records, CDs and cassette tapes. Doc’s also sells vintage goods, including clothing, posters, magazines, comics and music memorabilia. The store was founded in Hurst and moved to several spaces before opening the doors to its current location in 2018. “…I sell more records now than I did five or 10 years ago. The kinds of records that I sell have shifted dramatically. Before I moved here, we had maybe 500 new titles—we didn’t have a ton. We sold way more used stock back in the old spot. Now, we sell a lot more new records that we get from a distributor. Clientele shifted a little bit younger as well. I know that buying records has become more hip with the younger crowd, which I’m all for.”

LA | Consider gifting music this year as the Year of Louisiana Music wraps up: With Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the rearview mirror, are you still searching for that perfect present for a special someone? Give the gift of Louisiana music. …When someone gifts music genres born in the state — like zydeco, Cajun, swamp pop and jazz — they’re putting money in the pockets of a neighbor, friend and maybe even a family member. While the music can be streamed, the artists only receive fractions of a penny per stream. Some bands still produce CDs, which are perfect stocking stuffers that make Christmas much more merry. Lagniappe Records in Lafayette, Floyd’s Record Shop in Ville Platte and Louisiana Music Factory in New Orleans are just a few stores that stock CDs, even vinyl. Google “record stores near me” and you’ll be surprised at the results. If CDs don’t work, go to live shows. Pay the cover.

Lancashire, UK | Home of iconic Accrington record shop people travel the world to visit is put up for sale: The home of one of Lancashire’s most eye-catching businesses has gone up for sale. Number 39 Blackburn Road has been home to Custard Cube for the past decade, and is crammed, floor to ceiling with records, CDs, books and music memorabilia. The record shop, which calls itself Accrington’s Museum of Pop Culture, is regularly visited by music enthusiasts from far and wide – some travelling from as far as Japan and Russia. While the business isn’t for sale—only the premises—the future of the shop once sold is unclear, with the agent keen to point out it is an ‘excellent investment opportunity.’ Owner Jim Bowes declined to comment when approached by the Post. Portfolio Properties say the property “needs some upgrading, but offers deceptively spacious space in a convenient location close to Accrington town centre with access to the M65”. They are seeking offers in excess of £85,000.

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How the Vinyl Record Revival Is Spinning Into the Future: Vinyl got its groove back over a decade ago. Now, record manufacturers are looking at new materials and production processes to keep the party going. Back in the mid-1980s, as surely as video had killed the radio star a few years earlier, it seemed inevitable that CDs would relegate vinyl records to the landfill of history. I was not an early adopter, to put it mildly. My record collection, to which I was emotionally attached, numbered in the thousands. …Then, right around 2010, something miraculous happened: Vinyl began to bounce back. It’s been on an upward trajectory ever since, as the chart below illustrates. In fact, 2023 was the 17th consecutive year of growth for vinyl album sales, according to data compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). What’s more, sales of records last year surpassed CDs for the first time since 1987.

Rotorua, NZ | Rotorua’s new JB Hi-Fi set to open, generating more jobs for city: The “last major retailer of physical music” is opening a store in Rotorua, creating 30 local jobs. JB Hi-Fi is opening its doors in Rotorua Central today in time for Christmas shoppers, a statement from the retailer said. Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell says the store opening is “great news”, particularly as it had brought more jobs to the city, while the Chamber of Commerce says it “speaks volumes” about business confidence in Rotorua. A local “retro” store says if it helps get more locals back into vinyl records, it will have a “positive effect” on his business. JB Hi-Fi marketing manager Jon Kirman confirmed the 30 jobs had been filled by locals. Kirman said the economy was still “tough”, with a lot of unemployment and redundancies. “We’re just super-proud to be going through this expansion project and adding people to our business…”

Dallas, TX | Leon Bridges brings a kick-back vibe to album signing at Dallas record shop: Leon Bridges emerges from the back of Oak Cliff’s Spinster Records and pulls up a seat at the signing table. It’s Sunday at 2 p.m., and Fort Worth’s coolest cat looks the part, with his oversized vintage sunglasses, brown leather jacket and black gloves. “Chill” is the word that comes to mind as he sits in front of a Christmas tree decorated with 45s, the soulful sounds of his latest album, Leon, playing on repeat inside the small store. …Over the next 90 minutes, about 200 people will get their Leon Bridges album — or poster, or T-shirt — signed. His friends Christopher Hamilton and Brandon Westbrooks stand on each side of him, helping with the logistics of wrappers and bags, though they step out of frame as he poses for one picture after another. In that casual way of stars, he doesn’t smile but occasionally throws up the peace sign.

CA | KFC Canada’s Kentucky Fried Carols Vinyl Will Have You Spinning This Holiday Season: There’s a unique kind of silence that falls over the table during holiday dinners – a moment of stillness when everyone is too busy savouring their food to say much. It’s that peaceful pause when the meal takes centre stage, and conversation fades into the background. But this year, KFC Canada is spinning things around and seizing the silence… by offering something no one saw coming into the holiday mix. Introducing ‘Kentucky Fried Carols’, a first-ever playable vinyl record made from the legendary bucket lid, allowing you to fill the room with Christmas classics this holiday season. The same lid that keeps your crispy chicken fresh, can now be spun on a record player after all plates are served.

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Edinburgh, UK | Iconic Edinburgh record store ‘Elvis Shakespeare’ for sale after nearly 20 years: One of Edinburgh’s best-loved independent shops has gone up for sale – after nearly 20 years of trading in the city. Elvis Shakespeare, on Leith Walk, shared the surprise news on social media on Tuesday (December 3). The legendary store, which sells rare vinyl, CDs and books, is available for £270,000. In a post on Facebook, owner David Griffin wrote: “Business now for sale for £270,000. Freehold Business plus website. Profitable, 20000 items. Any enquiries please contact David via email or pop into the shop.” Elvis Shakespeare has been open since May 2005. The shop regularly features on lists of the Capital’s best-loved businesses.

Pittsburgh, PA | Inside George’s Song Shop, America’s oldest record store: John George says he has more than a million vinyl records in stock at his record store in downtown Johnstown. But his business, George’s Song Shop, may be best known for a different kind of record. The shop is believed to hold the record as the oldest record store in America. George’s Song Shop was founded in 1932 by John George’s father, Eugene George, and his uncle, Bernie George. John’s Uncle Bernie sold his share of the business to John’s father in 1941. John George, now 82, became the owner of the business at age 19, after his father’s death. While the store has relocated five times, the business has survived The Great Depression, two floods, a fire and the former popularity of compact disks. “If we don’t have it, nobody does,” John George said as a 1950s song by The Cadillacs played from behind the front counter.

CT | FYE to close at least three of its Connecticut stores, staff say. Music, movies, and pop-culture collectibles retailer FYE is getting ready to reduce the number of stores it has in Connecticut, according to staff who spoke this week with Hearst Connecticut Media. Mall-based stores in Waterbury, Danbury and Meriden will be closing after the start of the new year, employees in those stores told Hearst Connecticut Media. The employees, who spoke on the condition that their names not be used out of fear that the company would discipline them, said they haven’t yet been told the exact closing date. Officials at the Brass Mill Center mall in Waterbury, Danbury Fair Mall and Meriden Mall have not responded to requests for comment on when the FYE store closings will take place in those locations.

Rancho Mirage, CA | Vintage Vinyl Records Await at Victoria’s Attic Antiques in Rancho Mirage: From Beatles originals to Streisand classics, this hidden gem in Rancho Mirage is a vinyl lover’s paradise. I spent my teenage days in the 1970s scouring Tower Records, Musicland, The Wherehouse, and an Orange County store named Licorice Pizza for records. In the ‘80s, vinyl was replaced by the compact disc, and finally, iTunes relegated the record store to a thing of the past. Well, no more — vinyl is back — and so is my fascination for that 12-inch black disc with all its clicks and scratches. Looking to rebuild my collection, I stumbled on Victoria’s Attic Antique Mall, an antique store in Rancho Mirage with everything you could ever want to find. But for me, it’s the roughly 12-by-12-foot area in the middle of the store filled with bins of records organized from A to Z with special sections for jazz, classical, and show tunes. There’s even a special bin for Streisand and Manilow.

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New York, NY | Vinyl records have taken over—and growing more popular than streaming: Retro-obsessed Gen Zers have revived a relic of the last century: vinyl records. The antiquated albums have boomed in popularity in recent years as the young generation flocks to buy vinyls from fan-favorite artists such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Billie Artist hawk records of their latest hits. Former Spotify economist Will Page predicts that record labels will gross $1 billion by the end of the year in vinyl sales alone. Globally, the old-school vessel for music is expected to overtake CDs, he wrote in a recent report. In fact, the economist reported that vinyl outpaced streaming, with records growing 15.4% and streaming only 10.4%. “Like the boy who cried wolf, we’ve been told again and again that the resurgence in vinyl is a blip, not a trend,” Page wrote in a column for Billboard earlier this year. “Yet for 18 straight years, it has continued to surpass expectations.”

Amersham, UK | Amersham’s Record Shop owner on supporting local businesses: The owner of an independent record store in Amersham has reiterated the importance of using local businesses as we get closer to Christmas. Graeme Campbell, 67, has been the proprietor of The Record Shop in the town since its formation in 2005, and during his near two-decade stint in running the shop, he has moved on three occasions, battled a recession and a global pandemic. With many independents closing up and down the land, the Hill Avenue store remains standing and whilst he admitted that ‘every day is a challenge’, it is one that he ‘loves’, as he has no plans of retiring. Mr Campbell, who has been in the record-selling business for nearly 50 years, told the Free Press: “When I started in 2005, I think, from memory, we were in a recession, and I thought we were at the bottom of that recession. Normally when that happens, you move up quite rapidly to a boom-or-bust sort of thing, but we have coasted along the bottom of this ‘recession’ and it did at a point look precarious, but I never wanted to throw the towel in.”

London, UK | Yorkshire record shop Recycle Vinyl opens East London branch: The Dalston shop recently hosted a launch party with Jerome Hill. A new record shop has opened in East London. Located on Birkbeck Mews in Dalston, Recycle Vinyl is the second branch of the Yorkshire shop of the same name. The space, which opens on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, stocks thousands of new-and-second-hand records, and also has a bar licence. A launch party with Jerome Hill took place last month. “In some respects, if you can make a record shop work in the sleepy, deprived small town of Elland in West Yorkshire then you can make it work anywhere,” the team shared. “We’re not trying to be cool or follow any of the latest trends, we just want to create an environment where people can dig and not be judged or pushed into buying things. We’re more like the B&M of the dance world, you always end up buying more than you than you went in for.”

Huntsville, AL | What’s Spinning?: With House of Sound. Joseph Scott is the owner of House of Sound, a vintage home audio, neon, vinyl records, CD’s, cassettes, vintage t-shirts and more store. Born and raised in North Alabama, Scott has traveled all around the country with his parents. “I’ve loved music as long as I can remember, from listening to my parents’ 50’s and 60’s albums (Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the Beatles) to my dad’s love of country music (Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Marty Robbins). …Four years ago, Joseph got back into home audio and 2-channel listening again and decided to start building up a collection of CDs and even albums again. He drove over to his parents’ house and dug out his old Eagles, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Madonna, and ZZ-Top albums. He quickly started buying up receivers, speakers, and all the gear he had back in the day to start listening to his tunes as if it was for the 1st time.

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UK | As Rough Trade reveals albums of 2024, MD says record shops are crucial part of ‘delicate ecosystem.’ Rough Trade has revealed its Albums Of The Year list for 2024 as the retailer reports strong sales growth. The list landed last week and was topped by the posthumous album by Sophie, as well as featuring releases by English Teacher, The Last Dinner Party, Laura Marling and Charli XCX. In case you missed it, the full Top 20 albums are below. Sales of physical music in the UK are up roughly 10% year-on-year with Rough Trade ahead of the market, according to the retailer. Music Week has reported on the prospect of the first overall units increase annually in physical music in two decades. …Their stores have also seen an increase in footfall of 15% from last year. For September, Rough Trade reported sales growth of 37% year-on-year. “Physical sales are in a strong position with vinyl continuing to drive growth and CD having found its place in the market after years of decline,” said Rough Trade MD Lawrence Montgomery.

Huntsville, AL | Audiophiles: You need to check out these 3 exceptional local record stores: Are you a fellow vinyl connoisseur and music aficionado? Then you should check out some of Huntsville’s best local record stores! As Christmas approaches, browsing record stores is also a great way to find presents for your favorite collectors or, for college students like myself, unwind while studying for finals. These 3 record stores each have unique inventories and aesthetics that make them all worth checking out for any Huntsville vinyl-lover. Black Rose Records: Black Rose Records begins our list by not only possessing what is, in my opinion, perhaps the best new arrivals section in Huntsville, but also showcasing some more niche offerings for the most specific tastes. Additionally, the store itself has the hole-in-the-wall aesthetic that makes the act of shopping for vinyl itself the romanticized experience it’s meant to be…

Elizabethtown, PA | Business Review: Etown Record Lounge. Music is an important part of many people’s everyday lives, and in recent years it has become increasingly popular to collect physical copies of albums in the form of vinyl records and CDs. If you’re a fan of retro music, Etown Record Lounge might be a one-stop shop for all of your listening needs. Located at 9 S. Market Street in downtown Elizabethtown, next to Frugal Finds. The store is within a reasonable walking distance or very quick drive. …Etown Record Lounge’s selection really shines regarding its collection of vinyls, as suggested by its name. There are albums ranging from classic rock to modern musicals, including a few collectors’ editions on display towards the front of the store.

Dundee, UK | Do you remember these Dundee record shops? Some still prefer the ritual of buying music and browsing a record shop. Which ones do you miss most? Record shops were an essential part of growing up in Dundee. Names like Bruce’s, Cathie McCabe’s, Chalmers and Joy, Forbes, Larg’s and Rockpile may be gone but won’t be forgotten. Places where we got our chart singles and albums before streaming came along. Groucho’s was Dundee’s most famous record shop. HMV, Our Price and Virgin Records were high street competitors. John Menzies sold cassette tapes and vinyl singles and albums in the Murraygate. Maybe you bought your music at Dens Road Market or the Keiller Centre? Not all of them have survived the test of time. How many of these do you remember?

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Music Industry Revenues Hit $45.5 Billion, Surpassing Cinema: Global music industry revenues reached $45.5 billion in 2023, surpassing cinema’s pre-pandemic peak of $41.9 billion in 2019. This growth is driven by streaming platforms and the resurgence of vinyl records, according to a report based on data from industry trade bodies. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music contributed significantly to this growth. Revenues from record labels and artists rose 12% to $28.5 billion, while music publishers and songwriters accounted for about a third of the total revenue. Physical music sales, especially vinyl records, grew faster than streaming revenues. Vinyl sales rose by 15.4%, with U.S. vinyl sales expected to hit $1 billion by the end of 2024, potentially surpassing CD sales.

Los Angeles, CA | 10 Must-Visit Record Stores In Los Angeles For Music Lovers: From iconic vinyls that are almost historical pieces to the latest releases from both alternative and mainstream artists, these record stores have everything a music enthusiast needs. When streaming services first emerged, many predicted the complete extinction of physical music formats. However, several years later, in the 21st century, vinyls, CDs, and cassettes are making a comeback as music stars release unique pieces worthy of any collection. Whether you’re a fan of music, pop culture, movie soundtracks, or just enjoy some retail therapy with a side of melodies, let’s explore the best record stores in Los Angeles.

Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga record shop faces back-to-back burglaries, lost $1,200 in merchandise: Owners of the local record shop ‘For the Record’ in Chattanooga’s Northgate Mall are urging people to come forward with information about suspects after facing back-to-back burglaries earlier this week. Camera footage at the store shows a man walking into the store on Monday with a woman following close behind. The two browsed through records for a few minutes until the man picked up a stack of records, hid them in his coat, and walked out. The woman followed behind him a few moments later. …Co-owner Mike Bell says one of the store employees, after having witnessed the burglary, ran outside to stop them. “My employee chased them out in a parking lot, and they left in a blue truck, and they were gone,” he says.

New York, NY | The Lo-Down Culture Cast—Gary Guarinello of Catalyst Records: Host Traven Rice spoke with Gary Guarinello, founder of Catalyst Records in Essex Market, for this episode of The Lo-Down Culture Cast. Gary is a drummer and a music lover who is also a former butcher. He was working at The Market Line Food Hall at Ends Meat when he pitched the idea for a record store, which he opened in 2022. When the food hall shut down in the lower level of Essex Market, he moved Catalyst Records upstairs, across from Top Hops Beer Shop, and began hosting live music events, podcasts, and other local art openings and book signings. You can listen to the full episode here or wherever you get your podcasts and you can watch it on our YouTube Channel here. And please subscribe and “like” The Lo-Down Culture Cast, if you are so inclined.

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Bloomington, IN | Unbound – Vinyl revival: Why vinyl records are here to stay. In this episode of Unbound, we dive into the world of vinyl records and explore the surprising resurgence of physical media in an increasingly digital world. Vinyl has made a comeback in a big way, with sales reaching levels not seen since the 1980s, and we’re here to unpack why this analog format continues to captivate new generations of music lovers. We talk to collectors, industry insiders, and local record stores about what makes vinyl so special—its warm sound, the tangible connection to music, and the ritual of flipping through records. …In this episode, we discuss how vinyl has evolved, the rise of niche collectors, and why owning a physical copy of music is more meaningful than ever. Whether you’re a lifelong vinyl enthusiast or a curious newcomer, you’ll come away with a renewed appreciation for the art of vinyl records.

Dallas, TX | Dallas record store chain Josey Records spins new location in Garland: Dallas music maker Josey Records has extended its reach east: The record store chain, whose empire includes one of the largest single independent record stores in the U.S., has opened a location in Garland, at 1005 Northwest Hwy., at the intersection of Centerville Road, where it’s selling its trademark assortment of vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, turntables, music posters, new releases, and music accessories. This is the sixth location and the third in the Dallas area, joining the original in Farmers Branch which owners Waric Cameron and Luke Sardello opened in November 2014. They’ve since opened locations in Plano, Tulsa, Kansas City, and Vidalia, Missouri. The original location is a giant place with 16,000 square feet devoted to vinyl, 45s, CDs, and turntables.

Bristol, UK | Beloved record store reopens after two-year closure: A beloved record store that specialises in local music has reopened, two years after shutting its doors. Chris Farrell who runs Idle Hands in Bristol, announced in 2022 that his shop on City Road would have to close due to pressures around Covid, Brexit and the cost of living crisis. After operating out of a storage unit since the closure, Mr Farrell has now opened in a new location on Lower Park Row, near the Christmas Steps. He said he feels “really lucky” and is “very grateful” to see that people were excited for its reopening. “I had a couple of false starts and properties that fell through, it was never my intention to close for two years, but that’s what happened,” he said. “A month ago I was offered this new location, I feel quite lucky, it’s a nice way to round off 2024.”

Cincinnati, OH | Alien Records becomes Cincinnati’s latest music destination: The new Over-the-Rhine record shop intends to be a music enthusiast’s pastime paradise. Timothy Henninger’s predilection with records began as a child when he bought Michael Jackson’s Thriller LP from a Thriftway in Western Hills. By high school, art and record stores were his sanctuaries. With enthusiasm, he recollects how the record players at his Catholic school had a quarter taped to the tone arm for weight, and how when he taught art, he used the same model in his classroom and at the gym. (Believe it or not, the self-proclaimed gym rat toted a portable record player and LPs to workouts instead of a Spotify playlist.) Earlier this month, Henninger bid farewell to coworkers at Hard Rock Casino to open a record store. After a successful soft launch on November 8, he and his partner, Aaron, officially opened Alien Records at 1207 Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine.

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The Growth of Vinyl and the Impact of Independent Record Stores on Vinyl Sales: While many in our industry focus on streaming consumption and the billions of streams that occur weekly, there is another consumption format that has shown growth year after year for the last 18 years straight: vinyl album sales. In fact, vinyl album sales growth began long before streaming even emerged as a way to consume music. Since 2016, vinyl album sales have increased from 13.1 million to 49.6 million in 2023, a growth of nearly 300% over the last eight years. The total number of vinyl albums purchased since 2016 is 224.9 million. So which strata had the biggest impact over that time span, accounting for 45% of all vinyl sales and equaling more than 100 million sales total? That would be independent record stores.

FL | Record Store Day Black Friday: Where to go in SWFL. Record Store Day Black Friday is approaching quickly, and if you’re not looking for a new TV or a video game console, go to your local record store, as they will have exclusive deals to expand your record collection. The last Record Store Day was held on April 20 and as tradition follows, the next is on Black Friday. Southwest Florida record stores will be partaking. Stellar Records in Fort Myers has ordered exclusive titles and prepared countless quality used records, CDs and cassettes for sale. In addition to the Black Friday Record Store Day titles, they are offering 20% off used records, a limited-edition Stellar Records patch, gift card specials and a mystery prize pack raffle worth over $150. Stellar’s last Record Store Day had a large turnout. People gathered early in the morning and waited outside to get their favorite records.

Toronto, CA | Rhythm is Toronto’s newest venue, record shop and studio. The women-owned and operated space officially opened its doors earlier this month. Toronto has a new venue. Rhythm, located in the city’s downtown core, consists of two recording studios, a performance space and a retail shop featuring records plus electronic music merchandise. It also has an outdoor area for street fairs and other events. Rhythm currently posesses a limited-edition Xone92 mixer, allegedly the only one in Toronto, and is working on building a custom sound system. Owned and operated by women, Rhythm launched on November 4th and plans to host two parties per week in addition to educational programmes such as workshops on the music business, gear demos and networking mixers. The team said it can also offer A&R and strategy advice to budding artists as part of its focus on community building.

Buffalo, NY | Mack Luchey’s Spirit Still Lives on at Doris Records: The Buffalo fixture is more than a record store, it’s a family legacy. In contrast to the lake effect clouds darkening the Buffalo skies in the middle of the day, I recognized the radiant turquoise and yellow paint of my destination immediately. The record store stood out next to the rest of the empty, Rust Belt street called Mach Luchey Way, named after the old owner of the record store actually. Outside it was dark, windy, and by the time I left the store, snowing. But inside Doris Records, it is warm and cheerful. Behind layers of clothes, underwear, CDs, records, and other odd items and products for sale, Sean Carter oversees the store from behind the counter. 52-year-old Carter—whose nickname is Big Pete—is in charge of the store. But he’s not the owner, he insists. Carter claims that his late father, Mack Luchey, is still the owner to him and that his spirit still lives inside the store.

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Bristol, UK | Bristol’s Idle Hands record shop reopens this week: Bristol’s Idle Hands record shop is reopening this week after a two-year closure. The beloved Bristol record institution, first opened in 2011, will welcome crate diggers to its new “centrally located” space tomorrow, Wednesday 20th November, owner Chris Farrell shared on Instagram. “Although it was never my intention to be closed for two years, after some false starts and dead ends, Idle Hands is finally re-opening this Wednesday”, he wrote. Farrell will reveal the exact address and opening hours that morning, too. Farrell told Resident Advisor the relaunched shop will stock “a carefully curated selection of new and second-hand records”. “I’m eager to hear from customers about what they’re looking for and will shape the stock accordingly” he said. “A record shop is always a work in progress… DJ Skillis (who will be working alongside me) and I look forward to welcoming customers old and new.”

San Antonio, TX | ‘Tejano and Proud’ at Janie’s Record Shop: Little Henry Lee occupies the back-corner makeshift stage of Janie’s Record Shop. Humming fills the sound waves as Lee tests his equipment. Intrigued by Lee’s sound tests, patrons halt their surveying of the store’s vinyl and grab a seat to listen to his yearnful love ballads. He belts tunes of his own and others while offering tidbits of Hispanic music history. Bystanders become absorbed by the euphonious vocals and keyboard playing. The mail carrier walks in to drop off a package and stays to dance for a bit before he is handed a Coke and continues on with his day. “Record what you feel, and you win,” Lee remarked. “Know what you’re trying to say and who you’re saying it to.” The statement applies to his music and Janie’s business. Although the shop’s primary focus is to sell physical media, the creation of a collective remains at the heart of the store’s mission. With this goal in mind, the business has been thriving for nearly 30 years.

Nashville, TN | Daydream Records Sets Up Shop: Talking with Daniel Halal about his recently opened used-only retail spot in the Shoppes on Fatherland. Music City’s record retail landscape welcomed a newcomer with the Nov. 1 arrival of Daydream Records. A 200-square-foot space in the Shoppes on Fatherland near Five Points, Daydream is packed thoughtfully with some 3,000 carefully chosen LPs, 7-inches and cassettes spanning punk, jazz, metal, psych and more. …You’ll also meet proprietor Daniel Halal. The 39-year-old has worked in the record-store biz in his home state of Florida since 2003, while also logging time as tour manager for Miami doom-grunge legends Torche. …With Record Store Day Black Friday right around the corner, I recently spoke with Halal about the record store scene and where Daydream fits in.

Columbus, MS | Community Profile: Rockin’ Records owner opens shop due to son’s interest in vinyl: In some respects, Larry Pierson would be an unlikely record store owner. Born in 1970, Pierson’s interest in popular music in general, and heavy metal in particular, didn’t emerge until he was about 12 years old, which roughly coincided with the transition of recorded music from vinyl records and eight-track tapes to cassettes. Before that change, record stores in Columbus were plentiful – Newsoms (later Camelot) in Leigh Mall, Elysian Fields, Fraction, Caldwell Furniture Record Rack and Bryan’s Records and Pets. The record store wasn’t merely a place to buy the latest album, it was a gathering place for teens and young adults in the 1960s and 1970s. Record stores were part of the culture. As the change in formats took hold, one by one, the record stores began to close.

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