Vanishing NYC: Record stores

New York City was once home to record mega stores, and strips of Mom & Pop record shoppes that lined city blocks. Despite big box stores and streaming pressing pause on many record stores in the city… vinyl is hotter than ever in this modern age of music. Good Day NY’s Ryan Kristafer showcases Record Stores in our ongoing series “Vanishing New York” - and how local, passionate vinyl stores are keeping the industry alive and well.
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[@ewnyMetroExpress]

Technology, gentrification, interests all contribute to the disappearances of mega record stores. I remember I used to hop in HMV or Tower after school and spent an hour or so browsing around. It was a fond memory.

[@thiscorrosion900]

The old 4th St. Tower Records is what I sorely miss, besides the small indie shops in the W. Village and E. Villages, because Tower's Jazz and Classical upper floors were
impeccable, and they had an immense selection. I'm more of a rock and pop collector and fanatic, but later I got into classical and jazz, (more modern and avant garde)
and Tower had everything at 4th St. Other Music around the corner was also a gem. Now, I cannot even find a record store (esp. on LI NY here) that even has any classical and barely any jazz. It's distressing. Virgin Megastore was great, too, especially for all the imports and hard to find indie stuff. Years earlier I used to come into the city and rely on tiny stores like
Second Coming, 9-9 Records, Bleecker Bob's, Revolution, and others to fill my college radio/indie punk alt. needs. Now, there's not much left. Vinyl is emphasized but the prices
are getting outrageous now, too. Vinyl is only good if you put together a quality rig: high end turntable, or nearly, a good receiver or amp, and some good powered
speakers, preferably, and/or some very good headphones. And, it's highly debatable whether vinyl always sounds superior to CDs, it doesn't, necessarily. That depends
on many factors.

[@toneriggz]

The transplants love vinyl, so you’ll see a lot of small record shops in Brooklyn. Personally, I loved Fat Beats NY and Other Music in Manhattan. Both closed down years ago, there’s even a great documentary about Other Music and it’s closing.
I used to go to Coconuts and The Wiz in Flushing, Tower at Lincoln Center, Virgin in Times Square and Union Square, Sam Goody in Queens Center Mall, FYE in Astoria, Ridgewood and Jackson Heights, Sound City in Astoria, J&R Music, Mondo Kim’s. All those are gone. I know Rough Trade moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan. And I believe Academy Records is still around.
If you don’t mind buying used, Book Off in Midtown sells a lot of used media.

[@billlombard9911]

Tower records in the village , bleeker bobs , rebel rebel

[@rafaellopez4327]

I used to go to Music Hut in Brooklyn that was best known for its selection of Latin music from all decades

[@jdenino6022]

great story, brought some tears to my eyes.

[@rockturtleneck]

From 1994-98, lived a couple blocks from the aforementioned HMV store on 86th and Lex and would go in there and browse and buy records a few times a week. It was a great place. As Jim Kerr said, the jazz room alone was bigger than most stores. In 1995, Stevie Wonder did a free promotional show on the lower level at 2am on a weeknight. I waited in line and got in and he and his band did an incredible show for about 200 people in a tiny setup on the record store floor. What a memory. I still love records and get a lot of pleasure playing my own collection plus the jazz LPs I inherited from my father. Streaming has its place and is incredibly convenient but there really is nothing like the tactile and visceral experience of vinyl.

[@ManChan-w5p]

J&R Music world Park Row. Thank goodness for TH-cam because vinyl and imports were unaffordable to me. Rosanna Scotto is right the Colony had memorabilia.

[@Morales-nt6vi]

We had this throughout the city it will never be the same. Back in the day we had a Dj in almost every block. Now all we have is BS!

[@chrisshenzo2594]

8th Avenue Records was the most fun ever. Floor to ceiling cutouts & classics and you might even get to explore a box where there'd be magazines which took the love of animals to a truly twisted level.
The sweet elder,Max, around the corner from St. Marks on E 7th was also a treasure trove of gently used vinyl and records of all genres as rare as a useful politician !

[@bluemantom77]

I never gave up on vinyl I grew up with it in the 1980's 45 rpm was still sold

[@alainvincent1309]

Vinyl Mania On Carmine Street

[@LuMagazine]

Where is the first Monday segment on clubs with Michael Musto?

[@billlombard9911]

Rebel rebel records , village . Was The best

[@pjcasale]

I have a lot of old school hip hop vinyl & dance music Im looking to get rid of.

[@theantagonizer958]

I don’t see the big deal in records. Now cds that’s a different thing and I believe cd will be back

[@markjamesmeli2520]

Record stores are such a screw job!

[@currentphonograph7487]

Killer story. I think vinyl records have got too expensive though

[@jeffreyowens3966]

MORNING 🎉 with 💕 LOVELY ROSEANNE Roseanne

[@sugarjoe50]

Sky high rents screwed NYC indie record shops.