The FT commenting names of readers have been given in bold type at the end of each entry. Where readers gave details about what they love about a particular record store, that has been included as a quote.
BERLIN
HHV
Where: Grünberger Str. 54, 10245 Berlin
Click: hhv.de
Vinyl, streetwear and sneakers since 2002. Started out with hip hop and expanded to funk and soul, house, techno, rock, folk and jazz. Its vinyl range is now larger than 150,000 releases. Veritas
THESSALONIKI, GREECE
Phonomono Records
Where: Viktoros Ougko 14, Thessaloniki 546 25
Click: phonomono.gr
“Very cool shop on the top floor of an office tower with Japanese pressings and lots more.” MoonBoots
BARCELONA
Discos Paradiso
Where: Carrer de Ferlandina 39, 08001 Barcelona
Click: discosparadiso.com
Opened in 2010, it sells new and second-hand records and cassettes, specialising in electronic music and disco funk, soul, Indie, jazz, rock et al. GarethK
SAN FRANCISCO
Stranded Records
Where: 1055 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Click: strandedrecords.com
This, the retail arm of reissue label Superior Viaduct, also has locations in Oakland and New York. It focuses on avant-garde, post-punk, ambient and free jazz, selling both new and used vinyl. GarethK
AMSTERDAM
Concerto Recordstore
Where: Utrechtsestraat 52-60, 1017 Amsterdam
Click: concerto.nl
“An institution for music aficionados for 70 years, it covers vinyl (huge section), CDs, books, and so much more. And good coffee!” Ametlev
HOUSTON
Sig’s Lagoon
Where: 3622 Main St, Houston, TX 77002
Click: sigslagoon.com
The ceiling is pasted with classic band posters, from John Lee Hooker to Eric Clapton, The Pretenders, Alice in Chains and Lenny Kravitz. Reviewers praise its “awesome variety of music genres”. Mr Willem
BELFAST
Sound Advice
Where: Banana Block, PortView Trade Centre, 310 Newtownards Rd, Belfast BT4 1HE
Click: soundadvicebelfast.com
“Great for electronic, soul, disco and jazz.” Qubika
DUBAI
Raw Music Store
Where: Unit 8, Al Marabea’ St, 14B street crossing, Al Quoz Industrial 1, Dubai
Click: rawmusicstore.com
Vinyl and CDs, taking in alternative, blues, classical, country, electronic, folk, funk, hip hop, metal, reggae, soundtracks… no base not covered. Also sells hi-fi equipment. Done6174
VAlLETTA, MALTA
D’Amato Records
Where: 98-99 Triq San Gwann, Valletta
Click: instagram.com/damatorecords
Another claimant to the crown of the “oldest record shop in the world”, supposedly established in 1885. Everything from Taylor Swift to classic rock, with a good showing of 1970s and 1980s classics, from Iron Maiden to Megadeth and Marillion; plus Maltese bands and musicians. Ben
ISTANBUL
Opus3a
Where: Pürtelaş Hasan Efendi, Cihangir Cd. 3a, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul
Click: opus3a.com
Describes itself as “Turkey’s largest independent music store”. A vast selection of genres from acid jazz to hip hop, reggae, dub, punk and Turkish rock and pop; and music from across the world. Done6174
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
House of Guitars
Where: 645 Titus Avenue, Irondequoit, NY 14617
Click: houseofguitars.com
This grew from an instrument shop founded in 1964 by the brothers Armand and Bruce Schaubroeck in their mother’s basement into the self-billed “largest guitar store in the world”. Today, the front of the store sells guitars, drums, keyboards and amplifiers, while the back sells vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more. Butterfly antennae
TOKYO
Disk Union
Where: Various locations
Click: diskunion.net
“Hands down the best record stores I’ve been to are those of the Disk Union chain, still going strong in Tokyo and Osaka. I’d live in a branch if I could (instead I’m doing a good job of turning my flat into a Disk Union). A staggeringly wide selection of LPs, EPs, singles, boxsets and CDs across all genres, not to mention good quality merch. And it’s the place to go for highly collectable records (I mean in real life. Yeah, there’s Discogs online, but that takes away the thrill of the hunt). I’m glad that record store chains and independents are still going strong in Japan. May that ecosystem never ever be gutted out by Spotify and the like.” LJC25
MANCHESTER
Sifters Records
Where: 177 Fog Lane, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6FJ
Click: sifters-records-manchester.co.uk
Made famous by the Oasis song “Shakermaker”. The Gallagher brothers grew up a stone’s throw away and spent their teenage years visiting the store. Still one of the biggest collections in Manchester. Vinyl, CDs, DVDs. R1PAH
MINNEAPOLIS
Electric Fetus
Where: 2000 4th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Click: electricfetus.com
“A very cool place. Prince himself went crate digging there just a few short days before his untimely passing.” LJC25
FORT, MUMBAI
Royal Music Collection
Where: 192 Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Rd, Azad Maidan, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001
“I’ve bought records all over the world, both on business trips and holidays, and none has been more memorable than the dusty Indian pressings of two early Kraftwerk albums I picked up at Mr Razzak’s stall at Fort in Mumbai. Chrisfruitnet
CARDIFF
Spillers Records
Where: 27 Morgan Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1AF
Click: spillersrecords.uk
Founded in 1894, it’s one of a few to lay claim to being the world’s oldest record shop, originally selling wax phonograph cylinders and shellac discs. New and classic records and a good selection of new Welsh bands. LeaseyDoesIt, Cymro1950 and Ipitythemule
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Disco Precio
Where: R Santiago de Chile 15, 15701 Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña
Click: discoprecio.es
“Not only do they sell the best new and used vinyls and customised T-shirts, but the guy running the show is both knowledgeable and polite (but never submissive), which is a rarity these days.” RafLeeSpeekin
LOS ANGELES
Permanent Records
Where: 1906 Cypress Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Click: permanentrecordsla.com
“It has a bar so you can have a drink while you browse. Hosts live shows. And the owner Lance puts out the Brown Acid compilation series of hard rock/psychedelic rarities from late 1960s to 1970s.” Ymroddi
Sihl Records
ZÜRICH
Where: Kalkbreitestrasse 33, 8003 Zürich
Click: sihlrecords.com
“Has a cocktail bar and is really cool.” Majors on house and techno. 6G
LIVERPOOL
Dig Vinyl
Where: 1st Floor of Resurrection, 27 Bold St, Liverpool L1 4DN
Click: digvinyl.co.uk
Established in 2014, it’s described as “an old-school indie shop with music spanning most popular genres”. HallifordMan
BELGRADE
Yugovinyl
Where: Cetinjska 15, Beograd 11000
Click: yugovinyl@gmail.com
“For Ex-Yu rock, post-punk and funk and also bizarrely a great US blues selection.” MoonBoots
BERLIN
Sound Metaphors
Where: Reichenberger Str 152, 10999 Berlin
Click: soundmetaphors.com
Classics and obscure gems across disco, techno, funk, dub, world and more. mwgoldfix
PERTH, AUSTRALIA
Dada Records
Where: 36 Pier St, Perth WA 6000
Click: dada@iinet.net.au
Open since 1971, it has a huge collection of vinyl, including second-hand and new releases, and staff are always happy to track down hard-to-find releases. Blueberry Haze
TOKYO
Big Love Records
Where: 3FA Houei Bldg, 2−31−3, Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001
Click: bigloverecords.jp
“Where to go for indie stuff.” Done6174
