Every day we select for you three record stores from around the world. Our growing online community makes this possible. In this list, you will find the best record stores in London submitted by our friends.

Explore it and tell us if you think there is any record store missing. Let us know in the comments.

Alan’s Records

“Centrally situated, on East Finchley High Road (close to the junction with Creighton Avenue), we are an independent second-hand record shop. We sell vinyl, CDs and tapes as well as music memorabilia. All types of music are here for you to find, with a large, constantly changing stock of over 15,000 records and 3,500 Cds, including many rare and collectable items. Soul, Reggae, House, Dance, Blues, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Rock, Punk, World Music, and most other types of music in existence! We are regularly used by musicians and DJs seeking out new breakbeats and samples.”

Honest Jon’s

Honest Jon's
Honest Jon’s

“Honest Jon’s is a British independent record label created by musician Damon Albarn (Blur) and by various record shop owners. In the UK, it is a subsidiary of Parlophone. Honest Jon’s also owns a record shop in Ladbroke Grove, London. It was founded before the label.

The label’s musical output includes compilations of funk, soul, folk and music from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. It has released calypso (including several volumes entitled London Is The Place For Me), soca (Lift Up Your Leg An Trample), Nigerian Afrobeat (Lagos Chop Up), British folk (Never The Same) and salsa (Boogaloo Pow Wow) as well as new recordings by Simone White, Elmore Judd, Candi Staton, Lobi Traore, Terry Hall and Mushtaq, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Tony Allen and Damon Albarn’s Mali Music.

Since 2008, Honest Jon’s has been releasing compilation albums featuring some of the 150,000 78-rpm recordings from around the world which are held in the temperature-controlled archive of the recording company EMI in Hayes, England. They include albums of African and Middle Eastern music.”

Reckless Records

Reckless Records
Reckless Records

“Reckless was the first record store in Berwick Street, opening there in 1984 and surviving the many ups and downs of the record business over the years. There is also a Reckless Records in Chicago that was established in 1989 and is still going strong.

This shop features on the Oasis album cover What’s The Story Morning Glory. We always have the album sleeve in the window and tour guides often stop outside our shop and explain where and when the iconic photograph was taken.

Main areas are Rock, Pop, Soul, Dance, Jazz, Punk and Reggae. Their Rock buyers deal in everything from 1950’s Rock ‘n’ Roll, through to 1960’s and 1970’s Rock/Pop, to New Wave, UK and US indie’s, Americana, Lo-Fi, and all points in between. Their Dance buyers deal in Techno, House, Hip Hop, Disco, Funk, Soul, Drum ‘n’ Bass, Garage, plus classic 1960’s and 1970’s Soul and Funk. They also purchase Blues, Folk, World Music, Metal, Box Sets and Limited Editions.”

Phonica Records

Phonica Records
Phonica Records

Phonica Records was established in September 2003 by founders Simon Rigg and set up shop in Soho, London, adding to the high concentration of independent records stores that inhabited the area around Berwick Street. Founders; Simon Rigg, Heidi Vanden Amstel and Tom Relleen joined The Vinyl Factory with the aim of creating an exciting outlet for innovative dance music, traversing all sub-genres and cultures. Over the past decade the emporium has developed into a well-respected destination for DJs and enthusiasts, and has subsequently become a bustling hive of conversation and inspiration as part of a wider community of music lovers.

– Flashback Records Islington / Shoreditch / Crouch End

Flashback Records Islington
Flashback Records Islington

“The Islington branch was set up in 1997 on two floors in a parade set back a little from Essex Road. Initially selling vintage and bric-a-brac in the basement, it became a dedicated music shop in 2000. Currently the ground floor has a wide selection of New Vinyl, CDs and DVDs, whilst the basement is a well organised treasure trove of second-hand and collectors vinyl.

The Shoreditch branch was set up in 2014 in a large two floor property on Bethnal Green Road, just at the top of Brick Lane. Now with a dedicated Soul and Reggae basement, the Shoreditch branch rivals Islington for depth and breadth of stock. It also hosts regular instore gigs by well-known and up and coming artists.

The Crouch End branch was the second Flashback to be set up in 2006, taking over from Listen Records who had operated in the same location for many years. A smaller shop than the Islington branch, the Crouch End branch still covers all types of music, cramming in as much quality stock as possible.”

Rough Trade East

Rough Trade East. Photo: Artur Galocha
Rough Trade East. Photo: Artur Galocha

Rough Trade East is the home to legendary live performances by the likes of Blur and Queens of the Stone Age, located in Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London. The RTE cafe is open from 9am.

Cosmos Records

Cosmos Records London
Cosmos Records London

Vintage LPs and 45s focused mainly on Jazz, Soul, Rare Grooves, Psych, Brazilian, and Disco. Another stores in Toronto, Canada.

Sounds Of The Universe

UK London Sounds of the Universe PHOTO: Sounds of the UniverseUK London Sounds of the Universe PHOTO: Sounds of the Universe
UK London Sounds of the Universe PHOTO: Sounds of the Universe

“With regular shipments from the USA, Jamaica, Japan, Brazil and Europe we reckon that on top of our constantly updated new releases you are now looking at the largest selection of Reggae, Dubstep, House, Disco, Funk and Soul, Brazilian, Latin, African and world beats in the UK. As well as new CDs and vinyl, many of these sections also have original vinyl – all of which are guaranteed.

Sounds of the Universe is connected to the record label Soul Jazz Records.”

Sister Ray

Sister Ray Records
Sister Ray Records

Psychodelic, Acidhouse, Blackmetal, Spacerock, Hiphop, Freejazz, Dubstep, Garage, Hardcore, Classic Rock, Ska, Electro, Punk, Country,Soul, Mod, Folk, Indie, UK Funky and more.

Music And Video Exchange Greenwich

Music And Video Exchange Greenwich
Music And Video Exchange Greenwich

They trade in a vast amount of genres including rock, indie, pop, hip-hop, drum ‘n’ bass, techno, jazz, blues, R’n’B, house and much more. They have 11 specialist shops that buy and sell vinyl, CDs, books, comics, DVDs, vintage & designer clothing, retro bric-a-brac & more. They have been in business for over 40 years, formally called Record & Tape Exchange.

Leave a Reply

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.