The Best Record Stores in New York City
Eighteen shops worth the subway ride, from Rockefeller Center's two-level Rough Trade to a Ridgewood crate-digger's haven and a jazz specialist tucked into an eighth-floor office.
New York lost Other Music, Kim's and a dozen neighborhood shops, and people love to say the record store is dead here. It is not. It moved. The action today is split between a few big Manhattan anchors and a tight cluster of shops in north Brooklyn, with smart outposts in Queens and, surprisingly, a mini boom on the Upper East and West Sides.
Our rule for this list: a shop has to be worth building an afternoon around. That means a strong used section or a clear point of view, staff who know what they are talking about, and prices that respect the buyer. Every store below was confirmed open in 2026. We have noted what each does best so you can plan a dig instead of wandering.
Manhattan
Rough Trade NYC
Midtown · 30 Rockefeller Plaza (street level and rink level) · $$
The London institution moved from Williamsburg to Rockefeller Center in 2021, and in 2025 it added Rough Trade Below, a 4,000-square-foot space on the rink level. Upstairs is new vinyl and the curated staff picks that made the brand. Downstairs is used records, CDs, audio gear, merch and a real performance space for in-store sets and signings. It also throws iNDIEPLAZA, a free outdoor Record Store Day party on the plaza.
Go for: a free in-store set by a band with a new album out. Know before you go: exclusive colored pressings go fast on release days.
Academy Records
Flatiron · 12 W 18th St · $$
A no-nonsense used shop with serious classical and jazz sections and a strong run of rock and soul. The bins turn over constantly, and the pricing is fair enough that regulars stop by weekly. It is one of the few places in Manhattan where you can still find a clean jazz original without taking out a loan.
Go for: classical and jazz LPs. Know before you go: the stock changes weekly, so a quick visit often beats a long one.
Jazz Record Center
Chelsea · 236 W 26th St, Room 804 · $$$
An eighth-floor office full of jazz, and only jazz. It is widely considered the city's specialist jazz shop, with rare and out-of-print vinyl across every era, plus books and ephemera. Prices reflect the rarity. The knowledge is free.
Go for: a first pressing you have been hunting for years. Know before you go: it is in an office building, so look for the room number, not a storefront.
A-1 Record Shop
East Village · 439 E 6th St · $$
A narrow, crate-packed East Village landmark that DJs from around the world treat as a pilgrimage. The strength is funk, soul, jazz, hip-hop, disco and house, with lots of out-of-print 12-inch singles. Give yourself time and patience, since the good stuff is at the bottom of the stack.
Go for: disco and house 12-inches. Know before you go: the aisles are tight, so leave the backpack at home.
Stranded Records
East Village · 218 E 5th St · $$
The New York outpost of the Superior Viaduct label, in the old Good Records space. It is small and meticulously chosen: punk, reggae, jazz, experimental and reissues pressed properly. If you like knowing that everything in a bin is worth owning, this is your shop.
Go for: high-quality reissues of records you only knew as legends. Know before you go: it is a browse, not a dig.
Generation Records
Greenwich Village · 210 Thompson St · $$
A Village survivor from the days when this stretch was lined with record shops, with new and used vinyl and a punk, hardcore and metal specialty that runs deep. Posters, shirts and CDs too. It is the store for the teenager in you.
Go for: punk and metal. Know before you go: dig through the used bins before you pay full price for a reissue.
Downtown Music Gallery
Two Bridges · 13 Monroe St · $$
A small shop devoted to what it calls music on the edge: avant-garde and free jazz, contemporary classical, noise and improvisation. It stocks a huge run of John Zorn's Tzadik label and hosts free in-store concerts. It celebrated its 35th anniversary and remains essential for adventurous ears.
Go for: free jazz and the in-store series. Know before you go: check the site for the week's in-store performance.
Human Head Records (Upper East Side)
Upper East Side · 455 E 83rd St · $$
The Brooklyn favorite opened a second shop between First and York in August 2026, and it brought the same volume approach. Expect lots of fairly priced used rock, soul, disco, jazz, Latin and rap, plus a strong Brazilian and African section. The Upper East Side had nothing like it.
Go for: a dig that does not require the L train. Know before you go: new stock hits the floor constantly, so return trips pay off.
Sweet Peanut Records
Upper West Side · 463 Amsterdam Ave · $$
A new independent shop that opened in July 2026 between 82nd and 83rd, stocking new and used vinyl, some CDs and cassettes, and audio equipment. The emphasis is jazz, funk, soul, classic rock, new wave and indie, and the idea is a neighborhood shop that welcomes both collectors and first-time buyers.
Go for: a friendly first-record-player shopping trip. Know before you go: the used stock is still growing, so check back often.
Brooklyn
Human Head Records
East Williamsburg · 289 Meserole St · $$
The original, and one of the best used shops in the city. The bins are deep, the prices are fair, and the Brazilian, African and Latin sections are better than most specialists. It is the kind of place where two hours disappear.
Go for: international records and dollar-bin surprises. Know before you go: pair it with a show at Elsewhere or a drink on the Bushwick side.
Academy Record Annex
Greenpoint · 242 Banker St · $$
Academy's Brooklyn outpost is a big warehouse-feel room with a broad used selection across indie, hip-hop, electronic, jazz, world and classic rock. It shares its home with the Sacred Bones label, which tells you something about the taste. Start your Greenpoint crawl here.
Go for: indie and electronic used vinyl. Know before you go: it is near McCarren Park, so it pairs well with a walk. See our Greenpoint guide.
Captured Record Shop
Greenpoint · 718 Manhattan Ave · $$
The flagship store of the Brooklyn label Captured Tracks. It carries most of the label's catalog, new releases from similar boutique labels, and a used section heavy on singles, electronic and hip-hop, plus tapes. Small, clean and well chosen.
Go for: new indie releases and label exclusives. Know before you go: the used 7-inch section rewards patience.
Record Grouch
Greenpoint · 986 Manhattan Ave · $$
New and used LPs, singles, tapes, CDs, books and zines, with a strong section of contemporary and archival independent labels and local artists. It runs listening parties and in-store performances, which makes it feel more like a club than a shop.
Go for: local releases and zines. Know before you go: follow them online for the in-store events.
Brooklyn Record Exchange
Greenpoint · 87 Guernsey St · $$
Started by the team behind Co-Op 87 and the label Mexican Summer, now based at the old Co-Op 87 address. New and used vinyl, listening stations and an active buying counter.
Go for: a relaxed browse with a listening station. Know before you go: bring records to trade in.
Razor-N-Tape
Greenpoint · 110 Meserole Ave · $$
The flagship shop of the Brooklyn dance label, selling its full catalog plus new and used dance records from other labels, DJ accessories and apparel. Weekend in-store DJ sets make it a social stop, not just a shopping one. For the club side of the city, see where to dance.
Go for: disco, boogie and house edits. Know before you go: weekend afternoons are when the DJs play.
Black Gold Records
Carroll Gardens · 461 Court St · $$
Records, coffee and taxidermy, and somehow it works. The used vinyl is carefully chosen, with jazz, soul, rock and punk strengths, and the dollar sales draw a crowd. You can drink an espresso while you dig, which should be the law everywhere.
Go for: a coffee and a soul record on a Saturday morning. Know before you go: it is small, so weekends are cozy.
Queens
Deep Cuts
Ridgewood · 57-03 Catalpa Ave · $$
Open since 2012, Deep Cuts buys, sells and trades, and it is organized better than most shops twice its size. Strengths are jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, electronic and international records, at prices that make the trip from Manhattan worth it. A strong reason to explore Ridgewood.
Go for: a well-priced soul or jazz dig. Know before you go: Ridgewood also has great small venues, so make a night of it.
Pancakes Records
Astoria · 20-77 Steinway St · $$
A friendly neighborhood record shop that opened in 2023 with a broad selection across genres and decades, an art gallery in the back and monthly live music. It is a community room that happens to sell records.
Go for: an all-genres browse and a look at the gallery. Know before you go: check their social pages for the monthly show.
A few rules for buying records in New York
Check the vinyl, not just the cover. Good shops grade their used stock, but pull the record out and look at it under the light. Hairline marks are fine. Deep scratches you can feel with a fingernail are not.
Know the new-vinyl math. A new pressing of a current album usually costs more than a clean used copy of a classic. If you want to build a collection fast, start in the used bins and save full price for the new records you love.
Record Store Day is a real event here. Shops open early, lines form before dawn for limited pressings, and Rough Trade turns Rockefeller Plaza into a free all-ages party with live sets. If you hate crowds, go the week after, when the leftovers are still in the racks and the shops are calm.
Sell smart. Brooklyn Record Exchange, Deep Cuts and Black Gold all buy used records. Call ahead for big collections, and expect cash offers that reflect what the shop can resell, not what the internet says.
How to plan a dig
Do it by neighborhood. A Greenpoint afternoon can cover Academy Record Annex, Captured, Record Grouch, Brooklyn Record Exchange and Razor-N-Tape on foot. A Manhattan run goes Academy on 18th, Jazz Record Center on 26th, then down to A-1 and Stranded in the East Village. Weekday mornings are the calmest. Bring a tote, set a budget and give yourself one wild-card purchase. Then go hear some of it live: our guides to small music venues and listening bars will tell you where.
Questions, answered.
- What is the biggest record store in NYC?
- Rough Trade at Rockefeller Center is the largest by footprint, with a street-level shop focused on new vinyl and a 4,000-square-foot space below on the rink level for used records, CDs and in-store shows. For sheer volume of used stock, Human Head and Academy Record Annex in Brooklyn are hard to beat.
- Where can I buy used vinyl in NYC?
- Academy Records on West 18th Street, Academy Record Annex in Greenpoint, Human Head in East Williamsburg and on the Upper East Side, Deep Cuts in Ridgewood and Black Gold in Carroll Gardens all have deep used sections at fair prices.
- Which NYC record store is best for DJs?
- A-1 Record Shop in the East Village is the classic for funk, soul, disco, house and hip-hop. Razor-N-Tape's Greenpoint flagship is built around dance music and hosts DJ sets on weekends.
- Where is the best neighborhood for record shopping in NYC?
- Greenpoint. Academy Record Annex, Captured Record Shop, Record Grouch, Brooklyn Record Exchange and Razor-N-Tape are all within a short walk or bike ride of one another.
- Are there any new record stores in NYC?
- Yes. Human Head opened a second shop on the Upper East Side in August 2026, and Sweet Peanut Records opened on Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side in July 2026. Rough Trade added its lower-level shop at Rockefeller Center in 2025.
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