The best record shops in London

The best record shops in London

Music is a big part of life in London and, despite the rise of streaming, there are still plenty of stores that stick to the tried-and-true method of digging through crates of records to find album gems. Whether you’re looking for new releases or second-hand classics, vinyl records, CDs or cassette tapes, collectible rarities or reissues, our guide to the best record stores in London will have you jamming to new tunes in no time. Read on!

In this guide
  1. The best record shops in London
    1. Rough Trade – World-famous record store
    2. Third Man Records – Jack White's first international outpost
    3. Sounds of the Universe – Wide-ranging global sounds
    4. Reckless Records – Soho's oldest independent record store
    5. Honest Jon's – Legendary London destination for offbeat music
    6. Out on the Floor – Must-visit for reggae fans
    7. All Ages Records – One-stop-shop for everything punk
    8. Maestro Records – Family-friendly record browsing
    9. Phonica Records – Dance music heaven
    10. Sound That Swing – Rock 'n' roll jukebox
    11. Soul Brother Records – Soul, funk and jazz
    12. Casbah Records – Greenwich institution with great atmosphere
    13. Sister Ray – Top choice for collectors
    14. Flashback – Popular chain of independent record stores
    15. Love Vinyl – Newcomer with established pedigree
    16. Crypt of the Wizard – Horns up!
    17. Stranger Than Paradise Records – Regularly restocked offer
    18. Yo-Yo Records – Rare North American pressings
    19. Rise Above Records & Relics – Trippy stuff
    20. Kingsland Records – Stage for diverse genres
    21. Vinyl Pimp – Record shop with a difference
    22. The BBE Store – Music in London Fields
    23. Hidden Sounds – Relaxed record shop
    24. Raven Records – 0.0% booze, 100% metal

The best record shops in London

London record shops, vinyl shops & record stores

Rough Trade East Rough Trade West
Rough Trade East
roughtrade.com
Rough Trade West
roughtrade.com
Rough Trade East Rough Trade West

World-famous record store

Originally established in the 1970s, Rough Trade is an iconic independent record store (as well as a related label) with locations around the UK and in New York City. It specialises in alternative music and often features debut releases by the buzziest new talent, though you can find the latest chart-toppers here as well. Rough Trade East on Brick Lane is especially worth checking out, as it has a stage where some of the biggest stars in the world have played intimate album release shows.

  • The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, Shoreditch/Tower Hamlets 130 Talbot Rd, Notting Hill
    Rough Trade East
    The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, Shoreditch/Tower Hamlets
    Rough Trade West
    130 Talbot Rd, Notting Hill
  • Rough Trade East
    roughtrade.com
    Rough Trade West
    roughtrade.com
    Rough Trade East
    020-739 277 88
    Rough Trade West
    020-722 985 41
  • Rough Trade East Rough Trade West

Third Man Records

Jack White's first international outpost

Designed by global rockstar Jack White during the pandemic, Third Man Records in London is a shock of bright yellow colour and quirkiness in Carnaby. Across two floors you’ll find vinyl, apparel and other related music merch and gear, as well as an intimate live music venue in the basement, a token-operated lucky dip book machine, a recording booth for recording your music straight to vinyl, and more.

Sounds of the Universe – Record stores
Sounds of the Universe
Sounds of the Universe – Record stores
Sounds of the Universe
Sounds of the Universe – Record stores
Sounds of the Universe
Sounds of the Universe – Record stores
Sounds of the Universe

Sounds of the Universe

Wide-ranging global sounds

The beloved Sounds of the Universe boasts an eclectic array of genres, ranging from techno to jazz, with an emphasis on music of African origin and releases by its sibling label Soul Jazz. Spread across two floors, you’ll find new releases upstairs and second-hand releases and rarities downstairs, as well as a bunch of other music-related goods. Keep an eye out for who’s digging through the crates next to you as well, as famous faces such as Four Tet, Questlove or Gilles Peterson like to stop by.

Reckless Records

Soho's oldest independent record store

Featured on the cover of the classic Oasis album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, Reckless Records is a second-hand record store that was established in 1984. You can sell more or less any kind of music releases here, though their specialties are rock & pop, soul & dance, jazz, punk and reggae. They stock a wide variety of genres, however, including numerous special releases and hard-to-find gems.

Honest Jon's Honest Jon's King's Cross
Honest Jon's
honestjons.com
Honest Jon's King's Cross
honestjons.com
Honest Jon's Honest Jon's King's Cross

Legendary London destination for offbeat music

Around since 1974, Honest Jon’s has a long-standing reputation for stocking top jazz, soul, experimental and reggae releases. It counts names such as Gilles Peterson and Roger Beaujolais among its patrons, and runs an eponymous record label in collaboration with Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame. The store is headquartered in Notting Hill, but has a small outpost in the Coal Drops Yard development in King’s Cross as well.

  • 278 Portobello Road Unit 115, Stable Street, King's Cross
    Honest Jon's
    278 Portobello Road
    Honest Jon's King's Cross
    Unit 115, Stable Street, King's Cross
  • Honest Jon's
    honestjons.com
    Honest Jon's King's Cross
    honestjons.com
    Honest Jon's
    020-896 998 22
  • Honest Jon's Honest Jon's King's Cross
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor
Out on the Floor – Record stores
Out on the Floor

Out on the Floor

Must-visit for reggae fans

Out on the Floor is Camden's oldest record store, established in 1989, and boasts a small but highly knowledgeable team that can provide an honest valuation for whatever vinyl record you want to offload. One of the co-founders is highly respected on the reggae scene due to his expertise and has helped the store become a regular destination for the most demanding of reggae selectors, though it does stock a wide range of other genres as well.

All Ages Records

One-stop-shop for everything punk

At All Ages Records in Camden Town, punk is very much alive. The independent record store specialises in punk, hardcore, ska, metal and related genres, selling a wide array of CD and vinyl releases. The shop also stocks apparel, fanzines, literature, DVDs, patches, gig tickets, badges and more.

Maestro Records

Family-friendly record browsing

Maestro Records, Peckham’s oldest record store, is owned by music enthusiast Michael Fountaine, who runs the independent Black music shop in a warm, family-friendly atmosphere. There’s a wide range of funk, soul, reggae, hip-hop and other releases to browse through, as well as books, DVDs and merch.

Phonica Records

Dance music heaven

Whether you’re in the market for the hottest new house bangers or an obscure drone release, the Phonica Records store in Soho is a good choice to meet your needs. The independent record shop focuses on electronic music and its various subgenres and spin-offs. In addition to the retail programme, they host regular in-store events. Famous producers such as Four Tet and Floating Points can also often be found shopping here.

Sound That Swing

Rock 'n' roll jukebox

With its stacked shelves and crates, Sounds That Swing charts the history of rock ‘n’ roll and associated genres from the beginning to today. The popular independent record store boasts an especially plentiful trove of 45s and caters to a crowd of that includes colourful local characters, celebrities such as Robert Plant, Daniel Craig and Stewart Lee, and whoever else drops in.

Soul Brother Records

Soul, funk and jazz

Soul Brother Records, as hinted by the name, is an independent record store that focuses on soul, funk and jazz music, offering more than 10,000 releases in various formats. The Wandsworth shop also often organizes in-store gigs, as well as running a regular radio show.

Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records
Casbah Records – Record stores
Casbah Records

Casbah Records

Greenwich institution with great atmosphere

Casbah Records is a cosy independent record store that covers everything from rock ‘n’ roll to hip-hop and electronic music, but specialises in classic 1960s and 1970s pop and rock, indie, soul, funk and cult soundtracks. In addition to vinyl records, CDs, DVDs and T-shirts, they’re one of the few remaining shops that sell 8-track tapes.

Sister Ray

Top choice for collectors

The much-loved Sister Ray has been a fixture of record shopping in Soho for more than 30 years. Its rich past includes helping establish sales-driving Record Store Day initiative in the United Kingdom. The store stocks new albums in a broad spectrum of genres, but is famous for being able to leverage its long-lasting esteem to secure exclusive pressings and rare releases.

Flashback Islington Flashback Shoreditch Flashback Crouch End
Flashback Islington
flashback.co.uk
Flashback Shoreditch
flashback.co.uk
Flashback Crouch End
flashback.co.uk
Flashback Islington Flashback Shoreditch Flashback Crouch End

Popular chain of independent record stores

The Flashback group is comprised of three independent records stores around the city, ranging from the original Islington flagship with a basement trove of second-hand and collectors’ vinyl in addition to the ground-floor novelties, a Shoreditch retail space with a live music venue and a dedicated jazz, reggae and soul basement, and a recently relocated Crouch End spot with a broad selection of new and used releases.

  • 50 Essex Rd, Islington 131 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch/Tower Hamlets 26 Topsfield Parade, Haringey
    Flashback Islington
    50 Essex Rd, Islington
    Flashback Shoreditch
    131 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch/Tower Hamlets
    Flashback Crouch End
    26 Topsfield Parade, Haringey
  • Flashback Islington
    flashback.co.uk
    Flashback Shoreditch
    flashback.co.uk
    Flashback Crouch End
    flashback.co.uk
    Flashback Islington
    020-735 493 56
    Flashback Shoreditch
    020-378 019 00
    Flashback Crouch End
    020-834 296 33
  • Flashback Islington Flashback Shoreditch Flashback Crouch End

Love Vinyl

Newcomer with established pedigree

Run by respected figures of London’s record store scene, Love Vinyl opened in 2014 and keeps things nice and clean with two separate counters, one for new releases primarily of the house, techno and disco varieties, and one for hard-to find rarities and used gems. The mezzanine floor also hosts in-store concerts.

Crypt of the Wizard

Horns up!

An unmissable destination for metalheads and fans of heavy music, the Crypt of the Wizard in Hackney stocks more than a thousand new and second-hand releases in a broad spectrum of genres and various formats, including cassette tapes. You can also pick up zines, T-shirts and other merchandise here.

Stranger Than Paradise Records

Regularly restocked offer

The Stranger Than Paradise Records store is hidden away in the building that houses Mare Street Market. The indie record store covers a comprehensive spectrum of genres, from metal and folk to dub and modern composition. You can get new as well as used releases here, and the treasure trove is restocked regularly, so repeat visits are in order.

Yo-Yo Records

Rare North American pressings

Hackney’s Yo-Yo Records is a young indie record store that specialises in US and Canadian originals and vintage pressings, as well as covering funk, soul, jazz, fusion, Brazilian, Latin and a host of other genres. They stock both new and used releases, as well as merch.

Rise Above Records & Relics

Trippy stuff

Rise Above Records & Relics is owned by the frontman of legendary doom metallers Cathedral. The shop and label specialises in heavy and psychedelic music, covering a diverse spectrum of genres from prog rock to acid folk. The house label has published releases by some of the biggest acts in this field today.

Kingsland Records

Stage for diverse genres

Kingsland Records is an independent record label renowned for supporting up-and-coming artists spanning many music genres. They provide a stage for musicians to express their creativity and connect with broader audiences. They maintain a commitment to shaping the future of the music industry, offering a nurturing environment for promising talent and championing a vibrant and innovative approach to the world of music. Browse the collection of records available or watch one of the regular live sets that take place in-store.

Vinyl Pimp

Record shop with a difference

There's a unique concept at appointment-only record shop Vinyl Pimp. Located in a converted East London warehouse, it's the city's only record shop that also offers guest accommodation. You can make an appointment to browse in the daytime or arrange a one-night stay in the trendy but simple guest room. Your stay is free of charge if you spend a certain amount on vinyl, with records spanning the entire musical spectrum.

The BBE Store

Music in London Fields

Set into a London Fields railway arch, The BBE Store is a well-established secondhand record shop that started in 2016 as a pop-up. Thousands of secondhand records and CDs are available here, covering genres like reggae, hip hop, jazz, funk, and soul. There's also a licensed bar and the venue regularly hosts DJ sets.

Hidden Sounds

Relaxed record shop

Tucked away in Ridley Road, Hidden Sounds is a relaxed and cosy record shop where you can browse the vinyl on offer, grab a drink, and enjoy listening parties and similar events. The selection of records covers a varied range of genres and there are record players available for you to check out some of the records before you make a purchase.

Raven Records

0.0% booze, 100% metal

Raven Records is an intriguing record store in Camden Town, catering specifically to metal music enthusiasts across all genres, making it a real treasure for avid headbangers. But there's more to this place than just music; it also houses a café that offers pour-over coffee, as well as the world's first heavy metal bar that's entirely alcohol-free, boasting an extensive selection of non-alcoholic beers, spirits, and other beverages.

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Editors

At Thatsup, we have extensive experience of guiding our readers to a city’s hidden gems. Since 2008, our editors have been writing insightful guides covering restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and hairdressers, among other things. Our guides consist of carefully selected tips based on our local knowledge and are regularly updated with the help of our focus group, where we collectively discuss selections and content. We are constantly working to inspire and provide you with the best possible experience, no matter where you are or what you are looking for.