Top Best Music Stores in the World (Part 5)

The list of the best music shops in the world has come to an end... Today we're going to take a look at 10 of the most interesting and notable places that (if you like travelling) are definitely worth a visit! Why exactly are these shops considered the best? They are unique, cosy and just nice for the soul! Most of them have a fascinating history and an impressive reputation... Actually, about each of them in more detail: this is the top of the best music shops in the world!

"Hear Records."

This shop was established in Singapore in 2013. You could say that Hear Records is a newcomer to the neighbourhood! Like the city's scene, the shop is small but colourful and personalised... The stock includes over four thousand records! Deliveries from the States, Europe and Asia every month! Described as a "music lifestyle shop", it is a one-stop shop in Singapore for classics, old and new, as well as vinyl turntables, electronics, accessories and vinyl displays. As the manager of this establishment says, "People don't come to the shop just for records. They also meet other music lovers, and we all end up talking about music."

"Music Mania."

"Music Mania" is a place that offers a full spectrum from the 60s to today! The shop was opened back in 1969, making it the oldest music shop in Belgium. But unlike other similar establishments where the dust has settled on the racks over the years, the team of managers and selectors running Music Mania today still keeps things fresh inside its walls! No wonder Music Mania has retained such a central role in Europe's youth selector scene. In the shop you'll find records from a wide variety of genres, from jazz, blues and folk to disco, synthwave, afro-funk and pretty much every sub-genre in between... Alongside the constant stream of used vinyl coming in from the US and Europe, Music Mania also remains a leader in contemporary dance music and the growing market for reissues. What's more: it's the shop that serial 2manydjs / Soulwax collectors call home. High praise indeed!

"Piccadilly."

Founded the same year as Factory Records, Piccadilly established itself as one of the most turbulent creative periods in UK music history (not to mention Manchester, where it's based). The shop for the burgeoning post-punk scene, spearheaded by Joy Division, A Certain Ratio and OMD, flourished throughout the 80s before current co-owners Philip Jarman, Darryl Mottershead and Laura Kennedy took over and brought the shop to its current state. Still a bastion of alternative music from across the indie and dance music spectrum, Piccadilly offers a wide range of new music and reissues! The shop has been described as "the gatekeeper of all musical genres outside of mainstream culture" and "a mental ward for the hearing-obsessed".

"The Thing."

Walk down into the basement of this dilapidated thrift shop on Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn and you'll feel like records are rising all around you... The Thing was once a veritable goldmine of $1 holy grail, but while there are slightly fewer sought-after rarities now, the sheer volume of vinyl means you can still discover any number of classics and hidden gems... This is not an idle, gradually dwindling stock. Owner Larry Fisher acquires and restocks records from estates, auctions and ex-DJ collections on a weekly basis. The Thing is a place to get lost in!

"Idle Hands."

Chris Farrell, who in his youth worked at Rooted, Replay, Imperial and many others, bravely decided to stop the rot in Bristol and open his own music shop in February 2011. Named after his eponymous label, Idle Hands is located in Stokes Croft, Bristol's creative centre, close to the former Rooted premises. From house and techno to dubstep, grime, reggae and everything in between, it's a true music lover's paradise. As Chris himself says, "There's more to life than the internet..." And it's hard to argue with that.

"Analog Kültür"

If you are looking for Turkish and international classics, this is the place to go! Analog Kültür, located in the European neighbourhood of Beyoğlu, in a basement on one of Istanbul's trendiest streets, can be a bit hard to find... However - its rich assortment is worth it! Run by vinyl enthusiast and DJ Kaan Düzürat, the shop is decorated with beautifully selected racks of Turkish and international second-hand classics, rarities and original pressings... The shop also sells vintage Hi-Fi, audio equipment and instruments including turntables, tape recorders, stereos and synthesisers.

"Chico."

And here you'll find Lebanese tunes for every taste! Chico Records has been at the centre of Lebanon's vibrant and prolific music scene since it opened its doors in 1964. Initially called Pick Of The Pops, the place was later known as "Chico" in 1976. It was then that a bomb exploded near the shop, destroying the original signage... Today, run by brothers Paul and Diran, Chico Records houses an impressive collection of music from the 60s and 70s, be it Kraut, Prog, Psych, Folk and Hard Rock or Jazz, Funk, Soul and Disco. And the Arab music collection housed here is considered one of the best in the world: it preserves rare Lebanese works that were damaged or destroyed during the civil war. The service, like the condition of its records, is impeccable. Chico Records also offers a full range of in-store services, including classic turntable sales and service, a range of vinyl record accessories and more...

"Red Eye Records."

Red Eye Records, founded by Chris Pepperell in 1981, is one of Australia's oldest and certainly largest music shops. It stocks a diverse and well-chosen array of new records and reissues, as well as books, magazines, posters and DVDs. In particular, Red Eye prides itself on tracking down rare, out of print and unique Australian merchandise for its customers.

"In addition to records and CDs, some of the memorabilia we ordered were: a life-sized Eddie Munster doll, posters of cancelled tours like the Rolling Stones Hanging Rock concert, instructional videos on belly dancing and makeup, discontinued '90s console computer games, a real Jive Bunny doll, every format (CD, LP, cassette), a Ouija board, and more!" says Pepperell.

By the way: this miracle shop is located in Sydney (143 York St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia)

"ZudRangMa Records"

If you have Thai records in your collection, chances are they've come through ZudRangMa. The Bangkok branch of the fantastic Anglo-Thai label Paradise Bangkok, which reissues the best of Luk Thung's fuzzy psychedelic and tours the world with its Molam International Band - ZudRangMa is both an archive of golden era Thai pop music and a music shop! It is located in Bangkok. In addition to this shop, its manager, DJ Maft Sai, also runs the neighbourhood bar Studio Lam, which is also very popular!

"A-1 Record Shop."

Opened in 1996 by infamous dealer Isaac Kosman, today A-1 Record Shop is run by Jay Delon: this shop has seen the East Village (FKA the Lower East Side) change over the past more than twenty years... A-1's formula for success is surprisingly simple: A carefully selected selection of used records from the entire spectrum of dance music (jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop, disco and finally an emphasis on house and techno), along with valuable advice and reasonable prices! In the early days, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Lord Finesse of DITC and legendary New York DJ Tony Touch were regulars (many of them appearing in the shop with disappearing polaroids): all scouring the crates in search of breaks, riffs and samples... "A-1 Record Shop" guarantees: a wide variety of genres are given equal love and attention to create a shop with one of the widest and most diverse assortments in the city (if not in the world)!