Everyone would have said you were crazy to open a record shop in the last few decades, as sturdy and convenient cassettes, CDs, MP3s, and music streaming services took over the world’s speakers through the years.
It’s a good thing Los Angeles didn’t listen.
We live in an incredible town for record collectors, with a surfeit of vinyl shops and stands in just about every one of L.A.’s 88 cities and sprawling bewilderment of neighborhoods. So many that we feel we only scratched the surface in delivering you 27. Even after we added 10 more.
So whether you’re a dedicated digger of crates, a touring name in turntablism, or merely a tocadisco-dilettante hoping to start your collection, we can promise you, you’re in the right town.
Here are 27 of L.A.’s best record shops.
RECORD SURPLUS ~ SAWTELLE
Record Surplus is the Westside’s biggest record shop and also one of the city’s best. A corner destination where, over the years, we’ve been checked out at the register by some of our favorite DJs and pop-punk bassists. Owned by musician and composer Chris Vagnoni, aka DJ Fat Albert Einstein, and with ten years at this address, the bins are filled with over 50,000 new and used LPs to suit fans of every genre, along with a backshelf of used VHS and DVDs, walls speckled with rarities and special releases, posters for sale, used books and bios on musical greats, and more. Currently, the shop is organizing regular events with live music, including a recent show with Fishbone’s Angelo Moore and Connie Price and the Keystones.
12436 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025
WE SHARE RECORDS ~ POP-UP
A roving stand selling nothing but pure Japanese vinyl, We Share Records also has an online shop. But nothing feels as great as digging in its crates to unearth a clear pink copy of Anri’s “Bi Ki Ni,” or an original 1987 pressing of Masayoshi Takanaka’s “Sweet Noiz Magic.” Stay tuned to We Share Records’ Instagram to find out where it will be next.
AMOEBA MUSIC ~ HOLLYWOOD
If it hasn’t been a major destination in your own vinyl foraging, it’s hard to overstate or fully grasp the importance of Amoeba Music, which resides in a new corner building on Hollywood Boulevard, after nearly 20 years of listening parties, shows, and checking your bags at the front on Sunset Boulevard. Amoeba calls itself the “World’s Largest Independent Record Store,” and who are we to argue? It’s packed with sought-after new, exclusive, and used vinyl, along with cult curios, films, t-shirts, books, pins, patches, turntables, and posters. It’s like a museum to things that have been cool since you were a teenager and worth a tour even if you don’t hoard vinyl. They validate parking for a free 75 minutes, so what have you got to lose?
6200 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
FREAKBEAT RECORDS ~ SHERMAN OAKS
Ah, the Valley, where you can so easily pretend you’re still living in the days where vinyl ruled and TransAms ran freely through the streets, feathered hair dancing on a Santa Ana breeze. Freakbeat Records preserves this fantasy, hearkening back to the 1970s and ‘80’s with its tight and impressively curated collection of new and used records, CDs, cassettes, and DVDs, including a 99-cent room adored by DJs and cut-creators. They buy used media, too, as long as it’s like, The Stooges and Coltrane. And not grandma’s worn-out Lawrence Welk collection.
13616 Ventura Blvd Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
SIBYLLINE RECORDS ~ PASADENA
If you are obsessed with record stores, Sibylline gets you. It’s a small, tidy, artist-owned store in Pasadena’s Playhouse District, specializing in used deeper cuts, fan favorites, and vintage music, found on both vinyl and cassette tapes. There’s a lot of jazz, soul, classic rock, and international treasures among the bins, along with a listening station, occasional live events and the general sense that you can’t go wrong trying just about anything for a spin here.
15 S. El Molino Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101
ATOMIC RECORDS ~ BURBANK
A great selection of used and hard-to-find vinyl awaits within Atomic Record’s small space, for those who know how to look. It’s also a major destination for movie fans for its massive wall of DVDs and Blue-Ray. The people working here seem to really know their shit and we’ve always found them helpful and passionate about everything they speak on. The store also has stacks of 50-cent vinyl and 99-cent CDs for those who dare to plunge in.
3812 W. Magnolia Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 91505
HIPHOP PHILOSOPHY ~ PICO-UNION
As the name indicates, HipHop Philosophy is a mecca of hip-hop vinyl and culture, holding down its own fantastic internet radio station and art gallery, in addition to stocking a serious treasure trove of underground and essential hip-hop, soul, and dance records for collectors and DJs alike. More than that, it’s a place where hip-hop heads can meet, talk, and make connections, a true community spot that is also dedicated to building community.
1049 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015
HEADLINE RECORDS ~ MELROSE
Headline’s tiny haven of punk rock bliss has been on Melrose for over 25 years, supplying kids and former kids with all the Crass shirts, Misfits patches, anarchy pins, studded belts, Cannibal Corpse stickers, Sonic Youth Goo coffee cups, pinkpurpleandgreen leather paint, Fallopian Rhapdsody: The Story of the Lunachicks, and studs and spikes they need for a night of helicoperting their arms. The whole thing is ringed with punk, ska, hardcore, garage rock, goth, and death metal vinyl and CDs, too. The staff is always super cool and non-judgemental. It helps that they have nothing by Benson Boone.
7706 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046
AS THE RECORD TURNS ~ HOLLYWOOD
Of all the legends on The Walk of Fame, Kevin Donan’s epic and time-honored record shop may outshine them all. It’s for serious collectors in search of rare, clean jazz, soul, soundtracks, and coveted pop, hip-hop, and rock classics. If you’re not at As The Record Turns for the vinyl, come to talk to Kevin, whose stories will blow your mind, having been a friend to so many greats. In terms of the selection, let’s just say, there’s a reason there’s a platinum copy of The Chronic on his wall. May you make your own sample masterpiece with its help.
6727 3/8 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
RECORD SWAP ~ PASADENA
Held on the first Sunday of each month at the Pasadena Flea Market, a giant Record Swap goes down at Pasadena City College with more than 50 dedicated vendors who are obsessive about selling and swapping used vinyl, CDs, DVDs, and music memorabilia on the fourth floor ramp of a parking structure. This is definitely a destination for anyone looking to build or add to their stacks.
Parking Structure #4, E. Del Mar Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91106
BAGATELLE RECORDS ~ LONG BEACH
Old school, with nothing but old records, Bagatelle was selling vinyl in Long Beach back when your mom had disco fever and the pockets of your dad’s bell bottoms bulged with quaaludes. This 1977 time capsule is wall-to-wall with used records, from 45s to LPs, as well as used CDs. And it will buy your used wax, too. If you simply like digging in the crates, this one will keep you busy for days.
260 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90802
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR RECORDS ~ SAN FERNANDO
The Midnight Hour is a helluva cool record store, with expectedly strong selections of vinyl, cassettes, CDs, books, merch, and zines. But it’s more than that. It’s also dedicated to serving as an arts and activism hub for San Fernando creatives through regular events like movie nights, concerts, and DJ sets. Viva the Valley also notes the shop’s proud and open pro-LGBTQ+ stance, as seen through a rainbow flag flying our front (in addition to “Free Palestine” and “Black Lives Matters” flags inside), and merch like a t-shirt with a Satanic goat on the front that says, “Gayest of all time” on the back. Midnight Hour also has a sister store named Cry Baby’s Rodeo, focused on vintage fashion and accessories, which is cool cuz we like its style.
1101 San Fernando Rd. San Fernando, CA 91340
THE RECORD PARLOUR ~ HOLLYWOOD
Imagine if the antique shop from Gremlins had boxes full of exotica, disco, and mariachi LPs and you’ll kinda get the idea of what the The Record Parlour experience is like. It’s one of the gems of L.A. record stores, a must-visit for vinyl and CD lovers, and burgeoning collectors, stocking old-school audio gear and over 100,000 records across all genres. It has encouraging prices, a warm staff, and a fun atmosphere of knick-knacks, including a small marble-topped bar in back for chilling and vintage, boardwalk-style games. The shop also has regular themed sales, drops, and in-store events.
6408 Selma Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90028
MOUNT ANALOG ~ SILVER LAKE
A small boutique of books overflowing with records, Mount Analog carries a curated selection of new vinyl, with a concentration on the experimental, global, obscure, and/or cult-favorited. There’s always a lot to pique curiosity and tempt you into a listen at this small, handsome, and effortlessly cool space.
2217 Hyperion Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
BOOGIE MARU SOUNDS ~ TORRANCE
And the award for best name for a local record store goes to … Boogie Maru Records, a small strip mall shop with a hearty selection of Japanese and jazz LPs and 7”, alongside pop, funk, rock, and soul rarities, colliding beautifully in Japanese releases of singles from Thriller, The Wall, and The Runaways.
2140 Artesia Blvd. Ste. C Torrance, CA 90504
ASTEROID VINYL ~ INGLEWOOD
Some places have it all. Like Asteroid Vinyl, which is an attractive and tidy record and cassette shop with new and used classics, as well as modern masterpieces. It’s also a community space and vegan cafe with Milky Way lattes, espresso, and cafe de olla. And also a used book and clothes store with cool titles, local art on the walls, listening parties, occasional live shows, and a soundtrack often fueled by local artists. Sit back and stay awhile. We think you’ll like it here.
1101 S. La Brea Ave. Inglewood, CA 90301
KAOS RECORDS ~ COVINA
Bauhaus poster? Check. Cramps shirt? Yep. G.G. Allin vinyl we’re a little afraid to make bodily contact with? For sure. Kaos is a rocker’s paradise, filled with new and used albums on CD and vinyl to put on your stereo, posters, and postcards for your walls, and stickers, pins, and stray ephemera like an AC/DC lunchbox, for when you must leave the house. Kaos lives up to its name through its delightful sense of eclecticism, reminding us of going into our older brother’s room to simply stare at all the cool, covetable stuff on the walls
1044 N. Citrus Ave. Covina, CA 91722
SOUNDSATIONS RECORDS ~ WESTCHESTER
The people who work at this old-school corner store, set under an arcing sign, are always really nice and helpful, whether you’re dipping a toe into vinyl for the first time or are a certified fanatic. New and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and movies abound, with a huge, wide-ranging collection that includes a lot of treasures, a grip of new stuff coming in all the time, and LPs starting at $1.99. All of this makes Soundsations a great place to start or continue collecting music.
8701 La Tijera Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90045
RECORD SAFARI ~ LOS FELIZ
Record Safari is a great hang, whether you just wanna shoot the breeze with someone working there, kick back, and listen to their picks, or seek to storm the vaults and explore a serious and wide-ranging stock of used records broken down by the letter, and a considerably smaller cache of CDs. Add a lot of rarities and some of the best prices in town and you just might find yourself looking for a place to live nearby.
3222 Los Feliz Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039
CAVEMAN VINTAGE MUSIC ~ LINCOLN HEIGHTS
Caveman is a favorite shop that deals in vintage instruments and repairs, and also has a kickass record supply. They’d love nothing more than to see you come in, pick up a 60-year-old Kay Vanguard out of a 1968 Gretsch Twin Reverb, halfheartedly attempt a few chords of Stairway, then say fuck it to go browse the bins overflowing with vinyl on its flanks. Don’t ask how we know. We just know.
3131 N. Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90031
SICK CITY ~ ECHO PARK
Sick City is a punk-fueled record shop with a great name, racks of vintage t-shirts and shelves with patches, an in-store barber shop, and a tight stash of vinyl that includes vintage pressings and a lot of noise and experimental finds worth a spin. And the dudes who work there are always welcoming and cool about sharing albums they think you’ll like. Not only that, co-owner Jesse Lopez will cut your hair. If you want him to. And you know, pay him and stuff.
1381 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026
POO BAH RECORDS ~ PASADENA
Poo Bah. It’s fun to say and has been here since 1971, when zees of kush were known as “lids of grass.” Poo Bah has stood the test of time for its huge cache of new and used vinyl and CD gems, an organized, easy-to-browse system, and helpful staff. It’s got a classic, low-key record shop feel, heavy on jazz greats and obscurities, as well as underground hip-hop and nearly forgotten rock masterpieces. Also, we’re really feeling their fall energy.
2636 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91107
ROCKAWAY RECORDS ~ SILVER LAKE
Rockaway Records is the only record store we know where you need to make an appointment, taking record store elitism to a new level. But these guys are cool and it’s worth it to see all the cool vintage shit on their walls, like Beatles bobbleheads, original psychedelic concert posters, a famous Beach Boys surfboard, and various signed geetars. In terms of records, the selection is for serious heads, consisting of rare and old records in ridiculously clean condition, like the $100,000 signed copy of Hard Days Night it offers. This adherence to high standards also makes them qualified to appraise people’s entire collections. So in case you’re left with a vintage vinyl cache of mint condition classic rock by an elderly uncle or something, you’ll want to come here if you dare sell.
2395 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039
THE ARTFORM STUDIO ~ HIGHLAND PARK
When life necessitates a new ‘do and a gently used copy of “Hard To Earn,” come to The Artform Studio, which doubles as a salon and record shop. This mecca is owned by married duo Adrian Yonge (the legendary hip hop producer who co-founded Jazz Is Dead and Linear Labs), and Shari Yonge (a hair-and-makeup specialist who has worked on hip-hop videos and album covers, and also curates the store’s beats). Always a lot to love here, from regular events and a killer book section, to a Wax Wednesday show, and monthly pop-ups highlighting small businesses.
5611 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90042
GOING UNDERGROUND RECORDS ~ LITTLE TOKYO
A small, but solid, shop with vinyl and tapes in music store-rich Little Tokyo, Going Underground is a favorite for its good prices and vast selection of new and used records, and even rare 45s and 7”-es. The selection is eclectic and full of treasures, while we like coming here just to check out the framed posters (“Deeeeeeee-Lite!!”) and stickered-up pillars during its regular listening parties. The shop also has a location in Bakersfield.
356 1/2 E. 2nd St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
NIVESSA ~ MID-CITY
If we had the dough, we’d wire it all to Nivessa and just take everything they’ve got. This record obsessive’s destination in Mid-City seems to have it all, with a collection of vinyl, tapes, and CD spanning genres including jazz, metal, holidays and musicals, to Latin, reggae, hip-hop, reissues, gospel, and electronica. It’s got a warm feel like an old bookstore; the kind of place you can while away hours looking through the racks. They’ll buy your albums, too, as long as you can bear watching K-Fed’s full oeuvre join the $2 vinyl.
5770 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019
BUNKADO ~ LITTLE TOKYO
Bunkado is a historic 78-year-old gift and antique shop in Little Tokyo, located in the building that once housed the first Japanese business in L.A. Tucked upstairs, above the shelves of animal toys, calligraphy prints, Godzilla posters, and porcelain kitchenware, Bunkado’s calming music room is selling the last of a once-celebrated collection of vinyl graced by the biggest names in Japanese pop and standards. The shop has quietly been phasing out its music selection to an eventual close, but don’t let that stop you from visiting its historic confines to try and get lucky before you embark on crafting some intergalactic sonic tapestry.
340 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Here are ten more great record stores in L.A. for you to consider:
FLOWERING SPIKES ~ 2993 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Westlake Village, CA 91362
DEADLY WAX ~ 17820 A Chatsworth St. Granada Hills, CA 91344
STUDIO ANTIQUES & RECORDS ~ 337 Richmond St. El Segundo, CA 90245
RHINO RECORD ~ 5458 Moreno St. Montclair, CA 91763
VOODOO VINYL/VINYL ALLEY ~ 765 W.Lancaster Blvd. Lancaster, CA 93534
JDC RECORDS ~ 447 W 6th St. San Pedro, CA 90731
ARROYO RECORDS ~ 5123 1/2 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042
ENDLESS NOISE ~ 1825 Stanford St. Santa Monica, CA 90404
PERMANENT RECORDS ROADHOUSE ~ 1906 Cypress Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90065
ANGEL CITY ~ 218 Pier Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90405
