The best record stores in NYC

Hardcore punk, ska and extreme-metal fans are well served by this Village mainstay; for everyone else, Generation carries a solid selection of classic rock and alternative releases, along with a good scattering of collectibles.

For a decade and some change, Brooklyn record label Mexican Summer has released inventive music from a roster of amazing rock, folk and ambient musicians. (Allah-Las, Ariel Pink, Connan Mockasin, Drugdealer and Jessica Pratt, to name a few.) Many of their projects are reminiscent of the LSD-soaked ’60s era. Translation? They know how to set a mood and give a subtle nod to the past without being trite. The psychedelic group celebrated its tenth birthday and commemorated the milestone by hosting a full-day rager with DJs and live music. On March 30, 2019, Mexican Summer debuted a new effort worth toasting. In collaboration with Mike Hunchback and Ben Steidel of vinyl purveyor Co-Op 87, the team opened a new buy, sell and trade record store. The Bushwick location is in the same complex as electronic music venue Elsewhere and its second outpost just landed in Greenpoint (located in the same building as Mexican Summer’s office). The Bushwick shop, with wood-paneled walls and op art embellishments, is carefully curated and includes a designated area hawking the label’s releases in addition to electric mix reissues, new LPs, branded products, movies and books spanning all genres. 

The Brooklyn offshoot of this East Village rare-vinyl mecca followed the pricing-out trend and migrated from Williamsburg to Greenpoint, where its vast selection of LPs has more room to breathe. The collection’s impressive for both its breadth and depth—it’s the uncommon kind of shop where you can easily walk out with a bag of painfully obscure soul 45s and out-of-print metal albums as well as low-priced ’70s classics and the latest from that buzzworthy band your friend just blogged about. Oh, and the steady stream of hip shoppers on sunny Saturday and Sunday afternoons matches the great people-watching in nearby McCarren Park. (Don’t worry, even when it’s crowded, the place is so damn spacious that there’s plenty of room to sift.)

The long-running New York institution’s flagship store, Academy Records and CDs—next door to the tiny niche where it originated back in ’77—boasts the city’s best selection of used classical CDs and LPs, plus an impressive array of rock and jazz discs. (The store is connected in name to NYC's other two Academy Record locations, though those spots focus mainly on vinyl). Approachable help and knowledgeable buyers add to the overall experience. Plan to spend time—and money—at both locations.

Ergot, which opened during the pandemic on East 2nd Street and Second Avenue, is the evolution of the eponymous music label. Ergot is a minimally decorated, clean-looking space that fits right into the neighborhood. Countless vinyls are available for browsing, with an entire wall displaying some noteworthy picks, from Faction by Réseau D'Ombres to Bill Orcutt's A Mechanical Joey and DMX's second album Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. Ergot carries a variety of genres, though—disco! Latin! Gospel! Pop! Experimental! and much more.

Local label Captured Tracks has been setting indie rock’s agenda for eight years with a roster of heavyweight acts such as NYC faves Mac DeMarco, Perfect Pussy and DIIV. And in 2013 it opened this small, light-filled garden-level space, tucked away on a residential Greenpoint block. The store stocks its own releases (check out the debut LP from local power-pop upstart EZTV), as well as those by legendary New Zealand pop imprint Flying Nun and fellow Brooklyn tastemakers Sacred Bones, alongside a wide-ranging selection of used vinyl and cassette tapes. The staffers are always decidedly chill and approachable, to boot.

One thing record collectors hate is divulging an under-the-radar digging spot. And Human Head is, to put it simply, the best-priced, least-picked-over record store in New York City. Racks are stuffed with a selection of used vinyl that’s heavy on vintage rock and jazz. Even the $3 and $4 bins can turn up worthy gems. In addition to LPs and used stereo equipment, the store offers live music, comedy shows, free beers and, on special occasions, burgers and hot dogs grilled up by the staff.

Many were heartbroken when Rough Trade’s sprawling, 15,000-square-foot offshoot of the legendary West London retailer closed in 2021, after nearly a decade in Williamsburg. A new era brought Rough Trade’s New York outpost to Manhattan, steps from Radio City Music Call. The expansive, genre-crossing collection is large enough to take you back to the glory days of the Tower Records era and keep an eye on the calendar for live concerts and events. 

This record store's founder, Federico Rojas-Lavado, formerly worked at record distributor Downtown304 before setting up shop near Myrtle-Broadway in partnership with Radio Free Brooklyn. Here, he puts that experience to work, selling stacks of old and new vinyl that run the gamut from house and techno to blues and jazz.

This spot offers a wide-range of used records from genres including rock & roll, hip-hop, funk, jazz, reggae, disco and house. The selection is heavy on 12-inch and 7-inch singles—with rare cuts alongside very listenable bargain finds. Its $1 bins are among the best stocked in the city, and the shop has been known to off-load bins of free records on the sidewalk outside to make room for new stock. Keep an eye out for in-store DJ sets, which routinely pull top techno and house selectors.