It is no secret that Seattle is well-known for its music scene. Combined with its reputation for great thrifting opportunities, the city has since become a hotspot for record stores, both new and used. Music lovers can find anything they want in the plethora of vinyl shops that Seattle has to offer.
Each of Seattle’s neighborhoods has its own selection of record shops, from small indie shops to sprawling multimedia stores. Some are even known to host live events, showcasing the best of the local music scene. Below are 9 of some of the best record stores in Seattle, where to find them, and more.
1. Golden Oldies
Located in Wallingford to the west of the University of Washington, Golden Oldies is one of the oldest record shops in Seattle. Since they first opened in 1977, they have specialized in showcasing out-of-print and hard-to-find vinyls. They also have a selection of new CDs, cassettes, vinyls, and 8-track tapes.
One of the best things about Golden Oldies is their customer wishlists. It is free for customers to sign up and create lists of records they are looking for. In turn, Golden Oldies will notify customers when a record shows up, its condition, and its price. The shop is easy to find due to its iconic golden yellow exterior and its giant Beatles mural on the side of the store.
2. Silver Platters SoDo
With multiple locations in Washington state, Silver Platters SoDo is the crown jewel of the Silver Platters store chain. Not only are they known for their extensive selection of vinyls, but they are also a great place to find new and used CDs, cassettes, and DVDs. Their SoDo location is one of their largest stores too, great for countless hours of perusing their wares.
Silver Platters has a great customer order system that is free to use. Customers can always ask if any of the Silver Platters locations has a specific item in stock, which if they do it can be shipped to the most convenient location. If they do not have it, they can always order it in for you and send it to the store location nearest to you. Their staff is also extremely knowledgeable and dedicated to curating some of the most unique finds in the city.
3. Neptune Music Company
Located in the same building as the Neptune Theater, this music store also shares its name with the iconic venue. The store is a genuine hole-in-the-wall, with its entrance hidden to the side of the building. However, do not be fooled by its outward appearance. Though the entrance is small, it gives way to a sprawling basement of vinyls, CDs, DVDs, and much more. Everything is neatly organized by categories, genres, countries, and artists.
Neptune Music Company is constantly bringing in more items so their shelves are quite literally overflowing. Their selection of discount items is great for bundling multiple products for a low price. Their vinyls take up most of the center of the store while their DVDs line the walls. Anything extra or new is typically stored in boxes which customers are more than welcome to pull out and move around for browsing.
4. Al’s Music, Video, & Games
Also located in the University District, Al’s Music, Video, & Games is nestled in among the bars and restaurants that college students frequent. As the name implies, Al’s is the home of used CDs, vinyls, DVDs, and video games. They are particularly renowned for their selection of older video games, going as far back as the Dreamcast.
Al’s has earned a reputation as the place to go for all things retro. Their vinyl selections range anywhere from video game soundtracks to obscure jazz records. They also sell video game consoles. The store even has a resident dog, Alphonse. Customers can also come here to sell or trade items.
5. Sonic Boom Records
Specializing in all things music, Sonic Boom Records sells new and used vinyls, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, books, turntables, and more. They are known for their live performances and their focus on independent artists. Originally born in a house in Fremont in 1997, Sonic Boom Records has since grown into a community fixture for sharing, celebrating, and curating music.
Today, the store is located in Ballard. They are open every day from 11 AM to 7 PM. Events range anywhere from local musicians to book signings and even speed dating events. Their shelves are constantly growing with new releases, which are well documented on the store’s blog section of their website.
6. Spin Cycle Records, Movies, and Games
Nicknamed “Vinyl Heaven”, Seattle’s Spin Cycle Records, Movies, and Games carries new and used vinyl. They are especially known for sourcing from indie distributors with an emphasis of ensuring that customers’ money goes straight to the artist as much as possible. Spin Cycle is also a great place for selling vinyls as they provide either cash or store credit.
Located in Capitol Hill, the store’s stock is just as eclectic as the neighborhood itself. Music includes soul, electronic, punk, country, and much more. They stock their shelves with the hottest new releases as well as independent releases, ranging from renowned classics to new local artists. Customers can even find 1st presses here. Beyond music, they have DVDs, Blu-Rays, video games, and gaming consoles.
7. Holy Cow Records
Located in Pike Place Market, Holy Cow Records has been the resident vinyl store within the market for nearly 25 years. Their focus is used and vintage vinyls, although they also carry CDs and DVDs. The store is part of the underground area in Pike Place Market, tucked into a cozy industrial loft with crates of vinyls both in and outside of the storefront.
Holy Cow Records is particularly well known for their rare vinyl LPs and 45s. They also carry other music memorabilia and have selling and trading services open for customers. The store is open every day from 10 AM to 6 PM and their staff is highly knowledgeable in all things music.
8. Easy Street Records and Cafe
Part vinyl store and part American cafe, Easy Street Records and Cafe is an independent store in West Seattle. The store originally opened in 1988 and the cafe area was added later on. Labeled one of the best record stores in the United States by Rolling Stone in 2018, Easy Street Records and Cafe carries vinyls, CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, shirts, musician merchandise, and more. They are also known to host live performances by both local and national musicians.
The cafe serves breakfast and lunch, including burgers and salads. They also have a full bar featuring beer, wine, and cocktails. The store is famous for its two murals on the outside of the store: one of vocalist Andrew Wood from Mother Love Bone and one of vocalist Chris Cornell from Soundgarden. The store is truly all things music and has been well loved by the community for decades.
9. Jive Time Records
Focused mainly on jazz, rock, and soul, Jive Time Records is a hotspot for used records, cassettes, CDs, and DVDs. Their shop is located conveniently close to the Fremont Sunday Market, the Theo Chocolate Factory, and the Fremont Troll. They also have a vinyl annex in the Fremont Vintage Mall from 11 AM to 7 PM every day.
Jive Time Records represents the best in high quality used vinyls. They carry perhaps the widest array of genres in Fremont, including classic rock, prog rock, punk, indie, hip hop, electronic, soul, jazz, blues, country, folk, and more. Customers can also bring in vinyls to sell, as well as Cds, cassette tapes, rock or jazz magazines, and music memorabilia.
