As you walk up a certain flight of stairs on Adelaide St,…read moreThe sounds of the grumbling city slowly fade off until all you can hear is the beginning riffs of jefferson airplane. You have entered the musty dusty and glorious Record Exchange. I have bought the majority of my records here, as well as finding other odds and ends to lust over (Engelbert Humperdinck discography. ONE DAY YOU WILL BE MINE.) They have everything here. Music Books, Magazines, Figurines , Clothes ,Doc Martins, Record players, VHS, CD's, Cassettes and memorabilia. This place is refreshingly free from music snobbery and feels more like your uncles haphazard attic. Record Exchange will provide hours of entertainment and with actual reasonably priced stock, prepare for a sizable dent in that wallet.

Ah, Record Exchange. My true high school love. How I used to run to you when double maths got too…read morereal and I saw no other option except to flee from school to the city. I'm happy to report that 10 years on, Record Exchange is still the same. The clutter, the chaos, the musky smell, the random oddities- they're all still there, fermenting into some nostalgic musical brine. They've got a second hand clothing collection that is akin to a flea market. You'll find genuine article 80's acid wash jeans, leather vests, doc martens and all of that other old school die hard muso business there. They've still got some VHS lying around along with turntables and arcade machines (all of which may or may not work). The music collection is off tap. The records are priced anywhere from $2 and upward. It depends on how rare, and what condition the vinyl is in. In the collector's section, I did find a $36.99 double record Face Off Soundtrack. Holy bejesus! As a side note, Record Exchange also buy whole collections from people. Looking to get rid of your outdated, dorky music collection? Give it to these guys! I have spent hours on end trawling through the goods at Record Exchange. If you haven't done it, I recommend you do, and even if you were there yesterday, do it again today. Different day, different treasure.

Butter Beats has it going on. If the buttery store sign isn't enough to entice you inside, then the…read morerows and rows of records and music will. Welcome to a music library where the records are plenty and hard-to-find music is actually not so hard to find. Thanks goodness! This place is a music lover's ultimate dream with a collection you can get lost in and pore over for hours upon end. It's obvious that this place lives and breathes an intense love for music, and you'll find anything you desire from 80s rock to modern pop and hip hop. No holds barred! They're hidden away on an upper level in Broadway on the Mall, so make the trip up and grace yourself with a new lover in the form of endless music choices.

I'm no DJ, in fact I don't even own a record player, but there's something so good about flicking…read moreyour fingers through a stack of old records. Butter Beats is a place where you can certainly do this. My most recent visit was for nothing in particular, but it was just nice to wander through the small store and reminisce about Dad's record collection and some of the weird stuff we used to listen to. The walls of the shop are stocked floor to ceiling with spray paint cans in every colour imaginable. I'm not sure what the connection is between music and spray paint. Anarchy? Art? I don't know, but it's effective nonetheless. If you're looking for a hard to find vinyl, in need of a new band T-shirt or just keen for chat about great music with one of the knowledgeable (yet very cool and intimidating looking) staff, then head into Butter Beats next time you're in the city.

Full of hidden gems and for the older people like me full of memories of my childhood. The liquor…read morecabinet I bought now has pride of place at my home.

From the owner: Best in Brisbane for Vintage Retro Vinyl Records and Collectiblesread more

I remember being a fresh-faced university student prowling through Rocking Horse Records, looking…read morefor CDs, records, posters, strangers eyes, discussing with likeminded friends about how we knew, "the music would save us". After four years of university and life I don't know if I would rummage through Rocking Horse Records with the same optimism that I once did. Rocking Horse Records offers an extensive range of CDs, DVDs and EPs old and new. The establishment itself seems to permeate a sort of grungy vibe, however now days the service staff seem to dress more hipster, as opposed to diehard, melancholic Nirvana fans from the late 90s. It's nice to see a music store with such a vast range outside of those larger outlets that dominate that CBD. All the products are categorized accordingly; it's just up to you to know if you're "into" 'alternative folk dubstep' or 'new-age punk metal' (categories may not be as specific as the latter). It's no mystery that the electronic innovations in music have hit the music industry hard, especially in terms of unique stores like Rocking Horse Records. There are of course attempts to reestablish their necessity in the market, such as being a place to purchase tickets for concerts and festivals. In addition, has anyone noticed how vinyl has made a real comeback? Even I have developed a real romantic inclination towards listening to my favorite music on an EP. I don't know if it's real or just manufactured in my head, but it does seem to add a certain quality to the sound that seems to hit me harder; perhaps it's just because we're sick of our music existing solely in our phones and on our computers? I couldn't help but wish that Rocking Horse Records would have a more extensive range of EPs, however I can understand how it may prove to be unprofitable to stock a wide range of music on record, when only a handful of people would come looking for. This being said, shouldn't they be establishing themselves as a business that offers us something we can't get online? Maybe if they got on board with this "hipster" trend and sold more EPs and record players we'd leave the safety of our computers and flock there on mass. After all, they are called Rocking Horse 'Records'. At the end of the day Rocking Horse Records is a great venue to have a browse and remember what it was like before we all had IPods. The unfortunate truth is I tend to go there to browse and buy my music online instead. This being said, those of you who prefer to have hard copies of music or have developed an ethereal connection to the sound of vinyl, Rocking Horse Records is the place for you.

Still the original and the best music store in Brisbane. You only had to see the outcry and the way…read morethe community pulled together earlier this year to save Rocking Horse from folding to understand the special place this record store holds in Brisbane's heart and history. Impressive that after so long in the business Rocking Horse manages to stay at the forefront of what's happening in music, especially indie music, and provide its customers with the rarest, coolest, and hardest-to-find records, CDs, t-shirts, memorabilia, and DVDs. Rocking Horse also sells tickets so if you are after a ticket to a music festival, band, or solo show chances are you can grab them at Rocking Horse. Sometimes I just go in to their ticket desk to see what's coming up. This is also a great idea if you want to buy someone tickets to something, but aren't sure what's on or what they'd like. Rock on, Rocking Horse!

Walking into this place, is like stepping back in time to Cuba in the 50's the decor and setup is…read moreamazing, Saturday nights they have DJ spinning vinyl records, pumping out Latino music, there's plenty of to dance if you wish. The cocktails amazing, the service was good as well, prices are what you would expect. I will be definitely coming back. If you stay long enough, you almost forget we live in Brisbane.

Look I understand vinyl is a niche market, and by no means do I want to hinder the business of the…read morefew record stores on the GC, but you should save your time and hunt for your specific pressing online via discogs and just cop the shipping fee. Its expensive here and I wish there was a bit more late era records (seems to focus too heavily on pre 85' vinyl). tl;dr, bit pricey, great selection on early vinyl/rare pressing (hence the name i guess). definitely worth checking out and supporting local business.

The West End Vintage and Designer Markets are on the first Saturday of each month. You'll need to…read moremark into your calendar that you're busy then because trust me, you're not going to want to be anywhere else. This is a place where fashion dreams come true- I should know. I'll never forget the day the caramel brown, knee length, suede, belted jacket of my dreams manifested itself onto a hanger at these markets. Price tag $40. Believe me now? If you like all things vintage, this is THE place to shop- here's why. Some of us get disheartened and feel downtrodden when we walk into an op shop and find that the closest we can get to vintage or retro is a 1990's Target A-line skirt that just might look cute it enough if you pair it with your stripey boat neck tee and cons and put yourself on a bike and ride around the streets (you ride fast enough so people don't notice that you're committing vintage fraud). The good folk who run the stalls at these markets hear your cries for genuine vintage, and travel far and wide to retrieve antique threads for you to peruse and buy. They bring them to one location and create a huge treasure trove that, for those real vintage lovers out there, may bring a tear to the eye. They've got all needs covered. Girls, you'll have a good chance of finding whatever your heart desires. Whether it's a 1960's green, polka dotted wiggle dress, or a 1970's halter sunsuit with heliconia print, or a 1980's metallic black tafetta and satin prom dress- you'd best look here. These markets are quite good for catering for the guys too, which is something other fashion markets sometimes have trouble with. You may be wondering why 'Designer' is included in the market name. Well, it's because outside of selling vintage wares, some people have stalls where they sell their second hand designer threads. They're usually in perfect nick and sold at a reasonable price. By reasonable, I mean cheap. Cheap as chips. The best thing is that the previous owners are selling their goodies direct to you before they're off handed to someone else who'll put the price up to something unbearable. In love yet? Arguably, the best part about these markets is that they're held at the Rumpus Room. It's an irresistible setting. While you're rifling through goods, justifying random purchases (yes, my mum would love that tablecloth with embroidered budgerigars on it) and envisioning yourself in yesteryear's impossibly exquisite clothes, you'll find yourself busting out some of your own vintage dance moves, because the DJs are there all day spinning vinyl- and you can't help but get swept up in it. When you find yourself thinking you could do with a cool beverage, you won't have to go far- you only have to shuffle/ hustle/ do see do/moonwalk a few steps towards a fully stocked bar. Then, when you get tired, you can go toy with your new threads and crockery in the beer garden and watch other market goers and flaneurs enter the chaotic and decadent maze of vintage goods that is the West End Vintage and Designer markets. Go on. Pencil it in. First saturday of every month. Invite your friends, make a day of it.

The Vintage and Designer Markets at Rumpus Room are on the first Saturday of every month. This is a…read moregreat market which I enjoy shopping at. It is not AS vintage as the name makes it out to be. There is only one true authentic vintage stall with another one which sells modern remakes with the occasional authentic piece. But don't get me wrong, these two stalls definitely bring back the vintage! They have great wares at reasonable prices. The designer stalls are fantastic, so many different goodies at great prices. Almost everyone will also have a $2 case where you can pick up a whole new wardrobe if you look hard enough. The drinks from Rumpus Room are a bit pricey and the cocktails can be deadly if they're not prepared by an experienced bartender. But they never object to outside food and drink being brought in. I really love this market, rain or shine it makes for a great day out wether you're alone or with friends.

Great selection of music with very happy, helpful and friendly staff. Been shopping here for a few…read moreyears now and I've gotta say it's the best record shop on the coast.

From the owner: At Atlantis Music, we're more than just a record store; we're a 21st century music outlet, an…read moreon-line store, a social media portal, a website, and in the future a live performance venue. Together with our customers we're a meeting place for Queensland's most colourful community of progressive and creative musical minds. As in any organisation, the people who work together, make our company what it is. We pride ourselves in selecting people with a unique blend of skills. Our staff is an all-star team of music retail veterans and fresh record enthusiasts, with a collective depth of knowledge that is virtually unparalleled in the business. Many of us are musicians, or make music our lives in one way or another, and we take seriously the importance of our customers' relationships to music. We put customer service first and foremost; after all, our mission is to bring people and music together to make everyone feel at home.