Human Head Records

I love gems like this. This is an unpretentious, divey, hole in the wall (literally) record store…read more It is cluttered and messy and disorganized and filled with an assortment of records. And I love it. I go straight to the dollar bins outside. There are about 10-15 bins of records loosely labeled with titles such as "Classic Rock" "Jazz" "Blues". Sometimes a white sticky note will inform you that each record is only 25 cents. I have walked away with 8 records for 2 bucks. Good records! The Doors, Beatles, The Who, Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, etc. etc. There are also some ridiculous options available as well, an unknown rapper from the mid 70's, another album I purchased simply because the record cover was 5 men in speedos and killer mustaches, and of course some holiday themed music. Really, can you beat listening to a lightly scuffed record, with a good whiskey, while cooking a nice meal? PS. Before making the trek here, check the hours. It closes early most days and is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. PPS. They also have a selection of current music records, VHS tapes, compact disc's and the classic cassette tape, available for purchase.

Sadly, their phone is disconnected, and they're always shuttered. It was nice while it lasted…read more RIP

3.7 mi•Prospect Lefferts Gardens

5th Avenue Records - 439 5th Avenue, Brooklyn

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Street view

Record City

4.8(24 reviews)

This is probably the best record store I have seen in Brooklyn. I have been to about six or seven…read moreof the more popular shops in Brooklyn this past month. And this was the best experience so far. Fantastic collection of reggae, soul, hip hop and rock. Prices are great as well--super competitive. They also have a listening station, which is always convenient. I find that I buy more LPs when I can preview them before purchasing. Their stock is well organized. It is a smaller sized store, but I easily spent two hours looking through everything, including their 45s. I saw a few locals walk in so it felt like a cool neighborhood spot. The shop is definitely worth the trip down to Prospect Lefferts Gardens. It is not too far from the subway or park either.

Great record, pretty good inventory. From my experience they offer a pretty fair price for their…read moreselection and they offer trades and buys from sellers as well. The staff in there are super chill and nice.

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Black Gold Records

4.4(112 reviews)

3.9 mi•Carroll Gardens

Came here to get a house warming gift for a friend who recently got a turntable. Guy running the…read morestore was able to provide a good recommendation based on the genre I was looking for. Wound up being a really cool record! Will be coming back for sure for both records and coffee.

This is one of my favorite coffee shops in Brooklyn. They have the best cold brew. There is also a…read morereally awesome and cheap collection of vintage sci fi and fantasy books. They have an amazing selection of vinyl and a small stock of cool vintage tees as well. So, with all this great stuff, why only four stars? Well, the prices for vinyl and the tees are just fully top dollar. If they were a little bit more reasonable I would want to throw up six freaking stars.

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New Orleans Cold Brew

Brooklyn Record Exchange

5.0(3 reviews)

0.7 mi•East Williamsburg

Great clean space. Super easy to navigate the records. Unlike many record shops the records are…read morepriced fair and in great condition. The staff is super friendly and fellow music and vinyl lovers. I would highly recommend this place. The trip is worth it if you're in another borough. They also do events and collaborate with brands. For more details on upcoming events, check out their website.

Warning: Controversial opinion ahead…read more For the number of stores it has and its position in the music world, New York is shockingly bad when it comes to record shopping. I don't get why you people pay obscene amounts of money for records, especially when they're in terrible condition. I've been to A-1, Academy, Human Head, Superior Elevation, and others, but I haven't been impressed. Although I don't enjoy living in DC (I am moving soon), record shopping in the District is wonderful. I regularly find rare records for half the cost (if not cheaper) than I would in New York. I also have far less competition. However, Brooklyn Record Exchange is one of the few shops I can wholeheartedly recommend. I went to the smaller location in Greenpoint, which is beautiful: clean, stylish, and well-organized with plenty of rarities in excellent condition. You can tell this shop is run by someone with a discerning eye. I immediately spotted Stockhausen's "Hymnen", compilations of musique concrete, hard-to-find early Nicolas Jaar and Ricardo Villalobos, and a duophonic copy of "Pet Sounds" that sounded like angels singing on one of two high-quality listening stations BRE provides with Technics turntables, Sennheiser (!) headphones, and a Bellari pre-amp. I bought "Pet Sounds," the Stockhausen, and an astonishing 2011 repress of Slowdive's "Just for a Day" that pummeled me with its wall of sound. Everything was fairly priced. The dude working the counter was super friendly and helpful. I also went to BRE's larger outpost in Bushwick. I found OG pressings of Radiohead's "Hail to the Thief" and Chavez's "Gone Glimmering." The electronic/house/techno sections are substantial. Still, I prefer the Greenpoint location on Guernsey Street for its immaculate curation and tasteful, minimal decor. These people don't mess around; the shops reflect a TON of work. BRE places a premium on the customer experience. Their stores are designed to spend hours in. Bring your cash to these good folks.

0.5 mi•East Williamsburg, Bushwick

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Found some Melba Moore vinyl. If you don't know Melba Moore Google this legend.

Nexus Records

4.9(34 reviews)

Metal record stores are more of my son's thing. But we were together and he knew the owner through…read morecommon friends. When you enter, you are reminded of used record stores from the old days. Vinyl albums are in wooden cases separated by either letters or band names. Their main thing is metal, but they have a healthy selection of 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s rock, jazz, blues, and more. They also have some unique Japanese pressings you wouldn't ordinarily see. They also have a selection of tapes, and I think a few CDs. There are a few items of memorabilia. You can listen to any album you want, as long as it isn't new. All-in-all, this is a great used record store (with some new). And, while mainly catering to metal, they have a very good selection of other styles and genres of music.

Always worth a pop in when in Brooklyn. Friendly staff, decent prices, small but rotating selection.read more

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Return of the Jedi! What a nerd!

The Thing

3.9(89 reviews)

1.9 mi•Greenpoint

Was here today. The basement is no longer accessible and the back part of the upstairs was…read moresectioned off.

If you have a lot of patience, and no aversion to dirt, then you must visit The Thing. Lovers of…read morevinyl records will like this place the most. There are thousand and thousands of vinyl records in the basement of The Thing, and they are all $2. I recommend vinyl gloves and a mask when visiting, and not because of Covid. The store is not very clean, and you may not want to breathe the toxic dust in their basement. On my most recent trip I found a Gino Vanelli LP, a Manhattan Transfer LP, and a Mariah Carey cd that were all factory sealed. I hope that I will be this lucky the next time that I visit.

A great experience . Diggin' and finding a few records and on my way out,the sympathic owner poses with me in front of the shop.

Basement

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Second Hand Records NYC

5.0(7 reviews)

1.0 mi•Bushwick

Highly recommended! They have great selection of 12", and…read morequite a lot of 45s It has a strong sense of community - I was first-time visiting but it looked like the patrons mostly know each other, as if they flock to that store on a regular basis! I also ended up making acquaintance with the owner. Bought three records and def going back!

Federico helped me there today and he couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. Also, he was…read moresupportive of other record shops in the area which I thought was a nice touch. Good prices, and an interesting, eclectic mix of music. Highly recommend.

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Deep Cuts Record Store

4.8(50 reviews)

1.8 mi•Ridgewood

I'm so dismayed by the BS smear by the reviewer Patrick K. Who gave Deep Cut records a 1 star…read morereview. I've had nothing short of amazing digs here at my local record store (2 min away); and found things I never knew I wanted on vinyl to boot. First off, the owner and all of the staff I've met are knowledgeable, warm, and have excellent taste with what they play inside the store. I recall having a fond conversation with Matt when he heard me blasting the Yamatsuka Eye side project, Audio Sports, from the listening booth before taking it home with me! I also have Deep Cut records to thank for selling me OG copies of Julee Cruise's Floating into the Night which I got signed by Angelo Badalamenti. As the owner mentioned they are a small business, but a special one I hold dear to my heart. I still cherish my mireille mathieu and heiner goebbels lps! Wish them at least 10 more good years!

Always find something (or more than one something) when I stop in here. Staff is super knowledgable…read moreand clearly cares about the music they're selling.

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Boris Productions

5.0(5 reviews)

4.9 mi•Forest Hills

Cool little shop. They have a neat collection of vinyl across multiple genres all fairly priced and…read moreexcellent condition. Picked up some King Crimson records and some other odds and ends classics. The owner was super friendly and chatted me up about seeing the police back in the day and Uriah Heep. Will be back for sure

It's a great store with huge selection of vinyl records They are also do framing and video tape…read moretransfer Nice and helpful personal

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Greg H.

12 years ago

By far the best record store in the city. Chill vibe, awesome selection, and the best staff. The only record store that encourages you to hang out and shoot the shit rather than simply get in and get out with your stuff. This is one of the city's best-kept secrets. read more

Wolf O.

3 days ago

Travis is a scared cuck that reports his buyers to Discogs. He keeps track of buyers he has a grudge against. What a weirdo. Get a life. No I don't remember ordering from your store 5 years ago weirdo. Suggest I go out and touch grass? I suggest you try pussy. read more

Ivan M.

2 years ago

This is the best record shop in BROOKLYN PALABRA! I've been here twice and always clean house on the 12s and boogie funk records don't sleep on Brooklyn read more

Ryan K.

200

10 years ago

Easily the best record store I have been to in NYC.

De La Soul 3.

13 years ago

What a great shop, we love this place!

Bryan Y.

10 years ago

Best record shop in NYC. Hands down.

Mike B.

430

11 years ago

The best record shop!

Human Head Records - vinyl_records - Updated October 2026

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(50 reviews)

The selection, the service, the condition of the records, I am making this a must stop on every…read moretrip back to see the family. We've got some great record shops around me in SF but this is on another level.

I stumbled into Academy truly not knowing what to expect. And lucky for me I left with 4 new…read morerecords and in part because they have a listening station, so picking some up with no idea what they were and really feeling the vibes made the voice to bring them home even better. The crew there is super friendly and they even threw in a tote for me to lug my new discs home.

Academy Records

4.3

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Great store, always have a really wide selection. Fairly priced. And usually always have some great…read morewall pieces. One of the best record stores in the city!

OMG. What a great selection of vinyl and what a good value. The store is no nonsense - the…read moreemployees aren't trying to befriend you - but you will find what you want. I scored some incredible El Gran Combo records. Definitely worth a visit. I'd love to go back.

A1 Records

3.9

(66 reviews)

A well-organized record store is a must, and A1 Records does it well. This tiny, ridiculously…read morestocked shop is a must-visit for all audiophiles who come to New York City. There's a well-curated variety of secondhand records that's worth your time. Since I'm one of those weird music lovers who loves to browse vinyl shops while traveling, I made a point to stop off in this East Village record store. The employees were cordial, if not friendly (it's NYC after all, at least they weren't surly)! The shop is tiny and can get really crowded, so watch those elbows as you flip through the stacks. Vintage 45 collectors will be in heaven too, so get ready to spend some serious time and dive in! Prices are on par with other vinyl shops, so don't expect many bargains. Jazz lovers will especially love the selection, I came home with 4 hard-to-find (in my area) used albums in near-mint condition! Every time I spin them, I'm reminded of my trip to New York. Now that's a cool souvenir!

This is a great vynil record store in the City. They have a great selection of records from spanish…read morelanguage, techno, hip-hop, and many more. You can also sell records too. They have two sets of record players you can use to preview records before you purchase. The store is decorated with classic original records around the walls and ceiling. Price points ranged from $15- 150 dollars, depending on the artist and album choice. Staff is very laid back. They allow you to openly and freely roam the store and they're always playing great records over the speakers.

Limited to One Record Shop

4.9

(31 reviews)

Such a huge fan of this place!…read more Limited to One Record Shop is an extremely well-curated vinyl shop that is every music lover and collector's dream - everything is neatly labeled, organized, and in such pristine condition! The staff here are super friendly and helpful, and are ready to assist in helping you find something or make recommendations! Such a wonderful place to stop by to add to your collection. +well-curated vinyl shop +friendly service

Limited to One is a small but very curated record store. They specialize in emo, indie, hardcore…read moretype titles, but also have some small selections for other genres (including more general rock.) My partner and I stopped in not long before closing and were worried we wouldn't have much time to actually browse through most of the crates. However, the owner was instantly super inviting and told us all about a whole bunch of new arrivals he had received, pointing out all the specific sections (which included 4 bins of LPs and quite a lot of 7"s.) While neither of us found anything, I'm almost certain this store would be a treasure trove for those looking for more of the emo/hardcore/punk variety of records. But even if that's not your exact cup of tea, I would still recommend stopping in to see what else they've got in stock.

Captured Tracks Shop

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(28 reviews)

Captured Tracks Shop has various ways to inspire your collection…read more Their records are labeled and organized to give you new ideas - the Caribbean section, for example, is stocked with Haitian Kompa, Jamaican Mento, and Trinidadian Calypso, genres you maybe didn't consider upon arrival but now feel necessary to browse. You can search by labels, artists, and decades, or, you can simply flip through their New Arrivals section which is updated daily. If you are feeling spontaneous, just look at their "To File" sections with albums yet to be organized. The best part is when you finish browsing for rarities you can enjoy finding popular favorites - sometimes you just want that album everybody has and you just love to sing along. Ever stepped in a store to buy one thing and leave with a hundred? You will likely get that feeling at this shop.

Best local source for audio! Better than schlepping online or to the city. I'm not going to take a…read moretrain to Manhattan just to find some LP's.

Record Runner

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•$$$

Forwver the Best record store in NYC - great selection, rare vinyl and new releases - John is the…read moregreatest!

Great store has rare and fantastic collectibles . The owner John is very knowledgeable.read more

I've never written a review on here before, but I just have to give this shop its flowers. I'm an…read moreavid blind buyer (sometimes regrettably so, but that's the way I roll), and I've dug through a lot of bins across the country, but I've never been somewhere that seems to reward pure curiosity as much as Ergot. What really sets Ergot apart is that the inexpensive records aren't just filler. There are interesting, unusual records throughout the store for $5-10 alongside rarer and more expensive releases. Even if you're unsure about something, there's a convenient listening station that lets you investigate your selections before committing. That makes it a place where you can actually discover music and take chances on something unfamiliar instead of only buying $40 physical copies of albums you already know--which, in my opinion, is the whole fun of digging. My genuine appreciation goes out to the owner for helping keep this hobby interesting. With a selection like theirs, I'm sure it would be easy to capitalize on it, but that doesn't seem to be what this place is about. That's why I'm writing this review: to tell people to go support this business. It's not easy to keep the lights on in this city, and if we as music enthusiasts want places like this to exist, we have to show our support. Ergot is absolutely worth supporting!

The manager really knows all types of music and is very helpful. The first time I was ever in the…read morestore I bought several records but forgot 1 of them. He tracked me down using my credit card and sent me an actual letter on paper. All of the records I have bought there are clean and in good condition. Even in the discount bins, Ive never gotten 1 that was unplayable. Most of the discount bin stuff is in as good condition as what some other stores (12St) call their regular stock. Ive asked him for some pretty obscure records and goes right to it. Some record store managers I have asked about a truly iconic artist such Cliff Richard and the Shadows or Sonora Matancera and they look at me like I have 2 heads (like Annie Ross- Im sure he knows her too!) I never write on line reviews (or read them since I think the good ones are from the sister and the bad ones are the competition) but certain things need to be said.

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