I love this place. It is what gives Silver Spring and suburban Maryland a bit of character. They have an amazing, exhaustive and chaotic collection of vinyls and other media. You just need to dig around a little. Quite literally. read more

Joe is a good guy. Prices are fair. The selection is large. Friendly, helpful staff. Large Jazz selection, which is my main line of search. read more

Acres and Acres of CDs LPS and fair prices. Great store -- Epic! Highly recommended. Go for it.

Place is a Silver Spring institution. Read in the Post where Joe recently passed--RIP. Been happy to support them for over 40 years. Don't really buy albums or cds these days but stopped by for nostalgia's sake and bought a t-shirt. Cool spot. read more

Phenomenal collection! It was weird going into an office building and we were a bit unsure of where to go but then realized it was in basement. Masks are required so come prepared. The entry was interesting as empty beer bottles and used masks piled up out front but if you look beyond that you get consumed in the music and the incredible collection. Happy record hunting. Records are alive and well! Let the music play on... read more

Awesome place very neat. All the records I bought were in excellent shape. They have many listening stations. They have cds and tapes and records and lots more. I've been to their old locations and this was my first time here. Will be back for more soon. read more

Great store! Plenty of inventory, friendly staff, easy parking (though not free). Prices are generally reasonable, expect to pay more if it's a rare item. read more

An old school music shop that's become a hard to find rarity these days. Huge selection and a knowledge staff make flipping through the stacks a pleasure. read more

Since I'm in NY, lots of time passes between visits. Before the pandemic, they were better than ALL NYC/upstate shops I've been to (and I'm a record junkie), and after... that's still true. Came home with a very sweet score. They had a sale going and I came home with records that would have taken me years to find in NY. Very worth a visit. read more

Joe's Record Paradise - Miles, James Brown, Jazz, should and a bunch of electro... - Music & DVDs Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Don't waste your time. No organization and it feels like someone's garage. Plus they have a mask mandate. Didn't we stop that over a year ago? read more

"I really liked this place." This was as far as I got on my review from nearly two years ago. I just realized that I had an unfinished Yelp review in my drafts folder. OK...let me see if I can remember what it was like two years after my visit: I really liked this place. As others have mentioned, it is a little tough to find. I thought that their selection was very good. They also have a "rare" section which was a bit out of the ordinary, I thought. Then again separating the higher-dollar items from the rest of their stash isn't a bad strategy at all. This is especially true for me since I generally look at the walls when I first enter a vinyl shop that I've never been to. That's usually where the nicer/rarer items are. I found the staff to be quite personable, also. That's a huge plus in my book. I didn't have a ton of time to spend during my visit. I can't wait to get back to the DC area (I visit regularly on business) and stop by Joe's again. read more

I could easily spend a week in here checking out all of the music they have available. Very friendly staff. Still have to mask up but it's a small price to pay for the enjoyment of perusing so much music. Prices are pretty good too. Great selection of R&B, jazz, hip hop, house, and more. read more

If you are a music lover, you will be dancing when you walk in the door. The walls are lined with the records and CDs of all different genres. You can browse as long as you'd like, testing out a few vinyls on the record players in the room. Staff are attentive and knowledgeable. What a gem. read more

Joe's Record Paradise - Music & DVDs Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

My favorite record store I've ever been to. Unreal selection, great for filling specific needs or for digging. Staff is as awesome as the stock. 100% great all around, I promise! read more

First, Joe, if you're reading this, you missed a huge opportunity to name this place "The Vault" given that the shop is in the basement of a bank. Food for thought. Second, great collection of vinyl. Good if you have a sense of what you want and you like to browse. This is an audiophile's haven -- more "High Fidelity" than "Empire Records." The Good: 1) Breadth, depth of the record collection 2) The rare collections section The Bad: Shop is in the basement and I always forget that it's there/when it is open even though I live literally one block away The Smugly: Worth your time if you love music; collection is much more extensive than the store at Georgia and Colesville. read more

Joe's Record Paradise has a large selection of CDs, but prices are high and the employees are gruff. It wasn't fun shopping here.

This place, recently relocated from their Gude Drive (Rockville) location is like a throwback in time. Vinyl records galore! Yay for Duran Duran! Only, I don't have a record player anymore... some of my students don't even know what a record player is. Their selection is expansive. Rock, jazz, hip hop... you name it. They have a huge selection of vintage albums and CDs as well as new stuff. You can even buy 45s for as low as $0.49. Many of the used CDs were under $5.00. And if you are really into "vintage", you can purchase VHS tapes for around $1.00. While I didn't buy anything this time, I will be back when I don't have frozen foods thawing in my trunk. Welcome to Silver Spring Joe's! read more

Fantastic! Right down the street from me, this is a regular visit. Vinyl selection is very strong in jazz. Good for classic rock like Rush, Rolling Stones, etc. Not as strong in metal, especially metal, but most people here probably aren't looking for that. Some of the CDs are a bit overpriced but I love supporting them so don't mind. Plus they need to pay their rent. They buy very fair prices for buying CDs. Love the fact that I can listen to vinyl too. Only minor complaint is that credit card machine seems old or something so new employee had trouble with it. Maybe just go cash-only it machine is that slow. But very minor detail. read more

If you are a collector of records, look no further. Your record collection can and will be complete. Ya know all of those records that you wish you had? They're at Joe's. You know all of those records that you didn't know you wanted but now need as soon as you see them. They're at Joe's. This place is huge. I can only guess that there's upwards of 15,000 records in there. A majority of the store if very well organized... pretty much everywhere but the front area... but that doesn't bother me. Do you see me taking away any stars? No, cause I'm used to searching yard sales, estate sales, thrift shops, and back alleys for records. I left with 12 records that day. Seven Hall and Oates albums to add to my collection and five Elvis records that I never thought I'd own. Who can play "Don't be cruel" on his record player now? This guy! Who can play "Family Man" on his record player now? This guy! I think it's fate that I run into this store, because 2 days ago I decided to finally order a belt that one of my nicer turntables needed. God was like... "you're gonna need some good records to play on this Mother-jammer!" And I responded, "but yay, the Joes Paradise in Silver Spring has all one needs.' And God responded, "take time and bring quarters for the meters, for they are not the new meters that you can easily use your phone to pay with.' And I said, "oh holy lord of all lords, thank you for taking me to the promise land and filling my bounty full of awesome records." And then God was like , "No problem B." Cause you know Gods totally hip with the times. He always is and always has been. read more

Oh, how I miss this place. This store is responsible for 70 % of my old collection.

Cool spot but rap/hip hop cd selection is weak.. It's getting harder and harder out here. I guess eBay and Discogs.com it is..

Amazing selection, the largest I've ever seen in any area record shop. Also, great selection of CDs and other media items. Can't wait to stop back when I have more time to browse. read more

Joe's Record Paradise - Music & DVDs Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

So initially this place is difficult to find. Enter in the Suntrust bank lobby and take the elevator down to the basement. Joe's has a borderline overwhelming selection, but I'm not complaining! I think to make the best of your experience you should come when you can dedicate at least an hour to look around. If you're looking for vinyls of current music, this probably isn't going to be the place for you. There's a lot of older selections. Some records are over priced as well. Overall, I think this is a place worth checking out if you're looking to build your collection. I left with three records, two old, one newer for $25. read more

Holy cow! This place is freaking amazing! My wife and I decided to go record shopping for our new record player and stepped back in time! Every genre from all eras of music can be found inside these walls! The prices are very reasonable as well! What a gem of a record shop! read more

Joe's Record Paradise - Music & DVDs Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Tons of records! Very well organized and fairly priced on most items. Of course, you're going to find a few pieces that you might be able to find cheaper elsewhere, but it is well worth spending as much time and money as you can here. This place will satisfy the novice collector as well as the working DJ that still uses vinyl. Even the seasoned, non-DJ collector will enjoy the tremendously diverse selection. To summarize: vinyl junkies can never go wrong digging in a massive space that covers the entire basement of a large office building. Just go already! read more

Based on purely selection alone, this place should be called King Joe's Record Paradise because it cannot be topped. This place is huge (if they've downsized from their last location, you would not know it looking at the place). But, my biggest bone to pick with Joe's is customer service. I came here to dig through specifically 45s. Most 45s are priced and organized by genre then major artists. But, there are crates upon crates upon crates of 45s that sit underneath the tables that I decided to dig around. For TWO HOURS. When I was ready to buy my stack of about 60+ or so records , the dreadsy guy who was ringing me up informed me he had to have about half my stack priced by the vinyl guy on duty. Interesting. If it's on the sales floor, isn't it assumed that it's priced already? After looking through a telephone book sized vinyl pricing guide arbitrarily for 2 minutes and cussing at my records (sorry I interrupted your lunch... which you were eating with your greasy burrito hands while pricing records), he proceeded to price half the stack at about $80 with my total purchase totaling WELL over $100. Any explanation as to what made everything jump in price? No. While price isn't so much my beef (good, well-cared for vinyl is hard to find), it's the vinyl dude on duty's lack of customer service. If records aren't ready to be sold, don't put them on the sales floor. Or better yet, put a sign up to let people know. I get that you're the typical grumpy record store guy (a la High Fidelity) but you'll get far more repeat customers by keeping up with your stock and taking the time to price it. Oh and we could all do without the douche attitude. Also-- go eat your lunch somewhere else-- you eating a burrito ON TOP of the records at the front desk and being the first person a customer sees when they step foot is not a good look. read more

Like any great record shop, I could peruse all day in here. This little spot's easy to miss, but bigger than it looks from outside and full of tons of awesome stuff. They do a great job covering a wide range of genres and time periods, from classic rock to oldies to jazz to blues to indie rock to hip-hop to classical an even some reggae. Plenty of it's in the $.50 - $5 range. There's also CDs and other music-related stuff, like posters. Some areas seem to be better organized than others, but since I prefer a lack of organization in a case like this, and I'm rarely looking for something specific, that's fine by me. Great way to kill an hour or an afternoon, and go home with an armful of awesome. read more

Great shop. Picked up a few from their sale section which sells records from only 1-5 bucks. Really unorganized, but the stuff i managed to find was well worth the two hour search. The section in the back sells more organized and better condition vinyl at fairly reasonable prices. Everything was organized alphabetically and they even had a section on the back wall which sold soundtracks which I though was cool. read more

Employees who worked there were rude upon checkout and all employees were wearing headphones. The place is enormous, and help was scarce. Felt a little judged being there. Huge record collection, but most notable they were missing some of the most sought-after classic records. The half off under five dollar albums sale is hard to beat, but then again plenty of albums you have never heard of. There are some new contemporary albums, at fair prices. read more

If you love vinyl, you must go here. The selection is amazing, Its impossible to just 'stop by' and I tend to get lost in here for hours. I walked in on black friday where almost everything was $5 or less and I just about lost my mind. I wouldn't recommend this place if you prefer to buy newer albums, for for older, gently used (okay, some are well used) vinyl, this is the place, because there is tons of it. If you want to get lost in record paradise, go here. read more

I stopped in this place while walking off dinner the other night and could've easily spent hours digging through the sale and unsorted bins looking for CD treasures. This place is reminiscent of record stores from my youth, where I'd spend my allowance for the week on the latest and greatest vinyl. I love that they have listening stations set up where you can give your CDs or vinyl a try to make sure they don't skip or aren't scratched. Their prices are really fair and I found a few gems for my collection. read more

Decided to give an update to my original review awhile back. Since my last review Joe's moved a few minutes down the road to a large basement space inside an office building. I find the parking to be easier on that side. Love that they are open until 9pm during the week still for those of us who like to dig after work. I feel like the new space is cleaner and less dingy than the previous location. Although they still have too much filler, there's always gems lurking throughout the store. I never leave empty handed. Prices are fair. The stuff I usually pick through is pretty clean. Love that they still have a listening area and everything works well. Employees are much more friendly and welcoming. Although not my first, certainly my second favorite record shop in the DC metro area. read more

I'm not one for weeping but when I walked into Joe's for the first in 20 years, there was a split-second of snivel on my part. For some reason 8 thought it had gone the way of all good things and Joe's had always been around when I was growing up. At one point it was waling distance from my house. OK, enough Memory Lane stuff. If you're looking for records, go to Joe's and you'll live happily ever after. The End read more

My favorite record shop in the DC area. Staff is helpful and friendly and most records are reasonably priced. I make a habit of stopping by at least twice a month to check out what's new. read more

I came here for used LPs. Most of the LPs are filed in the generic "rock" section, but they also have sections for hip-hop, soul, jazz, and alternative. The guys are pretty helpful and they asked me what I was looking for. I told him I like electronic music (specifically ambient house), and he pointed me towards their techno and disco section. He also showed me their Brian Eno records. My tastes are pretty specific, so I can't really knock them for not having what I'm looking for. I wish they had a bigger selection of ambient and electronic music. I'm a huge fan of new Ghostly International and Warp, and the selection of similar music is lacking. I'm sure something will pop up now and again, but don't expect to come here and browse much electronic/alternative music. If you're looking for classic rock, hip-hop, jazz, or soul, they have many records. If you're coming for alternative or electronic, they are lacking. Their alternative section is 4 bins and the techno/house/disco section is about the same size. read more

Joe's Record Paradise is my favorite record store in the DC area. The selection is very unorganized, but the prices and findings are well worth the time spent searching. (The disorganized stacks actually make it twice as exciting when you stumble upon something great, which you will). Amazing vinyl and CD collection among plenty of other goodies I've yet to check out. They test all records for playability and recycle non-playable ones to be made into new records. Most LP's are under $5, CD's under $8, I ended up not spending more than $2.50 on a single LP. Staff is friendly and helpful. Good environment in the store. Park behind Golden Palace in the metered lot (a right turn onto Silver Spring Avenue), or try to grab a metered spot in front of the store. The staff will tell you that the free lot next door watches for "walk offs" and will have your car towed. Definitely feels like a record store should feel, kind of old, dusty, not knowing what you're going to find, it's a mini adventure going to Joe's. read more

WOW! While banking has become less and less personal, who would ever expect to find such an amazing, intimate and totally inviting experience in the basement of one! Four things make this a MUST for any real music lover looking for vinyl (and cassettes, DVDS) including 1) The Selection which can be summed up as HUGE! Relatively well organized by genre, you cannot possibly leave this place empty-handed. 2) Value. Pricing is totally reasonable and judging from the quality of what we purchased--a bargain! Well maintained vinyl for a fair price 3) Customer Service. We were promptly welcomed, asked if we need help and then...LEFT lone to roam around. We didn't feel abandoned at all. Instead, it was clear that the staff loved music and were there to help. It was also clear that they are used to having folk get lost in the selection and enjoy it. Forget being bum-rushed and hurried out of a big box store. This felt like I was hanging out in my brothers basement! 4) Overall Vibe. This is an intangible for sure but cannot be underestimated when it comes to this kind of shopping. We heard several genres of music while shopping--all of it made you feel like the world really was OKAY! White, Black, Latino, gay, straight, young, old, middle age...whatever...coexistence, respect and love were the order of the day! A rare jewel, totally worth the trip and definitely a new addition to our must visit regularly list! We've already started recommending it to friends! read more

It really is a record paradise. The shop is so charming and fun and completely filled to the brim with records, old and new. At the time, I wasn't looking for anything specific, I just wanted to browse. The front part of the store has movies in addition to records. It's a bit unorganized but that sort of added to the fun of looking through everything. As I wandered to the back, my eyes widened to see the rows and stacks of records. There's a wide range of music genres as well as time periods. The newer stuff tended to be more towards the front. And the prices were totally reasonable. I finally decided that I did want something specific but this particular album had not been released yet. The salesgirl was very helpful and friendly in taking down my name and phone number and having someone give me a call to let me know if/when said album would be arriving. And then, as promised, a few weeks later when the album was released, I got that call that it was in. Sure, I could have easily ordered it online and had it shipped to my house- but (1). I enjoy supporting local businesses and (2). I want to see this record store stick around. It's that awesome. read more

Joe's definitely has a huge selection. I tend to focus most of my attention in the hip-hop/go-go section and that's the basis of my review... Although a lot of it is record-pool rejects that would be better off in a thrift store, it's fun to dig here because you never know what you'll come across with a little time and effort. I've pulled my fair share of gems from their crates over the years. Luckily, these records were more obscure and probably under the radar of the staff and ended up being great bargains for me. The pricing, as it relates to records' condition, though, is often times WAY off the mark. Many of their records have obviously come from DJ collections and are well-used. Not worn out, necessarily. Just obviously played A LOT. These should not command a premium, mint condition price. But here, more often than not, they do. For instance, I saw a pretty common go-go 12" that looked to have been used as a frisbee on the sidewalk. This particular record, in pristine shape, can be had for $1 to $5 from other area shops (or online). Joe's price? $9.00. Still though, from the records to the memorabilia on the walls, Joe's is a great place to spend a few hours digging. Like I said, you just never know what gems you're gonna find. read more

Quite possibly the closest I have come to a record paradise is this warehouse store in Silver Spring, MD. A nearly exhaustive inventory of records in an exhaustive number of genres, with posters, covers, and memorabilia lining the walls. Had a sale for 50% off everything under $6 when I came, so I spent ~1.5 to 2 hours searching their discount bins, ending up with some gems from Erroll Garner, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Ray Charles, and Sinatra. Especially happy that I found Dizzy Gillespie's 'Have Trumpet, Will Travel' on Verve. While prices in the main section tend to be a tad pricier than what I have seen at stores in Los Angeles, the 50% off sale has made their prices comparable and competitive with anyone. In the end, I walked away with ten albums for ~$15. A deal. Getting these through the TSA, however, will be another challenge. One thing other Yelpers have noted is the 'stoned' cashiers and the lousy customer service. To them I must tell them to put on some Miles and chill, and chill some more. I am a clean liver (both literally and physically)- I don't do drugs, alcohol, incense. I love good music- and that is what I am here for. For the music- 5* read more