A definite must stop for the vinyl junkie when visiting London…read more Once upon a time record stores dotted the landscape on this side of the pond, but, as in the US, that is no longer the case. This store is a passion project and while physically it's not a huge location, browsing here you'll find loads of attractive vinyl, of both the 7" and 12" variety, all reasonably priced. You'll also find an owner (and I'm sure a staff, though I was fortunate enough on my visit to meet the owner Claudia) who is passionate about music and happy to chat with you about your favorite artists. She may even share some of hers as well. I have to say, she has great taste. Classic 60's soul (Al Green, Aretha, Motown and Stax), all are present here, as are so many other classic artists. The selection is primarily used, though there is plenty of new vinyl to be found, and while it skews on the Soul, R&B, and Reggae side, you will find Pop, Rock, as well as Dance and other genres represented. If you don't see what you're looking for, be sure to ask the staff. If it can be ordered, they'll be happy to do so. Brixton is lucky to have Pure Vinyl, and when I visit next I'd love to see more of this type of music outlet in London. Maybe even another location?

Well, what can I say, this place just ticks all the boxes for me. Vinyl Deptford is tucked away in…read morea quiet side street off busy Deptford High Street, apparently one of the few streets to survive the Great Fire of London a few centuries ago, with an old-fashioned butcher's and pie shop at the corner. The records inside are not quite as old, but you get that lovely record store vibe with people flicking through a great collection of old favourites and random treasures. The walls are given over to artists from time to time, while the basement doubles up as a venue for experimental music and sound art. But you don't even have to be a culture vulture to fall in love with this place, they also make the best smoothies and strong coffee, served alongside the best cakes - and not just any cakes but vegan cakes!! My dream of a gallery/cafe/shop space come true, and well worth the trek across town ...

Great vinyl records and books, mainly 80s and earlier, friendly staff and nice welcoming viberead more

Fantastic selection of secondhand and new vinyl, and a very knowledgable and friendly owner. Fab…read moreselections of books and original artwork also for sale, and it's fully licensed bar with a coffee machine too! Regular radio broadcasts and club nights make it a very regular place to hang out!

Fantastic site! After losing some classic reggae and soul tunes over the years Vinyl Destiny have…read morehelped me get back some gems. Very fair postage prices and vinyl arrived promptly and exactly as described on the site. Fantastic, couldn't recommend this site more

From the owner: We have a stock of over 25 000 play tested records. LP's. 45's, 12"s & EP's. Also we have a large…read morestock of CD's that we sell on our web site & Amazon. We are a mail order company, but collection in person is possible from our place in Eltham. We aim for 100% customer satisfaction. Full money back guarantee on any item bought from us. Fast, friendly & efficient service

Discretely tucked away at the entrance of Camberwell New Road (Camberwell Green entrance), there…read morehides a little treat for record geeks. When you first see the faded blue and yellow sign that simply says "CDs", you could almost be forgiven for mistaking the second-hand record store Rat Records with the cheapo discount stores that stock multiple variations on 80's hits compilations, or "Songs That Your Nan Used To Sing"; but, as you will find out, one shouldn't be so dismissive. Having known Camberwell for quite sometime now, Rat Records has become a little perk every time I visit. Although the décor doesn't really dispel the myth of the faded sign, and perhaps you could say it is a little "cosy" at best; if you are willing to invest some time rummaging through the broad selection of honestly priced vinyls, you will soon find something that will turn these "quirks" into "nice little character traits". In true audiophile fashion, albums are neatly filed under handy sub-genre based headings, such as; "UK Psychedelia", "US Indie", "Hip-Hop", "Classic Rock", "Jazz", and so on. However, despite the sign's invitation, Rat Record's selection of CD albums is somewhat limited. I think it's also worth a mention that, if you're like me and like to "try before you buy", be sure to have £10 to pay the deposit to borrow the headphones. Barring these factors, Rat Records makes for an excellent little store; you may also want to try your luck selling them some of your own old records, as thet always seem interested to see what you've got.

Awesome place. I knew as soon as I walked in that this place rocked. You better love vinyl. Even if…read moreyou don't have a turntable though, there is a great selection of used CD's. My only gripe about Rat Records is the size. It could take up a shop at least twice the size. The guys behind the counter are super cool. The prices are great. I knew when I walked in and saw the B-52s, Michelle Shocked, The Who and The Jam straight away that this place was the real deal. I left my CD collection back in the States. I will re-build it with the help of Rat Records. You guys rock.

The Music & Video Exchange in Greenwich is another in the Exchange group based around London. I…read morefind that this one is not as bargainous as its cousins elsewhere but there are still some good finds to be had here. Cheap second hand and promotional albums are there for the taking if you fancy sifting through the racks. Most albums are individually priced and are all guaranteed to work. The shop is quite small and if someone is looking through the promo/collectables section you may find that you have to wait your turn which can be frustrating. Promo albums (the ones radio stations are given by record companies which come in plastic or cardboard sleeves) are normally around £2 and albums start from £4. The problem can also be the quality of stock. Sometimes the racks aren't as full as I have seen in other Exchange stores and are full of artists I've never heard of before which normally wouldn't be a problem but at £2 a go, buying an album blindly can feel like a waste of money if there are no tracks you like. DVDs and vinyl are also available at slashed prices. The main stock is upstairs with more downstairs if you have time on your hands. There it little organisation to the CDs downstairs it is pot luck with regards to what you come across. Looking around this shop can be a pleasurable way to kill an hour or so but compared to the other Music Exchanges, it lacks something which in my opinion is the quantity and quality of stock. Still worth checking out and going out of your way to visiting but if you only have time to visit one exchange, make it one of the others.

This small second-hand music shop in the Greenwich town centre looks like someone's car boot sale…read more Posters adorn the wall, CDs and DVDs are stacked in rows on counters and shelves, and there's barely enough room for more than five customers to browse at the same time (not to mention the guys who work there look like they're on a permanent tea break). However, what looks like disarray isn't really: stock is meticulously ordered depending on genre and price. The categories put any conventional music store to shame. Example: you don't just have "urban" music, you have "classic hip-hop", "UK and indie hip-hop", "mainstream label hip-hop", "hip-hop compilations", "soul", "nu-soul", "funk" and "r&b". Phew! You get the point. This shop is an excellent place to search for bargains - CDs regularly get priced down to £2, even £1. Brand new albums are sometimes available for a quid or two cheaper than their retail price. The DVDs are varied and affordable and there's also an LP section in the basement. If you want an even bigger selection, though, check out their Camden branch.

Oh my god. I love this shop so, so very much. So many books, all crammed into a relatively little…read moreshop. And decent books, too. They do music and films too, but it's the books I want. Beautiful, beautiful books. I actually found some text books for my MSc reading list in here. And at about 10% of the price they would be online. The staff are so helpful and friendly. I can't help but duck in every time I go past. And I always, always find something to buy. I spent about £150 in there in the space of a month. Long live BHF, and long live our BHF bookshop!

This British Heart Foundation charity shop is a rare find! Specialising in books and music, it has…read morea quick turnover of donations guaranteeing quality merchandise. Quite a hot spot on those lazy Sunday mornings when local people pack it out, idly looking though rare vinyl and browsing the paperbacks. It's not unusual to find mint condition Bruce Springsteen vinyl records, and mint condition hard back Stephen King novels, for just a pound or two. The shop has a good childrens selection of books near the back of the store, and several chairs for them to sit on whilst they browse. The store also has a large selection of classic literature books from the early 1900's which are very special to look at. A clean and welcoming charity shop that doesn't overcharge. They're always on the lookout for good, clean books and music. Bargain videos to be found these days, too, plus numerous DVDs and sheet music. Worth a visit if you're passing!