I travel the country extensively visiting record stores in every city. I gotta say, this one is up…read morethere! Arguably one of the best record stores in Austin. Highly curated, with so many off-beat selections. Prices are reasonable for what they offer. I have found several "Holy Grails" here. I love the fun decor and high ceilings. One thing that makes it a little hard to browse is the three-tier bins. If you're under 6' then it's actually a lot harder to see what's in the upper bins without having to take things out. Not a lot of flippability for us height challenged folk. (Just a note as an avid crate digger) I make this my FIRST stop. The employees are nice, and you get decent quality vinyl for a decent price. Love End of an Ear!

Rad indie record store that carries just about anything you're looking for…read more They have a decent selection of vinyl as well as other old school formats like cassettes and CDs. I find lots of hidden gems in the used section as well as new. They buy and trade as well. So if you're looking to unload stuff, give them a try. Coming from an old school punk background, I'm a big fan of their curation of the genre. They also sell band shirts and other little tidbits. Staff are extremely knowledgeable whether you're looking for a Blues or Jazz record, Rap or Hiphop, Punk or Rock, they've got the answers and what you're looking for. I could get lost at End of an Ear for hours reading jacket liners and chatting with employees about music.

The Waterloo Records is a pretty nice spot though I admit it misses a little bit of the charm the…read moreoriginal had and replaces it with a more modern feeling. I don't fault Waterloo for that because they were asked to leave. The place is great and their collection is awesome just like the originally. I really think they just picked up their stock and moved it. It is in a great spot, they do great events with artists from in-store performances to listening parties, and I feel that they have so many great collections in genres that some record stores don't have like in electronic music and jazz. The genres represented at Waterloo are always eclectic and their stock is always pretty substantial. My wallet always hurts after visiting, but that's part of record collecting. RIYL: Record hunting

At first, I didn't want to bring it up, but the more I think about it the more annoyed I am, so I…read morereally hope the management/whoever was in charge of it sees and pays attention to the feedback. Last week, for 3/20, the store organized a listening party for BTS' new album "ARIRANG." The way it was presented on social media, it seemed like a fun event for the local ARMYs (fandom name) to attend and have fun together. This release is significant to us because it was the first comeback after a long hiatus. It was highly anticipated and people were genuinely stoked and excited. So when you see a local business organize an event, you want to be there and celebrate with people who share the love to this group. Calling it a listening party was an overstatement. You stand in line to register for a raffle. The girl who ran the raffle seemed like she didn't even want be there. She mentioned that people need to write names and last 4 digits of a phone number, which was odd (normally people ask for a full number or email) and she seemed irritated when I was confused about the last 4 digits. By the looks of it, it was under 100 people who were there specifically for the occasion (aside from just customers browsing), not a crazy crowd. So it shouldn't be that difficult to prepare for such a large business. Yet it felt not just underwhelming, but more like no effort was put into it at all. Most fan-organized events gather more people than that and they are in no way a well-known business with a budget and staff. The freebies ran out 10 minutes after stated start time, the CDs sold out even before that, no vinyl for this release was available, I was told they wouldn't get it. A raffle prize was a bootleg canvas print which the girl who ran the raffle announced as "official from the BTS label." Big Hit never released such item for this album merch lineup. Absoluetely nothing against fan-made merch, this community is super welcoming and encouraging to it. However, transparency matters. Overall, equally not a good look whether it was intentionally misrepresented as official item OR just ignorance about the matter. Nothing was done to create an exciting event and engage people who might have turned down other plans to attend this "listening party." Once dropped your name for the raffle, you just wait around and maybe flip through the records while the new album plays on the background (not even very loud). That's it. I can do that on any random Tuesday - come to the store and flip through records while listening to music on my headphones. If you don't know what to do but want to organize an event worth attending, connect with local fans! There's a whole community of enthusiasts in the city (and online) of people who regularly organize fan events locally and would be stoked to do this. It would've been less frustrating if Waterloo just ignored this release and did nothing. At the end of the day, kpop community wouldn't expect a business that doesn't specialize on kpop to participate in celebrating this new album. This "event" was a huge disappointment and a great example of what happens when non-enthusiasts try to capitalize on something they have no clue about.

I stumbled upon this record store during my trip to Austin when my friend and I were walking around…read morethe outdoor vintage marketing going on. I was so pleasantly surprised to see Antone's Record Shop in the midst of it all! They've got a massive selection of records, all organized and labeled properly. The whole store was well-kept and clean too. Nothing felt out of sorts at all. It was extremely hot that day so popping indoors to browse around was also a major plus.

Very cool music shop located near the University of Texas. You'll be listening to good music while…read moreyou shop, you can count on it. They mostly have vinyl records but their CD collection is pretty strong, especially for local Austin artists. I didn't check the vinyl prices but for used cds, many or most were $5 or less. For music lovers, I highly recommend stopping by.

Cate diggers paradise . Tonnes of records CD's a little some great finds and vintage T's clerks…read morehelpful and knowledgable. Something off the beaten track a first choice in an area chuffed with shopping and resturants

This was an interesting store. It's located right on a pretty busy street and there is no sign…read moreabove the entrance so I passed it a couple of times before I realized where it was. When I first walked in I was a little overwhelmed. It's pretty small and there is stuff everywhere! Some collectibles, lots of cassettes and a nice vinyl section. I found two records I really wanted, one was overpriced for my taste and I bought the other. An obscure German metal band from the 80's. There was a scratch that concerned me, so the owner of the store put it on the turntable and it played right thru it. I have no doubt there were other gems in the store but I was short on time (the wife was waiting in the car).

Cute store, friendly staff, lots of gadgets to choose from for that great souvenir, gift or…read morepersonal purchase. Centrally located on Congress Ave, can't miss it while on your way to some of the local landmarks happening around town. Need a guitar? They got you!

This is a MUST SEE in Austin. Shopped here upon our arrival to Austin. Brought our group back…read moreanother time, to visit Louis the resident kitty and to shop some more!!

This is literally the only place besides Waterloo where I buy vinyl…read more Everyone is rad. Great selection even though it's a smaller shop inside Drinks bar. They've got $1 records, mate!! Nicest people ever. For real.

These guys kind of open late around 4pm. There's a fair selection of records here. Most if not all…read morethe records here are new. And prices are average, won't really find much deals but there are some uncommon items.

Buyer beware!!! My 15 year old bought a bag ($37.88) that…read morewas in a glass case that she was unable to see the size of the strap. With the bag on and the strap completely stretched out it barely hit her hip. We walked right back into the store to return it. They do not do returns and there are absolutely zero signs stating this. The person working today was glued to her phone so didn't hear when we originally asked for help. I told her that it's sketchy not to have signs posted stating that they don't do refunds. She said that she just works there. I then ask for a number to someone that can assist in getting signs posted. She doesn't have a number. Convenient. I then say if you have an issue with your paycheck who do you call. She stated my boss. I said perfect I'll call that number. She stated she would not give me her bosses number. I said ok then you can message them and tell them you have a disgruntled customer and have them call the store. She flat out refused to help. I had to call an entirely different store to try and get changes made. It's fishy not to have signs posted about no refunds. We have been into this store MANY times and have bought many things here. The staff we have seen there in the past has never told us of this policy. Never again!

Let me first start by saying the chick that was working today. Could you be any more rude? Not only…read moredid we walk in and your store was completely dead, looks like you were as well. You didn't say hi nor welcome not even a f*ck you, well thats ok I guess. Im a glutton for punishment, As me and my associates mingled and browsed in your store you did nothing hell I wasn't sure you were even a real person. Anyway This place is actually really nice once you get past the trash customer service. Awesome retro games, dvds, plushes and other cool stuff. Decent prices, fantastic layout. Anyways, thank god the petite chick showed up to work and helped us with our purchase just wish the other chick would wake up.

Sundance been in my city since day one and still here doing awesome work just like the staff and…read morethe vibes are always good

Cool record store with an amazing selection of new records. My only complaint would be lack of…read moreolder and 1st edition records and the records where so packed in the shelves it made it hard to look trough.

This place has it all. There is so much music to be consumed at Piranha Records, including records,…read morebut also a ton of random music-related tchotchkes. One of the best selling points and features of Piranha is that for every $20 spent, you get a $1 wooden coin back, so you get a 20:1 ratio of money back on all purchases. It may not mean much, but after stockpiling 15 wooden coins and blowing them on a record, the feeling is unbeaten. The staff is humorous and great. After Record Store Day last year, I pulled up after failing to grab a copy of the Blue Notes Alts n Ins record, and the owner gave me props for grabbing it because he personally thought it was one of the coolest releases in the collection. He asked if I had come there just to buy it or stumbled upon it. I told him I was seeking it out, and I got the nod of approval. Best day of my life. I do not think this record store has much of a purpose to visit if you are deep in Austin, since independent stores in Austin have pretty similar stock, but living in Hutto and for the people in Round Rock and Georgetown, this is a great spot and a place I love to support. RIYL: Really Rockin' Records in Round Rock

First time here and definitely plan to come back. It was a large selection and they exactly had…read morewhat I was looking for. The staff was very helpful too.

Breakaway Records is like a records museum! The store has mainly vinyl records and a very large…read moreselection. The store is located on North Loop in Austin, TX off the beaten path. According to staff, Breakaway Records opened in 2008, moved to its current North Loop location in 2010, and later expanded the space. The store is clean, well-organized, and with items strategically arranged with excellent signage. There was no piled-on dust that you tend to see in music stores housing old vinyl records. Breakaway's true highlight was the breadth and depth of its music items and accessories. The shop had an extensive collection of used vinyl and 45s, spanning genres as well as ages that primarily focused on soul, jazz, funk, hip hop, international sounds, punk, and rock. Flipping through their vinyl records was easy and enjoyable with some surprise finds. Listening stations let you preview records before you buy. The staff were knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about music. They'll either give you space to browse or gladly answer questions, depending on what you prefer. Breakaway also sells 45, CDs (small section) and record players. The store carries stereo gear and accessories at a range of prices including turntables, receivers, speakers, and small essentials. They did not have any small music tapes or 8-track tapes...probably my nieces and nephews have never heard of these. Smile. Great discovery...great visit...

I've come in here a few times and I've always been impressed by the lowkey but unique collection…read morethey have here. I got a copy of Slum Village's Fan-Tas-Tic, Vol. 2 here a while back and I hadn't seen that around. They have a great selection of curated compilations from Numero, Light from the Attic, and more, and they have curated 45s from Big Crown, Daptone, and more as well. It's always a joy to come here and dig around. RIYL: A little more unique records than your typical spot in Austin