Superb selection of interesting records, good prices, and the owner has a classic record store personality.

Great place to find some LPs on vinyl. From the early days of Motown and Rock & Roll to now, there is a place to find great music at a reasonable price. The owner is a nice guy who will work with you as best he can. Check it out! read more

We found this to be a solid stop in record hunting. Prices are a bit high, with the "bargain" bin having everything marked at $6.99. Prices go up from there, but it's easy to differentiate between the big, largely unorganized bargain bin and the more organized, more expensive selections. Everything is bagged, which probably adds a bit to the cost. Lots of hard(er) to find stuff here, and some real gems if you've got the time to be patient and flip through literally everything. You can do that in probably an hour, as the store isn't too big. Background music was pretty weird the whole time we were there, which probably speaks to the owner's tastes. We didn't find the owner rude as other reviews claimed him to be; he guided us to what we asked about and was polite and even a little chatty while we checked out. He asked us to sanitize our hands when we came in (we already had masks on) and is limiting the number of people allowed in the store at one time due to the pandemic. Perfectly reasonable if you ask me, and it helped us feel more comfortable in the store. Physical access is a little weird - the store is on a one-way street going the wrong way, if that makes sense, so parking is difficult. It's best to park on the main cross street and walk to the store rather than trying to go all the way around, drive across the pedestrian mall and secure a spot right out front. If you're in Charlottesville and looking for records, this is a good place to visit. If you're looking for $1 specials, this isn't your place. read more

Well-curated inventory for buyers not looking for more common titles. Prices are fair. That doesn't mean the prices are low. But if you're a more seasoned record buyer, Melody Supreme is worth your time. read more

Smallish store, mostly used records (small new record section, very small used CD section). They make a big deal about all records great condition and professionally cleaned... and I have to say I'd agreed to that claim from the dozen or so that I examined. They also have an unusual catalog... meaning lots of records by not-the-typical artists of that time or genre. Which was great, as far as I'm concerned. As a frequent bin digger, I'm happy with an unusual catalog. A good used store. read more

I've only been here twice but each time I've went I found some really great records! Every time I visit Charlottesville I will be coming back here. The staff was really nice. I didn't catch his name but the man who helped us had a French accent and was polite and gave us a good restaurant recommendation. read more

The owner has an encyclopedic knowledge of music and is always spinning something that is worth your attention. In my experience, he is happy to help you find something or offer a recommendation and is a nice guy. I love the layout of this store (not too big or small) and consider it a hidden gem on the mall. read more

The owner is amazing and the shop is so organized with a great selection of vinyl! Our record broke and I was able to bring it to him and he fixed it for us and gave us some tips! Highly recommend shopping here! read more

I walk into melody supreme Gwen hands me records and says this is what you want. He is never wrong. Awesome little store. Support your local record store and small businesses. read more

Melody Supreme - Gwen told me to buy this album. Glad I did - Vinyl Records Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I lived in Charlottesville for several years and visited all of the record stores in town quite often. The owner of Melody Supreme is arrogant and his prices are predatory. I've seen much cheaper copies of the same records (same quality, same pressing) at other record stores, sometimes even in Charlottesville. The owner's business model seems to revolve around buying dollar bin records and selling them for $10+, with a little post-it note that says something like "essential listening. great press." I've even bought a record here that was labeled "Excellent" but turned out to have tons of imperfections and surface noise. I've heard the owner talk down the other record stores in the area to customers. Not a good look, especially in a small town. read more

Shockingly enough, Melody Supreme seems to be the only record store in Charlottesville but if that's indeed the case, it's an excellent one to have. The store is vinyl only and its owner, Gwen, is a French expat with sartorial style (please note that Gwen is a man and the name is short for something I cannot pronounce ignorant Yank that I am). As befitting a man of his background and discerning taste, Melody Supreme has an immaculate selection. I went this past Sunday and my mouth dropped upon seeing an original U.S. pressing of the Velvet Underground's third album flanked by originals of "Freak Out!" and "We're Only In It for the Money" by Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Gwen has a lot of new and used records in rock, jazz, hip hop, classical, electronic, R&B, country, soundtracks, and more. My friends, boyfriend, and I shopped at least for an hour and still kept finding stuff. My friends got Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," a rocksteady compilation off Studio One, the new Grizzly Bear, and a Leontyne Price box set (one of my friends is a voice teacher); my boyfriend got an original French pressing of Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma"; and I finally scored Burial's "Untrue" after multiple tries, Big Star's "Radio City," and a Deutsche Grammophon recording of Tristan und Isolde with Birgit Nilsson. Gwen has a record cleaning machine in store and will be happy to spiff up something if you ask. A great place for audiophiles. I will definitely come back. read more

Melody Supreme - Vinyl Records Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Just bought a few items, the man who rang us up would not get off his cell phone. He carried on an intense conversation while we attempted to check out. He barely made eye contact with us as he was clearly most concerned about whoever was on the other end of his personal call. SO RUDE! read more

Melody Supreme is one of my favorite record stores in the world! The new vinyl selection is well-curated by the owner (of all imaginable genres), and used vinyl is usually in excellent condition and professionally cleaned. The store is very clean, organized, and attractive on the inside. I used to work in a record store and found the prices at Melody Supreme to be at or slightly below MSRP for new vinyl. Used vinyl is often sold below prices seen on Discogs or eBay. I moved out of Charlottesville a few years ago, but still shop the catalogue of Melody Supreme via Discogs.com several times a year. The records are always shipped quickly and arrive in excellent condition. The owner, Gwen, is passionate about sharing his love of music and vinyl with fellow lovers of music. I can't recall how many times Gwen turned me onto incredible music that I never would have heard otherwise. Enjoy discovering your new favorite bands during your upcoming visit! read more

Agree with Daniel from NYC. Owner is very rude. Visited the shop on an off day and admired the record stands. Inquired about their origin, and he asked how many records we have - I noted that we have several hundred, but just appreciate viewing them from the front as opposed to the side - and he scoffed that we don't have that many and that viewing them from the front is not so great. Nothing worse than an arrogant, condescending record shop owner. We left and spent our money down the street at Sidetracks, a great tried and true record store. read more

Wonderful brick and mortar store for vinyl. I collect R&B and disco and I have purchased many 45's and LP's from this business. Reasonable prices. read more

Guy working in the store there was very friendly. I purchased David Bowie's Young Americans on vinyl and it good condition and it sounds great! Wide selection too. read more

A superb record store. The selection is diverse and well-curated, with all genres represented, even classical. Gwen (the owner) is a wonderful music fan whose conversation is another big plus for the experience here. He has plenty of records at all price points, and his overseas connections ensure that tantalizing imports are always on hand. Highest marks for Melody Supreme! I even bought a store poster to hand in my music room. read more

One of my favorite record shops of all time other. I have been going there for over ten years and Glen never lets me down. The selections are always first rate with recent or late artists of all types including locals. Really has some rare gems in there too. Some of my favorite records are from him. Better price too, then say Discogs. He has always been a very helpful and a polite shopkeeper and he tries very hard to maintain a beautiful and eclectic selection. If I want something specific, he jumps up immediately to get its for me (i.e Brian Eno). Like record stores in Europe, they appreciate you not wasting their time.. With real record store/collectors like him, while there are common records, but specifying what you're looking for is greatly appreciated and respected. I have experienced the same in Paris and Berlin. It is a matter of politeness for them that we American do not always understand. Do not be put off or think he snobby (I once thought that) but it is because he prides himself on his vast knowledge and understanding of music. Any record collector (i.e myself or my friends who run record labels) can come across snobby. Any collector of anything in general too. He likes all types of music, some not so much but in most areas of genres he has been very helpful. I felt compelled to write a good long review because small businesses like his are struggling right now. read more

My favorite record shop in Charlottesville. My best buying experiences have either been asking Gwen, the owner, for a recommendation based on what I've been listening to lately, or liking what he plays over the shop stereo and just buying whatever that is. Knowledgeable and friendly, a real Charlottesville gem. read more

An actual record store that not only has reasonable prices and a great selection, but it is also organized!!!!! The records are also in excellent condition. This is easily the best record store in the area. read more

Melody Supreme is a must visit for vinyl addicts! You are going to find albums here that you won't find in any other record store in Virginia. Your fingers and eyes with stop often digging through these bins. The variety in stock is refreshing and delightful. If you are in Charlottesville you must stop in. I walked up to the counter with a few albums; King Crimson's USA, Zappa's Studio Tan, and a Yes album. Gwen put my musical tastes together on the fly and pulled out an album from a band I had never heard of; Brainchild's Healing of the Lunatic Owl. He knew what I was looking for in an album and he was spot on! It hasn't stopped spinning since. So don't be hesitant to ask Gwen for suggestions. My future day trips to C'Ville won't be complete without a stop by Melody Supreme! read more

Was not impressed. The guy working was not friendly and even tho it was only 230 in the afternoon he announced he was closing up. No 5 min warning, no apologies and didn't even check to see if we wanted to buy anything. Would not recommend and won't go back. read more

I've been here a couple times and the guy working (I assume the owner) has been rude and unhelpful. They have the worst prices out of all the record stores in Charlottesville and the other places are far more friendly. read more

Friendly owner, well-organized store, very clean stock. I picked through the 7" boxes and found some good cuts for fair prices. Wish I had more time to dig as he looks to have a good jazz, garage, and psych selection on LP. Listening station is always a plus. New LPs too. read more

We stopped in Charlottesville specifically to go to Melody Supreme. The owner was extremely rude and asked us (not so politely) to not let our child pull the records (even though he wasn't). It seemed as though he was just annoyed to have a child in his store. I had planned to make a large purchase and after the rude encounter decided to take my business elsewhere. I WILL NOT go back and DO NOT recommend the shop. read more

Beware buying online from this shop,I spent 100 dollars,product never arrived and in place of a refund all I received were some very rude emails.never thought I'd say it but use Amazon people.no stars is the real rating. read more

Gwen has a great selection; I'm not sure how anyone could walk out empty-handed. If he doesn't have a specific record you're looking for he's happy to order it. Melody Supreme is a must for anyone who loves music and wants to support an awesome local business. read more