Hmv in Stratford is easy to find and as usual as with all their stores they sell music,games, dvds…read moreand other bits and bobs. This store is very very narrow which is for the size of other stores a bit dissappointing. But never the less it still holds up quite well. Being narrow means if two people want to pas each other you quite literally have to turn sideways to pass its that small. Once past that problem its clear the store requires more room. The tills are set back to aid with room on the left of the store on the way in. Recent releases of cd etc are at the fron of the store. And as you go further back you find more music, dvds and the game section. Right at the back of the store you will find an area which sells headphones and speakers from makes such as Bose, Sony and philips. I pod accessories are also available too. The store gets 4 out of 5 as the staff being helpful and the amazing amount of stock they cram in makes up for the store being stupidly small.

Based right in the centre of town Musical Goods and Exchange is a no frills vinyl seller/buyer…read more They are close to nostalgia and comics; however the music store is a little smaller in size. I came in here with a tonne of vinyl that I wanted to sell and they took every item and gave me a fairly decent price on what I had. These were the records that I couldn't manage to sell online so I was happy to get rid of them. The staff are not very friendly or helpful; they just keep an eye out for shoplifters and little else. But if you do have a serious question they will give you a serious answer. This place is a must for all vinyl collectors out there and for those that are looking to offload a few records in exchange for cash.

The Music and Video exchange on Smallbrook Queensway is fantastic for any DJ or Vinyl collector…read more They have a huge range of vinyl and it is categorised very well so it is easy to find what you are looking for. A great place to pick up bargains or find those gems you have always been looking for. I recently bought a very rare DJ Sneak vinyl for £3, probably worth over £20. Very recommended.

Hags records i can highly recommend, if like myself your a collector of vinyl records / lps. I…read moreFirst visited hags records around 15 years ago when i was on a weeks holiday in new quay, i spent a couple of hours there and browsed the racks of lps my main interest being rock and rock progression.i purchased around £30 worth of vinyl records that day which included u2 / dire straits / pink floyd/be bop deluxe/ genesis etc. My second visit was some years later with a few friends of mine, once again i spent around £30 The choice of lps / cds is endless and i can say for sure if you decide to spend a few hours browseing the racks at hags records you wont be dissapointed. Give yourself a day to dedicate to the visit, the parking in lampeter is v/good and easy to find as all car parks are signposted well. Theres plenty of cafes and chippys to have a lunch break and a rest before concludeing your purchases and returning home. In short after many years of record collecting and haveing visited many vinyl record shops around the country hags is certainly top of my list as its not overpriced like some ! So happy vinyl hunting to you all enjoy a day at hags records i cant wait to visit again asap summer 2013.

good old hag's, freindly and hepful, well known for his huge collection of films and music ;-)read more

10 year ago there were one hell of a lot of music/records stores. The larger retailers like Tower,…read moreVirgin Music and HMV have all pretty much gone out of business. Tempest was one of the last greatest independent record stores and that has now gone the same way as all the others. Then smaller independent specialist stores went. Polar Bear still stands on a popular back street of King's Heath, like the one building that withstood the core blast at Nagasaki, it is still in business. The reason of course for the demise of music/record stores is due to the online competition, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to work that one out. However keeping a store afloat in these times is an act as difficult as brain surgery. Polar bear offers lots of vinyl, bootlegs and stuff you can't find anywhere else. It stocks music for people that love music and not those who like music as background filler whilst they work. The staff are friendly and competent and if they don't have anything in store then you can get it online......hang on a minute, did I just say that...... Yes, I did. To stay afloat in today's market, Polar Bear can also fill your orders online. Not surprising since there has been such a shock to the industry in recent days.

Places to buy physical copies of music are hard to find these days in Birmingham…read more The Polar Bear is one of the few record/cd shops still going strong. I've been a Polar Bear customer since I was 15 so I know it pretty well, sadly the amount I buy from there has decreased significantly over the years as I'm sure it has for many others. It's easy to download songs online but there is NOTHING like getting a new LP or CD and reading the sleeve notes, admiring the artwork and holding the record/cd in your hand. It's just better. This current culture of downloading odd songs here and there makes me sad, I used to love discovering an album, listening to it from start to finish and having my favourite tracks change over the years, it's a great experience. The Polar Bear is somewhere that carries on that tradition. They have a great selection of CDs and vinyl both new and second hand. A great place to find jazz, folk, blues, rock, punk, metal, noise and much more. The staff (as you would expect) are very knowledgable, and although manager Steve can be a little grumpy at times it's worth getting on his good side as he's a great story teller and really, really, really knows his stuff when it comes to record collecting. When Steve's not in Nathan (formerly of Tempest) is far more chatty and friendly. Even if you're not into rare cds and records there's a great selection of second hand stuff which includes classic pop albums like Michael Jackson and Madonna - it's not as pretentious as you might expect :) Do expect to get openly laughed at if you walk in asking for the new Lady GaGa or Olly Murs cd.... A great independent business that needs our support - get buying ;)

I'm writing this review begrudgingly, as I want all of the albums at this brand new shop for…read moremyself. Hot Wax Records has yet to launch officially, so please excuse the austere interior and lack of stock in place (there's not even a sign up, but owner Dave is still trading). Offering a wide selection of 12-inch albums, DVDs, modern collectibles, posters and comics, Hot Wax is one of Cardiff's newest "music and more" shops and soon to become my favourite place to spend money. I stumbled upon this jewel in the alluvial deposit that is Cowbridge Road East just the other day. Oh, but the vinyl, the glorious vinyl, many of which comprise my "dream collection" and most are all priced less than a fiver. If I didn't have somewhere to be, I would have happily spent the entire afternoon here, digging for musical treasure. Please note the store is closed from 1-2 for lunch, and as of last week the card machine system is not in place so only cash is accepted. Won't deter me, though!

This is so strange that it draws people to stand and gawp. I've seen people do it. It's hilarious…read more 'What? I don't understand! A vending machine for cheap new DVDs?' I say. 'Yes!' a little voice in my head confirms. 'Isn't it cool? You should buy one just to try it out!' 'Nay,' I say, 'For that would be dangerous and silly.' Because that's how I think most people's initial reaction will be to these newfangled machines. They're amazing. They're so sleek. They're a very clever idea. But they're not to be trusted. Like Daleks. So I've yet to try one, because I'm scared that it will eat my card or exterminate me. So I'm holding out on that last star......

A warning to all you ladies out there: if, after dragging your doting boyfriend around the retro…read moreshops of Park Street, you loving ask, 'is there anywhere you want to go?' you may just end up at Forbidden Planet. This comic book and sci-fi mega store is every boys dream and every girl's nightmare. Be prepared to lose several very important shopping hours here. Having said that, it's easy to admire the scale of the store and the quality of the goods they have to offer. Even I, a sci-fi phobic, enjoyed flicking through the comic books and eyeing up the DVDs. It's a great place to shop for presents for boyfriends, friends and little brothers. And, luckily for me, the shop assistants are so helpful so even the clueless can pick the perfect stocking filler.

Comic book nerds and geeks (or those that think Sci Fi is so square that it's hip) from all around…read morewill love forbidden planet. It's not the easiest place to find - it's on the less visited part of triangle, so a little away from the main shopping drag on Park Street, but definitely worth making the effort for. If you're not into comics too much yourself, this is definitely a brilliant place to grab an original gift for someone who is - there's endless amounts of memorabilia. The stuff here is pretty expensive though.