Rough Trade js a super cool music store...though I'd argue it's a bookstore and cafe with a music store attached to it, lol. They have a major selection of everything, books, cds, and records. I perused the books as I'm not much of a hard copy music person and stumbled on a book about J Dilla, which I ended up buying. So, great visit! read more

You know that oft-quoted line from the movie High Fidelity that goes "I agreed that what really matters is what you like, not what you are like... books, records, films -- these things matter"? The truth of this is up for debate, but are you someone whose eyes light up (and ears perk up) at the mention of The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire, and The Strokes (who were all signed to Rough Trade at one point or another), even though you're loath to admit that you read Pitchfork occasionally...? Go on. This is just the place for you. Make a pilgrimage to Rough Trade because we both know that you're the kind of person who'd wander around Brick Lane anyway. Rough Trade makes me feel like that this is probably what an everyday record store looked like back in the heyday of college radio back in the '80s and '90s. (Recent former college DJ here, confirming that absolutely no one listened to our station because we were online.) There's something for every music fan here, from indie to underground CDs and vinyl to hip music memorabilia such as posters and clothing. Browse to your heart's content and remember to stop by when there's a free gig going on. Soak up the cooler-than-you vibes that'll help boost your indie cred, fork out some money for the trendy black-and-white photo booth (you know you can't resist it), and brag to all of your friends back home that you discovered a cool new band here that they've probably never heard of before. read more

Rough Trade - Music & DVDs Near Me - London, XGL

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Ok vinyl shop on the east side of London. Ok selection of new vinyl and a limited selection of used. The organization system leaves a little to be desired and the prices are on the higher side of the average market. Not much that you are going to get here that you can not get anywhere else. read more

Order 3159299 - appalling customer service Rough Trade keep cancelling orders left right and center, citing any excuse under the sun. Today's excuse was ' the product you purchased was made available mistakenly and unfortunately we will need to cancel your order. BUT the product will be made available tomorrow in store, meaning someone is going to get my item instead of me. I am growing tired of their lack of respect for their customers and decided alas to write the review they deserve. It's a shame because they do have great items, and if they fixed their customer service and stopped cancelling orders they could could be a good record store. read more

This is the temple of all things indie! Rough Trade was created by Geoff Travis, a genius that began the Rough Trade name with a little shop and then made it the coolest record label for post punk and alternative rock, one of my favorite bands, The Smiths, where signed by him. Anyway, thought id give you some background on why I love this shop so much. Even if you are not a complete connoisseur of music, you can have a great time there, as they review each cd they sell, giving you references of the artist and where they are comming from, its as if they take you in a musical journey without feeling left out. They have listening stations, very helpful staff and a little cafe. read more

Rough Trade - Music & DVDs Near Me - London, XGL

Straight up, nothing comes close to the ambiance of the original Rough Trade records, pioneering music shop just of Portobello Road. And they couldn't have picked a more suitable location for a desperately trendy Rough Trade 'East' now, could they? It's a really good record shop. The staff (who must have the most stringent music test before they're even allowed behind the counter) all write mini-reviews which are put on the CD cases, these are very very good. There's a good stock of vinyl which is nice to see, music publications, magazines and books. I'm not so keen on the cafe section - arty seating, art on the walls, expensive smoothies line the fridge (I mean FRIDGE!?!!! in a record shop!?!??!? WTF?) but they've got a big space to fill. Maybe it gets well used. If you want to see what a classic record shop looks like, then the original is probably still the best. But if you want to be pleasantly surprised by some Angolese Baile Funk or some obscure early Pavement E.P., just ask at the counter, 'cause they probably stock it. read more

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Rough trade is the epitome of independent music lovers. There are vinyl records overflowing in this place. This is not only a shop, but also a meeting point or local hang-out for the music lovers. There are internet access points, wifi, lots of seating and a coffee bar. The music choice is eclectic and their speakers are often blaring with the music everyone should be listening to. A clear rival to clubs actually, it also hosts some live gigs and sponsored parties once in a while. They also sell some good band t-shirts, although these are best for men. I have found these rather handy to give as gifts to my male friends. The staff is usually quite helpful, although perhaps a bit arrogant at times, but then they can probably afford to be so it's all good. read more

Rough Trade - Music & DVDs Near Me - London, XGL

Rude sellers. The store implied that I would leave with the discs when I went to the front to buy a bag. I complained, the saleswoman kicked me out of the store but wanted my money, since I could complete the purchase (an expensive one by the way). She wanted my money but not my presence. read more

We visited London in Sept 2017, so this review is well overdue. Brick Lane is an eclectic street. The Indian food cannot be beat! If you're in the area though, stop by to Rough Trade. They have an extensive collection of vinyl records, in addition to a working photo booth, and fun and quirky (often locally published) books. So much fun! read more

Rough Trade - Portion of of photo booth picture - Music & DVDs Near Me - London, XGL

First International review? No I' haven't dissapeared on a plane.. Okay, this dosen't really count, as I haven't been there for 4 years, but I have the photo to prove it. I remember it was near a Chesire street, and two retail stores on the other side facing it. I found it by going "oh, what's down the street?" The result of which, upon coming back to melbourne, a friend told me he'd been searching for it, for a while, yet I'd found it be accident. It's off a side street in Bricklane.Also immedieatly near by is a Arts college thing, which i went to,and saw some gradudating visual arts work in a show called "Love and Rabbit stew." Anyway, 2008. Umm it has it's own record label and some cool records inside, well of course! It's similar to Ployester records in Melbourne. Akin to those stores with no "commercial" crap music, andlots of lndie and otherwise great artists. Looks like a cool place anyhow. read more

Rough Trade - Music & DVDs Near Me - London, XGL

A classic institution that one must visit while in London. Before visiting this east side installment of Rough Trade, the only one I'd been to was in Brooklyn. While they do great things, there's just nothing like this particular location. Tons of music in all shapes and sizes (well, from vinyl to CD), lots of apparel and music posters, and maybe best of all, a fun photo booth you have to snap a picture in before you saunter off. It's pricey, but it seems like a rite of passage. Buy a tote bag on the way out or get the complimentary one if you actually buy some music. You can toss it over your shoulder and brag to all your friends back home. read more

Never bother a man while he's fingering through records, especially the exquisite select collection at Rough Trade East, the world's finest record shop. Oh, and they also offer hilarious greeting cards. for the record: It is generally acknowledged in music business circles that such lyrics from the song 'Frankly, Mr. Shankly' by the Smiths, as "I want to leave/you will not miss me/I want to go down in musical history" are oblique reference to the Rough Trade Records/Smiths dispute, with Geoff Travis cast in the central role as "righteous", "holy" and "a pain in the arse". Absent from the lyrics sheet was the spiteful coda "give us your money". Everyone knows The Smith's 1986 album "The Queen is Dead" is considered one of the biggest accomplishments in rock history. So, Bigmouth Strikes Again! Are you the kind of person who follows the herd or the lonely sheep who sheepishly trots off to find your own way? Well, either way if you are an audiophile Rough Trade is up your alley because they offer suggestions that are impressive yet also offer you the free will in choosing from an amazing hand-picked selection of everything 'good music'. I sampled an album that rang to the beat of a friend's drum and I instantly knew it had his name on it. I look forward to listening to with him it in the comfort of his loft when I return to the states. read more

Dubious though their shelving system may be (for music connoisseurs to propose that music is either British or American is at least somewhat disorienting), Rough Trade East is still more or less indispensable, especially for east enders. It strives hard to attain the rough-hewn aesthetic of a classic indie record shop - vinyl at the front, walls thick with show listings, harsh fluroescant lighting, makeshift shelving - and succeeds rather well. The selection is good but not terribly broad, which I don't think is the goal, anyway: obscurantists should definitely look elsewhere, whereas enthusiasts are very much in the right place. The cafe at the front is best forgotten unless you are looking for a place to hang out in the neighbourhood without eating curry or drinking booze, in which case you should be prepared to sit on some rather uncomfortable backless seating or at one of the picnic tables out front. Free in-stores happen frequently, with some very big names appearing in the past. There is also a wifi lounge in the back. The message is abundantly clear: Rough Trade East wants you to stick around for a while, and this is the crux of it: over all, it's very much more about 'scene' than about selection, but what they do have is excellent, and Brick Lane is all the better for its presence on the strip. - honestly, who doesn't fantasize about picking up in a record shop? read more

Within seconds of walking in to Rough Trade I instantly feel uncool. Maybe this is because I still use words like 'uncool'. Anyway, this is a real music lovers music shop and it stocks a great array of genres. It's the kind of place I'd go if I'd been sent on a hunt to find something a bit obscure for a friend. If Rough Trade don't have it, they'll happily offer a few suggestions of where else might- it's that kind of music loving place! Other things that make Rough Trade very cool are that 1) it sells gig tickets (cool points a go go) and 2) it sells vinyl (the pinnacle of music cool). Sadly, I'm most often in Rough Trade to use the free internet on the giant Macs at the back of the shop. I know this won't do anything to boost my music credibility but I'm optimistic that if I sit in this shop for long enough other people might mistake me for cool. Sound cool? Cool. read more

Coming from America where people just give me confused looks when I say that my favorite kind of music is something called "indiepop," I was REALLY REALLY EXCITED that Rough Trade had a whole section devoted to it. It was a small section, sure, but I still managed to find a few albums by bands I like that I simply couldn't live without. Getting out to the store from where I was staying did sort of feel like I was trekking to the end of the earth, but it was so worth it. Now I guess I should go check out the Brooklyn branch... read more

Ok it's Hipster-tastic but there is nothing that says Hipsters don't have a damned good taste in music. This shop is just .. wow. Coming from a small town I've always bought my music online or in somewhere like HMV, I've never had the real experience of a proper record store with proper records, not until I started getting into vinyl and proper music a few months ago. For me Rough Trade is the epitome of everything that is good about independent music. It's quirky, it's geeky, it's such an exciting adventure to find new music rather than just picking it out of the charts. Hand written reviews give way to mesmerising records, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful staff can give a hand if you find yourself totally lost. Oh and don't forget the free Wifi, awesome book collection, café and the recent installation of a black and white photobooth for the most hipster of hipsters. It's like they took all the good bits of Amoeba records in San Francisco and distilled it, cleaned it up and made it London. read more

All the indie band goodness you can find in one store..This place has an AMAZING selection of music and a great atmosphere. They've got unique CDs and vinyl records, arty books, a coffee shop inside (with free wi-fi), a giant calendar (with a pamphlet version) letting you in on all the live gigs (with some sweet bands), workshops and film screenings they have throughout the month. I love hanging out here for hours and just listening to music without being bothered. If you're on the East end and you haven't visited Rough Trade yet, you are missing out. Seriously. read more

As an avid vinyl collector this is def the place to be, at least once or twice.. The original Rough Trade was great, but this is for sure for all music lovers, edgy, indie, electro, post punk, underground, obscure .. what so ever, this is the place to go to and check out. Nice and helpful staff, amazing selection in vinyl and music books, they even have a little stage for bands to play, so you can spend here a good couple of hours, easily. Only downside is, as far as I know, you can't listen to any albums by yourself, so you gotta know what you shop for. Brick Lane has some nice thrift // vintage shops and (outdoor) bars to offer. Awesome good, go and hang out on a lazy Sunday! I love the laid back and relaxed atmosphere here, we will def come back and get out vinyl fix, when in London. Support your local (legendary) vinyl dealer! read more

I'm going into Rough Trade... Kbye, see you in a few days. Get lost in here/hear! Don't leave without buying a record or at least without visiting the multiple listening stations throughout the store. If you're lucky enough you may catch an in-store appearance. For example, Jarvis Cocker was around for a Q&A after his film a week or so before I was in town. Rough Trade, you rule. read more

There's nothing like a visit to Rough Trade to make you feel uncool and totally out of touch with what's hip and happening. I will fully admit to feeling a little more at home at Sister Ray in Soho but Rough Trade is much closer to home and a must on any Sunday stroll though Brick Lane. Don't be intimidated by the store picks of new releases from bands you've literally never heard of (if you have, give yourself a hearty pat on your own back you trendy trendy person.) Obscure trendy music aside (can't list names, not that cool), Rough Trade have a great selection of classic LPs very helpfully labeled as such. You'll find the likes of Nirvana, The Cure, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, The Beatles etc. included in this selection and each one has a small orange sticker to indicate its status as a necessary part of your vinyl collection and musical education. There's a lot of stuff I have never been able to track down here but if you're desperately in need of every Mercury nominated album ever, you're in luck. If Rough Trade doesn't have it, no one will. There's a good selection of CDs if you're so inclined as well as a book section. The small coffee shop at the front is a great place to be seen. Don't forget to wear your beanie hat and nose ring, lest others suspect you don't belong! read more

I bought The Struts vinyl and the item never shipped and after over a month of waiting I reached out to customer service and was told they're out of stock on that item. I replied to customer service with my confirmation number and the next thing I know is they cancelled my order. Will never purchase from this store again. Future advice for other customers would be not to ask where your item is that you purchased or they will cancel your order. I'll start funding other record stores besides this horrible company. read more

I LOVE ROUGH TRADE. Take Vintage Vinyl from the STL, add free in-store exclusive concerts, and transplant it in the heart of hipster central: Brick Lane! I went here to buy the new Polica album to receive wristabands for the only concert she is doing in London, when I'm in town, that wasn't sold out. The guy behind the counter helped me find it in the American Music section (Yay we have our own section!), rang me out, and then happily gave me TWO wristbands. I was only expecting one. Amazing service, nice and helpful workers, and there's a cafe with free wifi. C'mon: that's more than bi-winning! read more

They sell agnes b totes with rough trade on. heavy metal X parisian chic. Whhaaaaat?! It's got morbid and humorous books and LINES of vinyls, cds and just generally music that is not mainstream, or was mainstream but not anymore. read more

Yes, Rough Trade is a great place to visit and check-out the latest releases while sipping on some delicious coffee. The staff is friendly and they have a decently good selection. They even have a (not free) photo booth! Im sure this is an unpopular opinion but the truth is - Rough Trade is OVERPRICED. I get a lot of records online (Discogs, Insound, JunoRecords, BandCamp) and also in stores. Rough Trade is by far, the priciest. In terms of UK, I find the records to be anywhere from £2 to £10 more expensive than other stores in SoHo and online UK sellers. And this adds up when you are buying multiple at a time. read more

Okay okay - I'm not usually a frequenter of places like this because I don't consider myself hipster enough, nor do I necessarily want to hang out around hipster people with snobbish pretenses in music. It was a stereotype that was burst when I finally managed to step in and immerse myself in there. The closest thing I can compare it to is Vintage Vinyl in St Louis on the Loop - as I spent my college years just down the street. Lots of things going on inside, lots of tourists, and most importantly lots of good music. I naturally made my way to the jazz section. I judge a store by how it's jazz section stacks up (I know I know - who sounds pretentious now?). They had the standards there - but they also had some awesome picks that got me really excited. Wow! These people knew what they were doing - and that's probably why all the snobbish people (like me when it comes to jazz) come here - because it's awesome. Next to jazz is soul. Both Charles Bradley CDs were there. My eyes got wide and I looked around to show my excitement to someone. I met an employee's eyes, he smiled and nodded that knowing nod - "yes, I know. It's awesome." The cherry on the cake was the poster for a Big Daddy Kane concert that would be happening in a few weeks time. I had no idea he was still performing and instantly made a note to go. When it comes to Rough Trade, there ain't no half steppin' - that's for sure. read more

My favorite thing about this place isn't the records - I know that's weird, after all it's a music store, right? But really, we visit for the photo booth. While I know the staff seem a little tired of people visiting purely for it, how can we resist? The lighting is perfect, it's really reasonably priced and it's loads of fun to see how many people we can squeeze into the booth at any given time. That aside, I'll always have a special place in my heart for Rough Trade. While other record stores have closed down around us, these guys have stuck around and given us music nerds a place to get lost for a few hours among the cds & lps. There's a great little book store area and coffee shop which are worth checking out too, plus the awesome in store gigs they have on weekly are not to miss! read more

A place for Music for music lover. If you are looking to buy a very particular reference of music, you will find it there... or you can just come to listen and discover highly qualified music! You can do all this by drinking a mocha served at the entrance. There is also music and art book that you all want to buy!! RoughTrade compilation are always very interesting. Good stop when you are passing by Bricklane or get out the BigChill or Café 1001 and also to get info about next weekend good parties read more

rough trade is a great place. i don't dj and download my music (legally let's say). but i always come when i have any birthday present to buy for a dj. They have music of all sorts, and the techno side of it is not bad, although i may be under the impression that no as exhaustive as phonica. nevermind, being in the heart of brick lane adds up to its allure. they also have coffe and tea, plus sofas wit papers and magazines, tonnes of flyers to stay abreast, plus computers to use the internet. staff is friendly, prices are ok, a great alternative to the other bars when looking for a quiet relaxing drink, and a must if looking for music to buy. read more

With instores from the likes of Blur, Radiohead(who got moved across the way to 93 Feet East), Daniel Johnstone, Yo La Tengo, Richard Hawley, etc etc etc This musical mainstay is more than a record shop. You can browse through the reams of CDs and vinyl, have a coffee, surf the web, admire the photos adorning the walls, leaf through some out-there publications and then expect some fabulous performances on their little stage. I work too far away now to really stand a chance of getting in anymore for the popular gigs :( but maybe weekends are my chance... read more

A very cool record store. While visiting, it was packed, lots of people. Came specifically to pick up the EU version of DEVO's "Something For Everybody" on vinyl. This store was the only one in London that had a copy and I grabbed their last copy which made me very happy. I'll be back. read more

Rough Trade - Music & DVDs Near Me - London, XGL

Conceptually this is almost the perfect record shop. Opening in a time of recession for record shops was a brave move, but there is cause for optimism at this forward-thinking store. Brightly lit and welcoming, you enter past the open cafe which stocks a pleasing selections of treats and coffees. There are lots of seats to chill at making it very sociable - the key for modern record stores (see Phonica). This branch stocks vinyl, CD's, DVD's and books from an exhaustive selection of independent music - from Afrobeat to Dubstep, Country to Electro. Staff are friendly and there are tonnes of listening posts. A great place to discover music, with hidden gems and suggestions on prominent displays. Sofas are tucked away at the back, along with large screen iMacs for free web surfing. Theres even a stage for free gigs. A discerning music lovers paradise. read more

A couple of years ago I was continually harping on about the East Ends lack of a decent record shop while there were plenty fighting for survival in Soho. It's no surprise then that this has become indie supermarket galore for the record fiends and music fashionista that circulate the area. The staff know great music and it shows in the excellent range of stock. What else would you expect from the label that brought you Belle and Sebastian, Low, The Strokes, Mazzy Star, Jeffrey Lewis the list goes on. read more

Always stock some really awesome records and books, even if some of them are a bit over priced. The photo booth is always a good laugh as well. read more

Rough Trade - Music & DVDs Near Me - London, XGL

Great shop with a huge selection in a great area. Best part are the guys that work here. Honestly concerned about helping. One spent 15 minutes writing down local live music venues for us to visit while in town on holiday. Can't be more thankful for the experience here. Appreciate it, gents - truly. read more

Record shop just off Brick Lane and round the corner from Spitalfields market. Less crampt than the original Rough trade record shop on Portobello Road, but with the same varied and offbeat selection. The cafe and sofa area make this a good place to browse and find your new favourite bands before they sell out and become mainstream or disappear into obscurity. Check out their webpage for their excellent and frequent instore gigs. Also a good place to pick up gig tickets and avoid the extortional ticketmaster fees! read more

A place where music is taken very seriously indeed. Has a large range of stock, friendly and knowledgable staff and lots of listening posts. A great shop from a great lable! read more

Rough Trade is an awesome record store. All of their records and CDs range from £3 to £14 max. The stickers on everything they sell have summaries of the item printed on them. If you're unsure whether or not you'll be into what you're buying, you don't have to seek out a staff member to get some background information, all you have to do is read. I find these summaries to be a great finishing touch. It's just an incredible idea and the owners of this shop should be lauded for coming up with it. It makes shopping for music so much more pleasurable. read more

This place is a rip-off and a silly hipster trap. If you want to expand your vinyl collection I'd suggest searching for second hand records online, or visiting Soho's Poland Street or Broadwick Street where you can find some places that sell both second hand and new records at decent prices. Now I don't know about the live gigs they host or about the quality of the coffee place inside the store, cause I haven't tried them. But speaking only for the store and the vinyl records that they sell, I can say, you can find better prices and a better range to buy from at other places. read more

Oh hi there giant music store. You're a dying breed in America. Rough Trade is something special, though. Not only can you peruse the large selection of music, but also a fantastic selection of niche-y books. I kept thumbing through the street art collection. You can buy a Monmouth coffee at the door, along with some small bites. And sit down on the benches and play board games! But wait! You can also get an incredible CHEAP meal outside at one of the many street vendors. The stores across the way are kind of unnecessarily expensive, but it's a great area. People watch to the max. read more

Rough Trade is so cool: just off Brick Lane, it is a huge mecca of all things musical. It's probably the best independent music store in London, and one visit it's easy to see why, with wi-fi, coffee bar, seating outside and an amazing array of vinyl. They sell tees, concert and festival tickets, and the staff really know their stuff. Awesome. read more