Perfect gem of a record store. The vinyl variety is there (genre & age), the kind staff is present, and the vibe is exactly what you want. What a cool basement store. read more

If you're looking for vinyl including both classic or hard-to-find albums, this is your place to begin. You might miss the below street level entrance on your first visit, so pay attention. The person working there on the afternoon we visited (I have no idea if it was the owner or not) was pretty apathetic, the only words he uttered during our entire time there were "Leave the door open!" after we walked in (hot day, fans going). I'm not sure if the music playing was a playlist or random songs from some of the albums being sold, but it worked. read more

Cool spot. Good selection, nice staff. Nice vibe too. Wish they had more cassettes!! But it was a nice hidden vibe for sure. Would come back. read more

A very quaint underground record store! They only allow about 8 people in at a time. I loved it and found it by accident on my way to another place. They had a great variety of vinyls to choose from! read more

Som Records - Outside - Vinyl Records Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is my absolute favorite place to find authentic records in the city! Som Records is ran by a super knowledgeable owner who knows the ins and outs of the music industry across all genres. You'll be able to find old and new records at his shop. Add this cute basement record store to your list while sightseeing around the 14th and U St area or after hitting the farmers market! Last time I went, I found this Temptations record that's pictured; it is an original vinyl from 1966. Amazing! read more

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For the holidays my 14 year old son was looking for hip hop albums that met his high standards. After driving around the DMV and going to 4 locations, without any of them meeting his expectations, we ended at Som Records and hit the jackpot. Som Records had a great selection, the staff was knowledgeable and the service was great. read more

While the store isn't very big and the selection on the day that I went wasn't amazing, the shop was still very quaint and the man working at the register was very helpful. read more

Very knowledgeable staff, friendly and professional. I picked up some interesting lps

People coming to Som for classic rock are bound to be disappointed because that's not the shop's specialty, although it does sell classics by Bowie, Hendrix, the Stones, the Beach Boys, Van Morrison, etc. Plenty of other stores cater to classic rock fans. Som instead focuses on jazz, soul, reggae, African, Brazilian, and Latin (think Horace Silver, Caetano Veloso, and Fela). Its wall is always a fun grab bag. I've seen The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, Pharoah Sanders' Thembi, or Spacemen 3's Dreamweapon. The new releases selection, while small, is pretty good. Som tries to keep up with newer acts and reissues of classic albums, like Yves Tumor's Safe in the Hands of Love, fka Twigs' Magdalene, and Kate Bush's Hounds of Love. The trick to Som is to keep an open mind. If you're bent on getting a Deep Purple album, go somewhere else. If you like surprises, come here. read more

An interesting mix of new and used vinyl. Really nice store environment and fun to peruse. The size of inventory is good and prices are reasonable, but for me it has been hit or miss finding must gave vinyl. read more

Great place! Had amazing records and I was able to get everything I needed. They're really helpful if you need a little help looking for what you need. Really enjoyed this place and can't wait to come back. read more

Found things I've been looking for. This was a really decent store and the guy was knowledgeable.

Always find something special when I go here, cool cassettes, great international section, lots of local and neat reggae LP's and just a lovely store to visit often. read more

Cool record store marred by terrible customer service. The man behind the counter gets annoyed at customers asking him questions (isn't he there to help?), he also has terrible phone etiquette. Rude employees completely lower the vibe of a place. read more

Every time in in DC I make sure to stop by and browse thru the vinyl collections searching for titles to add to my own vinyl library. I like that they only allow certain amount of people at a time, gives more flexibility to move around and dig into the records without feeling crowded. In addition, great vinyl display ( labeling) & selection. read more

Som Records had an incredible selection of records, found everything I was looking for and more. Would definitely return to shop for records here read more

Came here on a trip from Arizona after finding it while going on a walk. I am a record , cassette tape and CD collector so this store was good for me. They have a great large selection of r&b/soul/disco which is always my go to section. I didn't see anything I didn't already have in that section but the prices were great. The hip hop section had some greatly priced albums and singles too that wouldn't be found in Arizona for that price (or at all). And they have a *expensive* section with the more pricey albums where I found Roy Ayers vibrations, which I've been wanting for a long while. It's a great store with great prices and selection. read more

I was visiting DC on business and was staying close by. As I often do, I scope out vinyl shops when traveling. I walked a half-time or so to visit this one. I was not impressed. I am an old rocker. So it's possible that the genre just isn't well-represented in this part of the world. I found the selection of vintage rock to be rather meager. It's entirely possible that I just missed the good stuff, because I found things to be rather poorly marked. When I visit a used vinyl store, I generally look for Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd then branch out from there (i.e., Black Sabbath, Cream, Deep Purple, Yes). But I didn't find anything at all. I found a few interesting LP's in "New Arrivals". But the ones that caught my eye were just not up to the quality that I want. Before leaving, I noticed two on the wall - Beatles "Sgt Pepper" and Pink Floyd "The Wall" - both of which piqued my interest. Perhaps they were rarer pressings. But both were pricey, notin particularly nice shape, and neither was cheap. I left empty-handed. All-in-all, I was quite disappointed. read more

This place is great. The owner is helpful and knows the records like the back of his hands. Told him I was new to vinyl and he recommended several places around DC. Stand up guy with a genuine heart to help people. Would absolutely recommend this place. read more

Som Records is record collectors record store.... kind of like the phrase "a man's man", this shop is the real deal for finding cool and unique lp's. If you want a visual, go follow them on Instagram to see what's new in that day. You'll be intrigued and maybe moved to stop in and part with your money. What I found was a shop that offered me everything from The Stone Roses to Eric B. & Rakim to a dollar bin and all sorts of in between. I left that day with a live Stone Roses LP, a Love and Rockets 7" and a few other random titles that I just hadn't seen before. The shop itself is relatively small but well organized and most likely turning new stock daily. I spent about 30 minutes shooting the breeze with the clerk talking about everything from the Guru to R.E.M. to Sharon Jones. The man knew his music and you could tell really enjoyed talking with customers. I'll end this by saying I wish it was located in my neighborhood. read more

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Know what makes me feel really old? I mentioned something about a vinyl record to my neighbor's son (he's 13) and he had no idea what I was talking about (??!!). Thankfully, Som knows vinyl. SoM's owner Neal is a super cool guy- he DJs at Saint-Ex every other Thursday. You won't find any Cd's or MP3s for sale at Som, but you will find unusual rock discs as well as hard to find jazz and soul records. The majority of the LPs here are used, but there is a "new release" section with artists like For sale hunters like me, there is a dollar bin, and on the other extreme-- a section with higher dollar items. The collector's stuff is super rare and actually costs a little less than you would pay for it on, say..ebay. read more

Som Records - Vinyl Records Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Pretty decent selection for a small shop and very reasonable prices for DC. Used vinyl is well-organized and generally in very good shape - minimal scratches that don't affect sound quality or resale. Best of all, it's the kind of store that inspired me to expand what I typically listen to. The listening station is superb: Technics SL-1200 direct drive with vintage Technics receiver. Sound quality was far above what I typically see at record stores and allowed me to really discern how a record might sound on my system at home. read more

Be careful not to walk right by this treasure - it's pretty easy to. Som Records is a small record store that carries such a wide array of classics and current music on vinyl. I was so pleased with the selections. The owner was helpful with a nice attitude. read more

Som Records - Vinyl Records Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Just what you'd imagine when you'd think of a small record shop by the city; Just a cozy room full of records and a welcoming atmosphere. The place has so mainly things like jazz and R&B, but there are a few classic rock albums too. The owner was just the nicest too. Personally helped me find find an album too. Would recommend if you're near the DC area! read more

I checked out SOM because of the good reviews. I have been looking for good record stores in DC for a while, and SOM is definitely good. The reason I am giving three stars is because I went in there for used classic rock and the selection was very small. The prices were reasonable and there was a big variety of genres, but for what I am looking for I would have liked to see more used rock. read more

Easily the best Record Store in the DC area. The owner, Neal, is constantly bringing in new stuff. A great and eclectic selection, lots of rock and punk as well as jazz, hip hop, soul and electronic. What really sets the store apart are the generous international sections: lots of great records from Brazil, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Prices are very fair and Neal is careful about what he buys so records are always clean. Great shop - I drop by at least once a week to see what new recent arrivals have come in and often walk out with more than I thought I would. Highest recommendation. read more

If you have always wanted to shop at a Record Store where the "Pop" of the Mom and Pop is always there, always in a good mood and knows a TON about records, this is your place. Som Records is pretty much Mecca for record lovers. Not only do they have different stock almost every day, THEY LOVE RECORDS. Really, they love them. They love to talk about them, share stories, play them and just get into the vinyl like only true purists can. There is always something funky and cool playing in the store and they will help you find what you are looking for. Are you a DJ? So is the owner! They can rent you DJ'ing equipment, speakers, etc and their location is fantastic. Really Som is the only place in DC to buy records. They treat their customers like gold, are always friendly and love what they do. It makes all the difference in the world. read more

I was looking for a place to get records in DC at a fair price. This store was amazing. I got 4 records for $24. They offer a huge variety with very good prices. I will definitely be coming back here. read more

Great place to dig. Much more welcoming than Crooked Beat, Smash or Red Onion (for digs). Red Onion is very welcoming, just not for digging. Som's selection of jazz and funk is much better too, but for rock or punk you may be better off at CB or RO. This place even has an SL1200 for a listening station. Pretty legit! Prices are decent. Not cheap, but not ridiculous either. read more

Neal has been providing quality and clean records to the DC area for over a decade, first at Crooked Beat and then at Som: a vinyl paradise in the heart of DC. Great finds here on a regular basis read more

This place was so close to my (now old) employer that I would spend a few lunch hours browsing the wax stax. It's a little hard to find for the first-timer, since it is literally someone's basement. At the same time, imagine you were given an invitation to your cool DJ friend's vinyl vault in the basement and could even listen to any of the records before you bought, on a classic Technics SL-1200 Mk II, nonetheless. Yup sounds like pure awesomeness to me. Their records are in pretty decent condition. They might be slightly cheaper somewhere else, but damn, it sounds so damn good right there in the store that I just end up buying it on the spot. Plus, the owners are so nice and enthusiastic about whatever's playing or what you selected, which adds to the experience. While there is only one listening station, there's never more than one other customer in the store, so previewing has never been a problem. I also must give kudos to the fact that I've been able to listen to any record in the store so far, even the dollar ones. While I like Red Onion records, you aren't supposed to test the dollar records. As anal retentive as I am about my records, this is a definite plus for me and worthy of a 5 star review. read more

It's a tiny cozy basement with the majority being rock, jazz, and soul. I'm looking for electronic/ambient music, and they had one bin. I did buy a new St. Vincent album, reasonably priced for a new LP. I'd say if you're looking for rock, jazz, or soul, this would be worth the trip. However, if you're looking for alternative or electronic, I'd say to check something else out. read more

Wonderful record store owned and run by Neal Becton. Neal can show his amazing collection and guide you through all the music. He has listing station so you can listen to what you want buy. A must stop for vinyl lovers! Neal is also amazing DJ that can turn any event into a party. read more

Last Thursday evening, I stopped by the store and didn't see what I was looking for. I asked the owner of he could special order me two specific albums, even butchering one of the titles. He said he'd check in with his distributors and see what he could do. He emailed me Monday in the day that the records were in the store. The guy gets kudos from me! Thanks for good customer service! read more

Great place to grab some good vinyls and the best part is that not everything is crazy expensive (like some other shops in the district). They have a great $1 bin, but even the display stuff is reasonable. I journeyed to this spot expecting to get maybe one or two records (usually running me around 30 dollars +) and left with nearly a dozen awesome finds at a great price (under 30 dollars). A diggers paradise, and I strongly recommend a trip here for ALL music heads. Great variety and selection. I look for rare jazz, soul, rock, and hip hop records all the time and this spot has that and much more. Many reviews of Som claim its the best shop in the metro area. I will second that with one minor adjustment, because I think Joe's (Record Paradise) in Silver Spring is a close tie. In DC though, Som is the very best, no doubt about that. Location: Its in the basement and the steps are narrow and tight but that shouldn't be a serious issue for most. read more

Som is the best record shop in D.C. To be fair, the D.C.record shop scene is sub par, but even compared to some other shops in the greater Baltimore area, this spot still holds its own. THE GOOD -picked up some pretty good stuff here -Listening station -pretty good organization -reasonable prices -new arrivals section -records are in pretty good shape -crates to dig through -small in size, but they get in some quality records THE BAD... -parking can be a pain at times, but that's just D.C. -didn't get friendly vibes from guy working there. Not sure if it was the owner or just an employee...either way ehhh Overall I like Som. Cool shop that's worth checking out. Best place for records in D.C. read more

This is my favorite record store in DC! Though a small, basement store they have a pretty large and varied collection. Most importantly, they keep a fresh flow of vinyl coming through the door so every trip promises new discoveries. The store is located near 14th and U, just a few blocks from the U St. metro station. read more

When I'm in DC I always stop at SOM because there are treasures to be found everywhere. They stock everything from classic rock to disco via Latin America and Brazil. The stock is incredibly well-curated, and if you're in the mood you can look under the racks and find some stone-cold classics for under $5. I'm a soul boy at heart, so it's great to see all the Salsoul, Whitefield and West End records in decent shape for next to nothing. $50 could make your next set a Larry Levan/Loft tribute no bother. They have an Expensive section where I found a record for $75, which is $25 cheaper than the cheapest copy on Discogs. The guy that works there is super friendly as well, and he knows his way around the genres that they stock. Ask him for a recommendation and you'll get some fire to elevate your collection. This is one of my favorite stores in the US. Miss it at your peril. Dope spot. read more

It may be small, but it's a really nice place. prices aren't that expensive. Can be annoying if you're more than 10 people. Not enough space. Good selection of Soul / Jazz records. Not a large selection of Hip-Hop. But I found good records like Thundercat & Dilla. Will definitely go back whenever I'll go visit Washington DC again. read more

Coolest record shop in DC. But you already knew that. Eclectic mix of used records, well selected by the owner. Check the "This Just In" crate for recent gems. Smaller selection of new releases, but it's probably the ones you want. read more