Some of the best places aren't hidden on purpose they simply let the people who are looking for them find them. That was exactly my experience with Sorry State Records. It was my first visit, and after spending time there, I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of its name. I was the one who felt sorry: sorry that it had taken me so many years to discover one of Raleigh's most beloved independent record stores. Tucked into downtown, Sorry State Records is easy to miss if you don't know it's there. But step inside, and the pace immediately shifts. The shop is bright, thoughtfully organized, and refreshingly unpretentious. Shelves of carefully curated vinyl invite slow browsing rather than hurried shopping, making it the kind of place where time slips away unnoticed. I brought my brother-in-law, an avid record collector visiting from St. Louis, and watching him explore the collection was almost as enjoyable as browsing myself. While I'm far from a vinyl expert, he immediately commented on how well organized the inventory was; a detail seasoned collectors genuinely appreciate. His visit was made even better when he unearthed a copy of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the kind of unexpected find that makes digging through record bins so rewarding. Beyond vinyl, the shop also stocks cassette tapes, music publications, and a carefully selected mix of merchandise that reflects the store's deep roots in independent music culture. It's less of a retail space and more of a gathering place for people who genuinely love music. The staff struck the perfect balance between being available and giving customers room to browse. Although they were helping others when we arrived, we immediately felt welcome, and the relaxed atmosphere made it easy to settle in and explore at our own pace. Parking is convenient, with both a surface lot nearby and a parking deck just a short walk away, making a visit surprisingly easy despite its downtown location. Sorry State Records is the kind of independent shop every city hopes to have but few can sustain. Authentic, thoughtfully curated, and deeply connected to Raleigh's creative community, it's a destination worth seeking out: even if, like me, you're a little late to discovering it. read more

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Visiting Pour House and Sorry State in the same hour let me really compare the two and finally leave an informed review of each. Sorry State is purely here to buy and sell records, nothing else. So you get a great variety to look through, well maintained, plenty of quality originals. The downside? Not a great visual ambiance. But if I'm looking for a good record or three, I'd be starting here. read more

Nice variety of new and used vinyl. Staff is very helpful. With the large selection of used records located on the bottom shelf viewing everything offered is very difficult. Tougher for us old guys. I did find a couple gems which made the trip worth while. Check out the store, you might find what you're looking for. read more

Bought an LP from these guys recently. They graded it at Very Good +, but it really could have been graded as Like New. Thanks guys! You're on my list. read more

Let me start by saying I'm by no means a record connoisseur. That said, I love everything music, and this place doesn't disappoint. They've got a great variety of records, and even have a section of cassette tapes. The employees were friendly, and we even had a conversation about one of the albums I got. It's the kind of place that reminds you the scene is still alive. If you're into records, cassettes, or just music in general, you ABSOLUTELY gotta come here. read more

Found this place while visiting downtown Raleigh. And I'm glad I did since I was able to find 3 records under $30. One of the vinyl now is $20+ alone! So I would say I found a better deal here since it's an older copy, even the lyric book was in good shape. All vinyls are put into a plastic sleeve after you buy them and appeared to be free of dust when you open them. It did take some time to get in the store, it was a Saturday afternoon and due to covid only 2 customers are allowed in and it's no time restrictions. Once inside the store is well organized and labeled with genres and prices. They even have bargain sections below, which I was offered a stool to sit down with and continue my search. So if you're into vinyls and rare finds this is the place. I know I'll be back. read more

Was buying from these folks during the covid years so was psyched to finally find it. Small, intimate shop with an amazing selection of punk, metal and hardcore. The real gems are the 45's and I found this Sick Of It All 2003 press id been after for some time. They press their own too, so tell them what type of music you're after and ask for suggestion. I picked up 5 7's and would highly recommend this shop for some real hidden finds. read more

Hilarious name aside, this store is legit. I'm one of those anal, nerdy collector types willing to pay a premium for rare vinyl and I've digged many a crate in shops across the country. Sorry State ranks with the best of them. I bought an extraordinarily clean 1969 original pressing of Pharoah Sanders' "Karma" that plays close to perfect--barely any noise. I've had dealers tell me early Pharoah Sanders is extremely hard to find and there it was, right on the wall of Sorry State staring at me! I also scored a new German pressing of Kraftwerk's "Computer World." The only complaint I have is I got a 1959 original pressing of Nina Simone's "Little Girl Blue" that has a scratch affecting play--I don't know if it needs cleaning or it's got permanent damage. At least one side (the best one, thankfully) plays pretty well for a record that's 62 years old. At $29, the hit to my wallet wasn't too bad. I had to restrain myself here. For a small shop, it packs a lot of quality: OP's of Tom Waits, Link Wray, Frank Zappa, Sunn O))), etc. The jazz section is stellar and the electronic bins are pretty solid. I highly recommend Sorry State to collector heads. You will find gems here. read more

Excellent record shop in downtown Raleigh, easily the best place in the triangle to get new and used vinyl (of all genres!) Prices always seem perfectly fair. Staff knows what they are talking about and are great with suggestions. I sold a few boxes of LPs here and I was very pleased with their offer and communication, thanks read more

Not a record store to find "deals", necessarily, but if you're looking for something kind hard to find, I feel this place would be a great resource. I was looking for a particular album I'd been looking for for about 3 years. I found ONE record store that said they could order it for me but it'd be a Japanese import, $85 and on a series of 7"s. Just on a whim, I asked the staff at Sorry State if they had it and they did! Not only that, but they had it on a single, standard 33 AND it was only $20! Oh yeah, baby! I also found some cool Talking Heads live and a couple nostalgic kids' albums like Peter and the Wolf for the kiddo. I'd hoped to find some sweet Bluegrass deals but my timing was bad as I was there during the big Bluegrass festival and that section was pretty picked over. read more

Small, well-curated record store. They specialize in punk, hardcore and metal but they have a good selection of jazz, rock and other sub-genres. Not a lot of space, but they always seem to have a few of the classics. Prices are usually at the high end of "reasonable" but you can find a lot of cheap gems in the New Arrivals bin and the bargain bins on the floor. read more

Looked up a vinyl store last weekend in Raleigh and this place did not disappoint! Wide selection of records in all genres, new and used. Staff was super friendly as they did not bother you at all and were available to ask question. Also loved that when I purchased the record the worked put my record in a fresh plastic sleeve! What I got: shakedown street by the Grateful Dead for $12 Other: parking may be a little tough as the store is located downtown so be careful that you park in a tow free zone! read more

Small, well-curated, and organized record shop. Depending on when you go, it can be shoulder to shoulder as you browse due to the small space. Slight musty scent in the store akin to most thrift stores. Parking is on street, wherever you can find it. Their paper gift cards are cute. read more

If you already liked record stores, be prepared to fall in love all over again. This is a small shop in downtown Raleigh but it has packed in quite a great collection of records. The owners are friendly and hip and steam clean high records in the back room so you'll be picking up some problem-free, great sounding LPs. I found tons of gems in the Jazz section, especially in the discounted racks below, which was a fun dig while the owners were listening to some rare 80s heavy metal albums on the store speakers. There's a listening record player and each record comes with a clean new plastic sleeve (as of March 2019). Perfect! read more

Great store for used vinyl. It has all the essentials: knowledgeable staff, a curated collection that's in good condition, a listening station, and reasonable pricing. I recommend hitting the new arrivals first as that's where I found a broad range of temptimg options before digging into specific sections. They do a good job of supporting their local customers, allowing records to be available in the store for a while before posting them online. Highly recommended if you are in the area! read more

Well-rounded collection with helpful and friendly staff. Centrally located in downtown Raleigh. Small store, so there is a lot of mixed categories which can make digging interesting, but a fun shop to visit. read more

COVID restrictions are now allowing only two people in the store at a time. Could definitely have more than 2 people inside at a safe distance, but being safe isn't a bad thing. However, there are no time limits. People can spend 30+ minutes inside and the cashier won't stop them. Expect to wait well over an hour if you go on the weekend. read more

I enjoyed my experience here so much! Customer service was great and I will definitely be coming back. I came here to buy a few records for my mom who just bought a record player and found exactly what i was looking for. Prices are super reasonable too! Overall a great store, definitely recommend!! read more

I have never been treated so poorly as I was today by a staff member named JEFF. He was rude, inconsiderate, and shouldn't be working in a retail environment. We drove 30 minutes to visit this place only to stand in the freezing cold for over an hour and then told we couldn't come in as a family when we called and was told by JEFF that we could. We all live together and that was a priority when we go somewhere. THEN I was allowed to go in and I really didn't want to be in there alone and I tapped on the window to show my family a record I had found and he told me to never do that again. I said do what again and he said bang on the window...I said I didn't bang on the window, I tapped on the window and he said no you didn't, you banged on the window. That's when I had enough of this guy's attitude and walked out the door and you don't want to know what I was yelling in the street. I will never, ever, go there again and nor will I ever, ever suggest anyone doing so. EVER! read more

I was hoping to find a cool record store when visiting Raleigh, and Sorry State Records did no disappoint me. This place specializes in punk and metal, but you will be to find other genres of music there. The selection was great, and I found a lot of good records. The place is also priced fair and the clerk behind the counter was friendly. Anytime I am back in the city of Raleigh, I will make sure to stop back here! read more

Great little vinyl store. Well organized, well priced. Nothing too out there. Good selection of punk, indie mixed with lots of classics. Worth the stop on my way through my ol' city. Glad to see downtown filling in with mix of mom and pop and trendy businesses. read more

Killer place! A vinyl lover's dream, particularly if you're into metal, punk, and hardcore, (although it's not strictly limited to those genres. I'm a DJ and I've found some good soul and garage records here too.) There are some definite gems to be found. So if you dig record shopping you should definitely swing by. Great selections, cool location, and awesome staff! read more

It took us a while to find this place as we were exploring the downtown raleigh area and once we went in you really have to look through the bins of records. I would suggest having an idea of what you want and asking the employee to locate it for you. He was very helpful and also had more Beatles records in the back for us. read more

I grew up in Orange County, CA and have always had a hard time finding good record stores here in NC. That has changed over the years with the new surge in vinyl. Sorry state is the best punk/metal/hardcore record store around in the area. They carry records that I would have to order from CA. For example, I found a ManPig album that my friend played drums on it at Sorry state from CA. Rare underground that I didn't expect to find. If you're in the area check it out. read more

Small record store that specializes in punk and indie music. They had many records that I've not seen anywhere else. Record bins are very well organized making it easy to find what you're looking for. Staff was super nice. Large selection of 45s. I'll be back. read more

Great selection of records at good prices, especially if you love punk / indie / etc.

Great record shop! THE place to go if you are looking for underground rock genres like punk, oi, hardcore and metal. Honestly when I moved here from MA, I thought I'd be out of luck for a decent record store and this one blew me away. read more

Great record store for all things punk, hardcore, metal and everything in between. Rare 7" and a $5 and under random section. They also have t shirts buttons cassette tapes and other things. I recommend checking it out. read more

Amazing shop! A lot of beautiful used records at a fairly price. I bought many The Beatles here. I strongly suggest this shop, best and most impressive one at Raleigh. read more

Awesome shop and awesome label. Lots of new and used records at good prices, with an emphasis on punk/hardcore/metal.

In Raleigh from Mpls for the week and immediately went on the hunt for vinyl. This was our last stop and as it turns out, the best. Though the focus is primarily metal & punk there is a good selection of used LPs from all genres. Left with Joy Division, Albert King, Elvis Costello, and some singles, and even a rare comedy album I'd been searching for. Great hunting and I'd have probably left with more if we weren't flying out that day. I'd highly recommend this place. read more

Such a great place! If they don't have it, they'll help you find it...even it's online. Great people!

Great store. My friend and I visited Raleigh for the day from Wilmington and were looking for some stores. Found this place, and very glad I did. There isn't a massive selection (it's a fairly small store), but the selection is fantastic. It's like they only sell great records. My favorite thing is probably that on each record's sleeve they print notes on the condition of the record, something I never see stores do. For example "1970 reissue, vinyl in great shape." Just small notes to help the shopper. I picked up a nice used copy of Are You Experienced? for $18 and Ty Segall's Goodbye Bread new for $18. Totally fair prices, two records I've been unsuccessful in finding lately. Very pleased. You can expect to find a focus on punk and metal, but if that isn't your thing, there are very solid rock and hip-hop sections. There aren't many record stores I've seen that will sell anything Zeppelin or Beatles-related for less than like $20, regardless of condition, but there were some great $10 options for both. Definitely check this place out. read more