As the name implies, Endless Music is a secondhand music store that sells racks and racks of vinyl…read moreand CDs. Stock is arranged by category with sections devoted to rock, pop, punk, metal, new wave, funk, soul and folk. A lot of the records are too mainstream for my taste - think Madonna to Meatloaf, Bowie to The B-52s - but I was impressed they had about half a dozen early Dylan albums in top notch condition. The owner clearly has an equal passion for film and as a result, there's shelves devoted to film memorabilia, signed posters and photos, videos and DVDs. A note to sci-fi lovers, they also have a bewildering amount of Star Wars figures and memorabilia. Whether or not they'll be happy to part with them however, depends on two things: The size of your wallet and the size of your obsession with all things Luke Skywalker!

Confession: I actually didn't see the original Star Wars trilogy until after I saw the first two of…read morethe prequels. I blame my age. Customers of Endless Music may well want to tell me off for this as they stock Star Wars memorabilia. Ah, when those of the male species really like something they really do go to town don't they. The guys at Endless Music really like Star Wars and they really like records. They have an amazingly named Ebay shop too - blacktiewhitenoise and their website encourages you to have a look on there for some bargains. The shop buys records as well as sells them, and it stocks the artists you want on vinyl. If, like me, you are young enough to love the film Almost Famous despite not having nostalgia yourself yet secretly wish you were one of the characters: Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones. That kind of thing. Because lets face it, you can trawl round every Oxfam in the North West but no-one gives away these kinds of vinyl - they sell them.

Run by vinyl fanatics David and Andrew Shaw, Vox Pop Music is a great website specialising in rare…read moreand secondhand vinyl. The brothers originally ran a shop in the basement of Cafe Pop before moving to Love Saves The Day's coffee shop on Thomas St. When the coffee shop went bust however, they decided to make Vox Pop an online store that deejays and record collectors could access dust til dawn from anywhere in the world. Of course shopping online isn't as much fun as digging through crates but the duo's passion for vintage funk, soul, jazz, disco and soundtracks definitely shines through. Records are categorised into decades and style like 70s disco / Disco-not-disco / Exotica / Library music and every one is clearly labelled Mint / Excellent / V Good etc. There's 45s, 33s and albums, shipping is done by weight rather than volume and prices are reasonable. Right now, I've got my eye on a couple of Bobbie Gentry and Burrito Brothers singles. Must be in a lone star state of mind.... The brilliant Bobbie Gentry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZt5Q-u4crc

A good mix of CDs and vinyl that also tailors to the more eclectic tastes. Friendly employees each…read moretime I've visited. Deals in new product mainly. If you have more eclectic tastes this is well worth your time.

Sizzling Soul Fabulous Funk…read moreBrilliant Broken Beats Awesome Abstract Hip Hop Fantastic Free Jazz Dazzling Dubstep Sweeeeeet Lovers Rock Beautifully crooned Country Amazing Americana Classic Chicago House Tantalising Techno Pogo-ing Punk-Funk Perfect Pop Gorgeous Psyche-Folk Blistering Garage & lots of cool Rock & Roll Don't mean to get all High Fidelity on y'all but Piccadilly Records is the Northern equivalent of Rough Trade East. They have aisles of incredible vinyl on 7", 12" and long-players, tons of new and re-issued CDs and listening decks where you can check them all out. Even better, most of the staff are deejays so can give you the lowdown on the tracks that are the most fly. They also host in-store gigs from emerging and established artists. What more could you want?

I have to give a major shout out to Paramount Books - a fantastic independent bookstore nestled in…read morethe sometimes overlooked and forgotten Shudehill area of town. Ok so there may be a million KFC ripoff takeaways and a few random shops that have seen better days around it but Paramount stands out as a well looked after 2nd hand book store with loads of character! I was pulled in on a wet and windy Monday by their comic book sale - in fact there's a whole area in the back dedicated to rare comics and graphic novels (fantastic selection) - inside there's a fantastic selection covering everything from music and film to politics, history and philosophy - really good to browse and possible pick up a tome to take home (wow that rhymes...) The best part of this place is the owner who basically is exactly what you'd be looking for if casting this place in a Hollywood movie. With glasses dangling from his neck and a scholarly look as he sorts the shelves - the classical music in the background makes you really feel what a unique place this is in the world of chain stores and amazon. Make sure you check out Paramount soon and enjoy a slip back into yesteryear!

Thank the lord for Paramount Book Exchange…read more One of the few independent bookshops left in Manchester, it's a strictly DIY affair run by a genuine book lover. The sign outside suggests it's only open Fridays and Saturdays but it's usually open Monday to Saturday unless the owner has popped out for something. The lively window displays give a great indicator of what's in store with stacks of new, vintage and secondhand books everywhere. Fans of cult fiction, sci-fi, horror, crime noir, queer fiction, biographies and pop culture will find much to treasure here as the stock leans more towards William Burroughs, Poppy Z Brite and Neil Gaiman than Harry Potter. There's also a small selection of 60s-90s vinyl for crate diggers. All they need is a coffee machine and I'd happily move in!

Northern Quarter, you're spoiling us with all your record shops! Next thing we know we're not going…read moreto be able to choose one! Like Piccadilly Records, Eastern Bloc, Vinyl Exchange and so on and so on, Vox Pop offers a ton of records for your inner DJ. Or your outer one, be that your profession. Shifting between mainstream and obscure is its forte and if you can't find that coveted rare 70s disco compilation elsewhere, chances are it'll be here. The website's pretty amazing too, you'll find a hand-picked collection suggestion from that epic Manchester stalwart Mr Scruff and you can even order online. But why would you when there's a treasure trove on Oldham Street just waiting to be unearthed? Spanning across genres, the shop's repertoire is darn large and stopping here is a must for any discerning music fan. If you're a collector or even just looking to liven up your musical life, I couldn't recommend Vox Pop more.

If you're a music lover and record collector you won't want to pass this gem of a store by. Vox Pop…read morehas spent a decade winning our hearts by stocking hard to find records from just about every significant music genre to have graced our ears in the last 40 years. From Hip Hop, Rock, Punk, Dance, Soul and obscure Disco, there is a record in here waiting for you to find it, whatever your style. Luckily for Vox Pop aficionados who spend hours upon hours lost between aisles of audio bliss, there's some light relief in the form of deli Love Saves the Day where you can refuel on coffee and snacks to keep you going well into the afternoon.

A smaller shop but always has choice vinyl and CDs. A large selection of Manchester artists and a…read morelot of really cool artwork on the walls. All of the employees I've encountered are too guys who are there to make sure you find what you're looking for.

Whilst Vinyl Exchange and Piccadilly Records stock an incredible range of music from americana,…read morepsyche-folk and rock to blues, soul and punk-funk, Vinyl Revival is more of a specialist store that deals with everything related to Manchester's musical history. We're talking rare and hard to find posters from The Hacienda and Factory Records, limited edition 12"s and promo pressings of early Stone Roses, Smiths and New Order and every album by A Certain Ratio, Durutti Column, Buzzcocks and Magazine. If you're after something in particular - like Barry Adamson's* brilliant imaginary soundtrack album Moss Side Story - just ask and there's a chance they might have one or know someone that can get you one. It's that kind of store! * Who's Barry Adamson? The charismatic bass player in seminal post-punk band Magazine, early member of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds and now a full time solo artist and soundtrack composer of course!

Stones Throw Breakin' Bread…read moreSoul 7 Soul Brothers Kay Dee Prime Numbers Jazzman Ever since 1993, Fat City was one of Manchester's premier music stores for funk, soul and hip hop fans. Originally based in Afflecks Palace, it soon gained a reputation for selling dope tracks and moved into a bigger space on Oldham Street where they could display more stock. Run by a team of dedicated deejays and b-boys, Fat City decided to start their own label in the late nineties with the purpose of releasing more quality hip hop, funk and soul. Alongside dozens of 7" and 12"s, they released a handful of great compilations like Mystic Brew and Stars on 33. Around the same time, they hooked up with local hip hop label Grand Central and began running their own successful club night Friends and Family - with deejay sets and live performances from guest producers and artists. Sadly, the recession hit Fat City in 2009 and they decided to close the shop in August and concentrate their energies on their website and club promotion instead. I still prefer shopping for vinyl in person but if you're a deejay or record collector looking for quality funk, soul, hip hop, rap, reggae, disco or electro - Fat City is well worth a look. Their prices are reasonable and they have lots of stone cold classics! Personally, I'm waiting for them to get more copies of Sexual Harrassment's awesome no wave album I Need A Freak. Haven't heard it? Man, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLGy6UHpCaQ&NR=1