The Best Record Stores in New York.

It’s a small shop, but an excellent collection of new and good quality used vinyl - including good jazz and classical selections. Stranded has a great vibe, it’s super clean, every crate is meticulously alphabetised, and they’re always playing something great.

The go-to Manhattan location for all things new (and relatively-new) in electronic, hip hop, beats, and indie labels. Also worth a visit for their excellent selection of headphones and vinyl gear.

The big brother to the East 12th St Academy. Academy has a wide and deep selection of new vinyl across most genres, as well as a large collection of quality used classical. If there's a box set you're hunting, this is the place to find it.

Generation has taken over where Bleeker Street Records left off (right down to having the old Bleeker sign in-store). Excellent selection of new and used rock and indie. If you’re into punk and metal you’re also in luck. Decent quality used vinyl - particularly in the jazz section.

It does what it says on the tin! In a studio office on the 8th floor you’ll find crates and crates of perfectly organised jazz, all in great condition. If you can find a record elsewhere it will probably be cheaper, but for US jazz there’s a lot here you won’t find elsewhere.

The smaller of the two Manhattan Academy stores - the East 12th shop has a nicely curated collection of used vinyl across all genres. You won’t find a lot of mint quality here, but it’s always worth stopping in - the shop’s got a great vibe.

Yes it’s a bookstore, but in the basement of Strand, way down in the back corner, are a few racks of new vinyl. If you’ve been digging through crates of hipster-obscure albums looking for something more mainstream, this is your place - plenty of (well priced) major label releases that are often hard to find elsewhere.

It’s all about the classical here. Huge shelves of used, relatively well sorted (but you’ll need to use the ladder to check out Bach and Beethoven). Sleeves are often shabby but half the stock has never been played, and you won’t find lower prices.

A big selection of soul, funk, R&B and hip hop. Generally heavily used and not the best quality, but if you’re a crate digger looking for something obscure to sample you could spend days in here.

Downtown and underground. A small selection but if you’re looking for jazz it’s a deep and wide collection that’s worth the trip. A small selection of rock, world, and classical, but unless you’re in the area it might not be worth the journey.