This article will introduce you to some of the best online record shops in the world. These stores, many of which are long-established, are the best places to buy vinyl records online.
Many vinyl lovers and audiophiles enjoy the experience of crate digging – diving deep in real life, brick and mortar record shops. But when you are looking for a specific record, buying vinyl online gives you access to way more than you can find locally.
This list includes all kind of retailers, including major record stores, independents, specialist niches stores, and record clubs.
All the online shops listed here distribute worldwide, but just in case you are looking for short shipping times, we’ve included information about where each shop distributes from.
If you’re trying to find the best places to feed your vinyl addiction then look no further. Let’s dive in and find out more about the best places to buy records online.
Discogs
Summary: Extremely wide range of vinyls, community-led
Distributes from: Worldwide – depends on seller
Founded in 2000, Discogs is an online vinyl marketplace where you can both buy and sell records. It has a huge database, meaning that it’s ideal for researching those hard-to-find rare vinyl records.
The Discogs filtering system allows you to easily browse sellers, genres, artists, condition and more. In a nutshell, it gives you everything you need to dig out even the most obscure record you might be looking for. It covers all genres, new and old.
With a stunning range of records, and a community of like-minded vinyl lovers buying and selling, there’s a reason why Discogs is the first name most people think of when it comes to buying vinyl online!
Go to Discogs.
Amoeba
Summary: Big independent retailer, wide range, second-hand
Distributes from: USA
Founded in 1990, Amoeba claims to be the world’s largest independent record store, and few would disagree. Don’t be put off by the website’s rather dated design, because Amoeba boasts an exceptionally wide range of records.
Amoeba’s extensive catalogue covers everything – as they put it, “from the top 40 to the best in underground rock and hip-hop, soul, electronica, new and classic jazz, world music, roots music and experimental music.” One of the best-respected names in the business.
Go to Amoeba.
Presto
Summary: Excellent range of classical and jazz vinyls
Distributes from: UK
Presto Music is a musical instruments, sheet music, and record shop. It is known as one of the best places to buy jazz and classical records online. Their first brick-and-mortar shop opened in 1986, with their website launching in 2001.
The store boasts a stunning catalogue of over 160,000 classical recordings and over 70,000 jazz recordings (not all necessarily vinyl, but a huge amount of vinyl). Presto is the go-to choice for anyone shopping for the best classical and jazz vinyls, in the UK and Europe especially.
Go to Presto Music.
Dusty Groove
Summary: Diverse selection, including rare and collectible records
Distributes from: USA
Based out of Chicago, the legendary Dusty Groove was founded in 1996, and has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the best places to buy records online.
The store boasts a wide and diverse selection of “new and vintage jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop, world, rare, collectible, and vinyl records and CDs.”
Dusty Groove is also a great place to sell vinyl records if you are looking to pass some of your collection on.
Go to Dusty Groove.
Boomkat
Summary: Independent store, great for new discoveries
Distributes from: UK
Boomkat has a huge reputation in the UK especially, with customers in over two hundred countries worldwide. Founded in 1998 in Manchester, Boomkat opened their online record store in 2002.
Rather than simply peddling the biggest sellers, Boomkat are respected as “tastemakers”, and do a great job of sorting hidden gems and bringing them to the surface.
As they put it, “Our focus is not on any one particular type of music; instead we are constantly on the lookout for what we consider to be the most innovative, exceptional, interesting and often overlooked music out there – regardless of where it has come from or who it is made by.”
Go to Boomkat.
Rough Trade
Summary: Legendary independent record store, specialising in indie, rock, and electronic
Distributes from: UK / USA
Rough Trade is arguably the best-known record store in the UK, with physical stores in both the UK and North America. Since first opening their doors in 1976, Rough Trade has become something of an institution in the world of music.
Initially specialising in punk and post-punk, Rough Trade now stocks a wide range of genres, with strengths in indie, electronica, country, and rock.
There is always something special about visiting Rough Trade’s physical stores, but they are also one of the best online record stores, with a great range, and straightforward shopping experience.
Go to Rough Trade.
Tower Records
Summary: Historic store specialising in hip-hop, soul, jazz, and indie
Distributes from: USA / UK
One of the most historic vinyl record stores in the world, Tower Records was first founded in 1960. The company ran until 2006, when it filed for bankruptcy. The legendary business relaunched in 2020.
Distributing from both the US and the UK, the online store offers an industry leading selection of hip-hop, soul, jazz, and indie. They are strong on new releases, but also have a good catalogue of older records.
Go to Tower Records.
Experience Vinyl
Summary: Large online record store with a no-commitment club
Distributes from: USA
New York-based Experience Vinyl is an online record store that boasts a catalogue of over 40,000 titles.
They are known for their “vinyl club without commitment,” offering a limited edition pressing each month to members, with no obligation to buy – meaning you get exposure to great opportunities, whilst remaining in control of what you spend your money on.
Go to Experience Vinyl.
Turntable Lab
Summary: Independent tastemakers – high quality, curated offering
Distributes from: USA
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Turntable Lab was founded as an online store in 1999. A hugely respected name in the world of vinyl, Turntable Lab sells DJ and hi-fi equipment, as well as vinyl records.
Their curated catalogue covers rock, jazz, electronic, hip-hop, reggae, soundtracks and beyond. Recognised and revered as musical tastemakers, the store takes pride in offering select, carefully picked records and gear. One of the best places to buy vinyl records online.
Go to Turntable Lab.
VNYL
Summary: Record club that sends records each month based on your tastes
Distributes from: USA
Whether you are just starting your vinyl collection, or looking to expand it with new records that are perfectly matched to your taste, VNYL is a great service.
If you’re happy to trust the algorithm, VNYL sends you records based on your Spotify listening activity. You can sign up for a membership of just one record per month, up to thirty-six per year. The membership does offer a pretty reasonable discount, so if you’re building a collection from zero, it’s a good way to start building after just a few months.
Go to VNYL.
eBay
Summary: Huge online marketplace – a mixed back with some hidden gems
Distributes from: Worldwide
eBay is one of the best-known online marketplaces in the world, and is well-known as one of the best places to buy vinyl records online. As an international marketplace with thousands of vendors, it offers an exceptional range.
eBay features both larger record stores and individual sellers, so what you’ll find on there is constantly shifting. One advantage of eBay is that since anyone can sell on there, and since the volume of buying and selling is so high, you can find some gems on there if you keep a close eye.
Go to eBay.
Mondo
Summary: Large store specialising in film and video game soundtracks
Distributes from: USA
Founded in 2004 in Texas, Mondo sells a range of cultural and arts products, with a vinyl catalogue that focuses on soundtracks. Known for art prints and comics as well as music and film, Mondo has somewhat of a “visual” focus.
When it comes to vinyl, Mondo is very much a specialist retailer, with a very strong focus and impressive catalogue of film and video game music in particular.
Go to Mondo.
Eil.com
Summary: Independent experts in used, rare, and collectible vinyl records
Distributes from: UK
Founded in 1985, Eil.com is a website that will take you right back to the early days of the internet. But don’t be put off by the interface – the site boasts a huge selection of used, rare, and collectible vinyls that are hard to find elsewhere.
With a stunning catalogue of 250,000 items, Eil.com is one of the best places to buy vinyl records online. If eBay feels a little too much like the wild west, then Eil.com is a great way to ensure that you know what you’re getting, with real experts available to advise you at the other end.
Go to eil.com.
Music Magpie
Summary: Medium-sized shop with a large selection of rock and indie
Distributes from: UK
Music Magpie is an electronics store with a sizeable vinyl offering of well over 30,000 records. The store mostly offers new vinyl, with a small second-hand selection. They also buy vinyl, if you are looking to sell on some of your collection.
Music Magpie’s catalogue is strongest on rock, indie, and folk, with a reasonable selection in electronic music too.
Go to Music Magpie.
Secretly Store
Summary: Record club for new indie releases
Distributes from: USA
Secretly Store is the shop associated with three record labels – Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, and Dead Oceans – who comprise Secretly Group.
Secretly Store offers a membership subscription to receive new releases and exclusives from the labels. A membership to just three record labels might seem narrow, but between the group put out a huge amount of the biggest indie bands on the scene today, including the likes of Mitski, Bon Iver, Angel Olsen, Whitney, and Khruangbin.
Go to Secretly Store.
Waxwork Records
Summary: Film soundtrack vinyl specialist
Distributes from: USA
One of the more niche shops on this list, Waxwork is an independent record label that specialises in film scores and soundtracks.
Just to narrow things down a little more, Waxwork whittle down their focus to mostly horror film soundtracks.
If you happen to be a lover of both vinyl and horror films, then welcome to heaven!
Go to Waxwork Records.
Bear Family Records
Summary: Specialists in old and collectible records
Distributes from: Germany
Based in Germany, independent music specialists Bear Family Records boast an impressive catalogue of over 40,000 items. They focus on the old rather than the new, and they are world-renowned for it.
The legendary, award-winning label specialises in reissues of archival material, and has been operating since 1975. Their catalogue is strongest in the genres of rock’n’roll, country, blues, R&B/soul, and folk.
Go to Bear Family Records.
Vinyl Tap
Summary: Specialists in rare vinyl
Distributes from: UK
Based in Huddersfield, UK, Vinyl Tap boasts an impressive selection of rare vinyls and merchandise. The shop offer a vast range of genres, and their frequent buying and selling promises a constantly shifting stock range with gems frequently surfacing.
Vinyl Tap stocks a decent number of new releases, but they are recommended for the real crate-diggers who are looking for those rare finds.
Go to Vinyl Tap.
What Records
Summary: Independent retailers specialising in rock and indie
Distributes from: UK
Founded in 1981, What Records is a historic store with an emphasis on offering a curated range of established classics, as well as select new releases that their knowledgeable staff deem worthy.
They specialise in indie, rock and limited edition releases, using their store to promote select emerging bands in the niche.
Go to What Records.
Amazon
Specialises in: Enormous range, new releases
Distributes from: Worldwide
Of course, you already know about Amazon, but it deserves a mention if only for the enormous breadth it offers.
For many crate diggers who like to support local record stores, Amazon is obviously not the top choice retailer. That being said, you can find a huge range on Amazon, and the shopping experience is extremely easy. If you’re struggling to get hold of a new vinyl elsewhere, Amazon is certainly worth a pop.
Go to Amazon.
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