The Record Renaissance

Thirty years ago, people largely thought that vinyl records were a thing of the past. A relic of old times when it took effort to listen to music. Something future generations would never be able to enjoy, right? Well today, Gen-Z embraces the analog nature of vinyl records. Holding our favorite albums in its physical form, hearing the pure, uncorrupted sound of it playing for the first time. This is how music was always intended to sound. This record renaissance is what is supporting record stores across the country, which are becoming fewer and farther between. Fortunately, the Philadelphia area still has many great options for record shoppers, featuring both locally owned and chain stores carrying an ever-growing selection of titles.

Siren Records – Doylestown, PA

         If you’re looking for a quintessential record store, it’s Siren Records. Located in the heart of charming Doylestown surrounded by numerous other shops and boutiques, Siren stands out from some of the more polished storefronts surrounding it. However, this staple of the community has just about anything an audiophile could want. The store carries both new and used vinyls, CD’s, and cassettes in just about every genre, however you’ll find rock and alternative artists most prominently featured. There is also a wide variety of jazz, classical, and soundtrack music available as well as a sparse collection of modern pop. Prices at Siren are reasonable, about what you’ll pay for a new vinyl online, however Siren does offer a free rewards program where every $200 spent earns you a discount. Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, the variety of music and vibe of the store alone are a reason to visit Siren Records.

Hideaway Music – Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA

         Based in a storefront below street level, Hideaway Music is a small, contemporary record store mostly featuring artists from the 1980s and prior. The store has a wide variety of artists and titles and features a small collection of CD’s, cassettes, and DVDs. The majority of the vinyls at Hideaway are used, though most are in very good condition, making it much cheaper to shop there than at competitors. The bright and happy atmosphere is a pleasant change from other traditional record stores, which tend to be dark and slightly unnerving to first time shoppers. The store is also very well laid out with bigger artists situated at eye level, while lesser-known artists and genres are located on shelves closer to the floor, giving the impression that the store is overflowing with inventory to browse. Overall, I was very impressed with the selection and atmosphere at Hideaway Music.

Chain stores: Barnes and Noble and Target

         While these two stores are not typically thought of as “record stores” in the traditional sense, they do carry an ever-changing selection of vinyls. Either of these places might be a good jumping off point for a new record collector, featuring a smaller variety of artists and titles that most people know. Barnes and Noble tends to have a less volatile variety and reliably carries artists ranging from today’s top hits to classic rock to film soundtracks. On the other hand, Target often has a small selection of vinyls and tends to only carry what is popular at a given time. Both stores offer “exclusive” vinyls which are often popular titles pressed either in a different color or adorned with an image on the actual vinyl. Pricing at both stores is retail and can be easily compared to prices somewhere like Amazon. These prices, however, may seem steep to a collector who likes to buy multiple records at once or prefers the history and pricing that comes with used records. These stores are still a great place to find new releases or to start a collection, but they probably aren’t for the dedicated collector or someone who loves browsing through boxes of vinyls.