“I have been going to this place since 1986. It used to be the go-to spot for DJs to gather their common knowledge and find the hottest releases of the moment. One of the things that made this store special was its iconic record buyer and seller, Benji. You could hum just three notes of a melody, and he could tell you everything about that record. To this day, it remains the number one store in Manhattan, particularly for DJs looking to find music.”

“This record shop is probably the longest-running one that caters to both DJs and collectors of rare records. I first visited it in 1986. It was the go-to spot for producers searching for rare samples of soul, funk, jazz, and 7-inch records. It was also the first store in New York City to have a couple of turntables where you could listen to the records. And let’s not forget about the dollar bins under the table, where you can find some rare gems.”

“This store originally started as a classical record store, but expanded when they moved to a larger space on Twelfth Street. Their genres now include indie rock, psychedelic rock, blues, funk, soul, disco, and R & B. They offer a nice selection of 7-inch records behind the counter. The store is very clean and organized. What I love about that store also is that they sell cleaning supplies and storage supplies for vinyl.”

“This is one of my favorite used-record stores in Brooklyn. What makes it special is that the owner carries pretty much everything, but specializes in music from Brazil. All of the releases they carry here are rare. I was able to find things here that I thought I would never be able to find anywhere. It’s also a great store for used 12-inch records. The owner carries a lot of house music, hip-hop, disco, and punk. It’s a great store, well rounded with a big sense of community.”

“Cosmic Arts is curated by the legendary house music producer Joe Claussell. He caters to the dance market with a lot of imported music from Europe, as well as domestic releases. It’s very cutting edge on the dance side—very underground, not commercial at all. He was one of the buyers for Dance Tracks, so he has amassed huge amounts of dance records over time. And every so often, he does these mysterious grab bags where you’ll spend anywhere from $30 to $60 for one bag and find a surprise.”

“Black Gold is a coffee shop located on Court Street in Brooklyn. It is very small and intimate, and the selection is well curated. They carry a lot of Latin records, jazz, ’80s rock, R & B, and funk. I think what makes this store special is the coffee. People like to have a coffee and a pastry while browsing for records. The selection is really good, and I have found some great records there.”

"[Record Shop] is a community-based record store located in Brooklyn. I have only visited a few times, but the owner, Benny, is a hardcore collector of reggae and world music. Like many used-record stores, you will find a lot of disco, jazz, and funk, but this store specializes in world music and classic rock. They have a large selection of these genres in the store.”

“This store is easy to miss, as it doesn’t look like a record store from the outside. However, once you go in, you’ll find a healthy collection of jazz, soul, funk, a little bit of reggae, and rock as well. They have a great selection of dance music, such as UK house music. During my last visit, I was thrilled to find a pristine copy of Sister Nancy’s first album, which is notoriously hard to find.”

“Head Sounds is another small, intimate store right next to a barbershop. They carry a nice selection of jazz. The piece that I found—and was really happy about—the last time I was there was a clean, mint copy of Horace Silver’s Song for My Father. That’s something I had been looking for for a long time. They also carry a healthy stash of gospel, soul, and funk LPs. But I would say the thing that’s special about their shop is the 12-inch records: rap, dance, and disco.”

“I used to go to Face Records a lot. During my first visit to Japan in 1987, Face Records was one of the first record stores, if not the first, I went to in Tokyo. For the New York store, the most special thing about them is that they carry a lot of Japanese pressings of American records, including many from Blue Note, Prestige, and Japanese artists. Although the store is not very big, it has a great selection.”

“Rough Trade is one of the most important stores in New York for new music releases. They used to be located in Brooklyn, but downsized and moved to Manhattan near Rockefeller Center. They carry strictly new releases, including indie rock, jazz, world music, techno, and rock, among other genres. They also sell newly pressed 7-inch vinyl records.”