Where to Buy Vinyl Records Online

It's no surprise that the vinyl resurgence is still going strong, with nearly 20 million records sold in the first six months of 2021 alone. Still, even before the pandemic limited our interactions with brick-and-mortar shops, the music industry had seen a boom in the number of records being sold online. A large portion of this uptick can be attributed to the number of independent record shops around the country (and around the world) that lovers of vinyl flock to for the selection, the name recognition, and the desire to support small businesses over larger chain stores who have now re-entered the vinyl marketplace. Here, we've compiled a list of some of our favorite retailers for those looking to buy vinyl records online.

Stranded Records

This California-based shop — with physical locations in LA, Oakland, and NYC is the retail branch of record label Superior Viaduct, an imprint focused on reissues of 1980s Bay Area punk albums. In addition to their own label, Stranded also focuses heavily on re-issues of jazz, hip-hop, blues, and rock classics. The website also offers up a selection of music-focused books and magazines.

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Presto Records

This UK-based outlet specializes in vinyl releases of classical music, and retains one of the largest selections around. You can search between time periods, so if you're feeling more Baroque than Renaissance, you can get right to it. Presto even sorts their records by awards won, in case you want to go straight for the good stuff — it can also be handy search tool if you tend to shy away from the iconic records in favor of a more off-the-beaten-path sound.

Goner Records

Another record store owned by a record label, Goner Records in Memphis is home to a label by the same name, specializing in punk, post-punk, and garage releases. On their website, you can find everything from reggae to blues to synth-pop, as well as a curated selection of Memphis-based musicians, spanning genres from hip-hop to punk, as well as all of the Sun Records/Elvis selections you would expect from a Memphis shop. Goner Records also posts their Record Store Day drops online, for those looking for exclusive vinyl.

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Reckless Records

This Chicago/London-based record shop focuses on both new and vintage vinyl from all genres and has an especially large selection of used rock and pop records. Just in case you want to further indulge your retro tastes, Reckless also offers used cassettes and CDs. Their search function easily allows you to find for your preferred format and record condition, and the website's old-school feel is right in line with the vinyl experience.

Grimey's Music

This Nashville record shop sells both new and "preloved" vinyl — they focus on independent releases from new and emerging bands as well as releases from bigger artists like Brandie Carlile and The National. They also offer a selection of books, movies, and games, and release vinyl recordings of performances from their store.

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Discogs

Discogs is the biggest online retailer for used vinyl — a number of the shops on this list have shops on this platform, in fact. Discogs is the best source for finding rare, out-of-print vinyl. The website has a cult-like following of people constantly updating have and want lists, and it would be hard to not find what you are looking for there — though it may be of less desirable quality or very expensive. The website also has articles on record collecting and frequently offers up deep dives on everything from obscure punk on seven-inch vinyl (a.k.a "45s") to side-by-side comparisons of the best record cleaning solutions. It truly is a record lover's paradise.

Rockaway Records

While the Silver Lake, Los Angeles store may be by appointment only, Rockaway Records' extensive collection can be freely browsed on their website. The store is home to a collection of rare and high-end collectible vinyl, as well as collectibles like tour t-shirts and other ephemera. Rockaway also has a sizable collection of 45s for sale, spanning rock, punk, soul, and funk.

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Turntable Lab

While the physical storefront has unfortunately shuttered, Turntable Lab's website lives on to continue bringing electronic music to their fan base. True to their name, Turntable Lab still caters to DJs with the latest turntables and needles, as well as hi-fi equipment so your records can sound their best. TTL even has a selection of vinyl records pressed exclusively for the website.

Music Direct

This online-only market is the place to go for new vinyl, as well as out-of-print records and box sets. Music Direct has a large selection of releases from labels like Blue Note and Rhino, for lovers of jazz, and re-issues of both classic and obscure albums. The website also offers turntables, amplifiers, cartridges, and needles.