Liverpool, the legendary birthplace of the Beatles, pulsates with a rich musical heritage. This isn’t just a city steeped in musical history, it’s a place where music culture continues to thrive. One of the best ways to experience this vibrant scene is by diving into the world of Liverpool’s fantastic record stores.
Whether you’re a seasoned crate digger or a curious newcomer seeking your first vinyl treasure, Liverpool’s record shops offer something for everyone. From established havens boasting decades of experience to fresh faces on the scene, this guide will unveil the top spots to explore and discover the perfect record to soundtrack your life. So, put on your headphones, grab your shopping bags, and get ready to delve into the best record stores in Liverpool.
Dig Vinyl
Dig Vinyl, opened back in March 2014. Since then, they’ve become a hotspot for Northern music lovers. With fresh stock out daily, you’ll always find something new to peak your musical interest. Offering an ever-growing collection of the rarest, most sought after and elusive records, Dig Vinyl covers a range of genres – from psychedelic rock and spiritual jazz, to funky house and techno. They also have a shop over the water in West Kirby.
Dig Vinyl: 1st Floor, 29 Bold Street, Resurrection, L1 4DN & 156B Banks Road, Entrance Via Alexandra Road, West Kirby, CH48 OQB
81 Renshaw
Since opening its doors in 2016, 81 Renshaw has always appreciated the value of owning physical pieces of music. Adding to its iconicity, 81 Renshaw also has strong ties with Liverpool music stars, The Beatles. Back in the 1960s, the store was known as Mersey Beat, home to a music magazine created by arts college classmate of John Lennon’s – Bill Harry. The Beatles ended up being frequent visitors of the building, which to this day, encourages fans to travel from all over the world to see this musical landmark.
81 Renshaw: Renshaw St, Liverpool, L1 2SJ
Probe Records
Based in an ideal area, Probe Records is located in a reputable and well-known creative hub for the arts and music sector – The Bluecoat on School Lane. A record store with an interesting history, former-carpet manufacturer, Geoff Davies, opened its doors in 1971 after quitting his job and using his savings to establish Probe.
The store launched itself into a wealth of success, due to its extensive collection of LPs and left-wing literature – appealing to many during Liverpool’s alternative movement. Always striving to stock the best underground records, Probe offers: the latest buzz band singles, coveted first issues, CDs, second-hand vinyl and an array of local magazines.
Happy to offer a ‘play-before-you-buy’ service, Probe’s staff have over 25 years of record-selling experience, making this the place to be if you need a helping hand finding that perfect track to complete your collection.
Probe Records: 1, The Bluecoat, School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3BX
Jacaranda Record Store & Jacaranda Baltic
The Jacaranda Record Store functions as a bar, record store, and live music venue all in one. This historic venue, established in 1958, holds a special place in music history. It provided a stage for the pre-Beatles band, The Silver Beetles, featuring John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Jacaranda Record Store: 21 Slater Street, Liverpool, L1 4AU
Additionally, you’ll find Jacaranda Baltic in the Baltic Triangle. It features a record store alongside a 400-capacity live music venue hosting regular in-store shows.
Jacaranda Baltic: Unit 2, Cains Brewery, Liverpool L8 5XJ
Rough Trade
Rough Trade Liverpool comprises two floors, with the ground floor housing the record store and café, which serves Dark Arts Coffee. Meanwhile, the first floor features a dedicated venue space with a capacity of 290, as well as a fully functioning bar stocked with a selection of Signature Brew beers exclusively on tap.Â
Customers to the Liverpool store have access to a wide range of music titles on vinyl, spanning a generous mix of genres. An exciting selection of new and catalogue releases are also available to purchase, as well as a quality pre-loved section, an excellent curation of books, Rough Trade’s new and improved core merch lines, exclusive collaborations and limited-edition capsules.Â
Rough Trade: Hanover St, Liverpool L1 4AF
Dead Air Records
Family-owned independent record store based only a two-minute walk from one of Liverpool’s main shopping areas, Bold Street, Dead Air Records are specialists in pre-owned and affordable vinyl and CDs – as well as a specially curated assortment of new records.
Showcasing a wide variety of genres, their curated collections span across the likes of: blues, compilations, dance/electronic, hip hop, indie, jazz, rock, reggae, pop and soul. If you’re a vinyl collector yourself and are looking to sell a few tunes, Dead Air also buys records from their loyal customers.
Dead Air Records: 17 Suffolk Street, Liverpool, L1 5HS
Defend Vinyl
Established in late 2016, Defend Vinyl sells both new and used records. Focusing on alternative genres, the record store stocks all the best indie, emo, punk, soul and hip-hop tracks. Defend Vinyl also offers a record cleaning service. Not only is all second-hand vinyl professionally cleaned before it’s displayed on the shelves, the same cleaning service is also offered to in-store visitors, at a low cost.Â
Defend Vinyl: 395 Smithdown Road, Liverpool, L15 3JJ
The Musical Box Record Shop
Based in the Tuebrook district, referred to as Liverpool’s oldest independent music store, The Musical Box Record Shop was established shortly after World War II, in 1947. After 75 years of business, the shop temporarily closed at the end of 2022. However, December 2023 saw its grand re-opening, with the addition of a new mini museum, acting as a tribute to its rich history and durable musical connections with the city.
Priding themselves on their shop’s ability to tell the stories of Liverpool’s prolific musical past, The Musical Box stocks a remarkably extensive collection of records – 50,000 LPs, singles, CDs and cassettes – as well as slip mats, T-shirts and gift vouchers.
The Musical Box Record Shop: 457 West Derby Road, Liverpool, L6 4BL
Matsuri Records
Specialising in international and world music, as well as underrated gems and reissued vinyl, Matsuri Records teams up with some of the greatest music labels (such as, Mr Bongo, Glitter Beat and Time Capsule) around the globe, in order to accumulate its unique collection. The music shop also buys in vinyl collections from its customers, not only as a method of adding to theirs’, but also as a way of giving something back to the community.
Situated in the perfect location, Matsuri Records is neighbours with craft brewery and event space, Black Lodge Brewing. Available for Matsuri customers to book as a venue, Black Lodge Brewing offers up a huge function room, as well as Matsuri’s top DJs available to hire for all the music lovers in the Baltic Triangle.
Matsuri Records: 1 Kings Dock Street, Liverpool, L1 8JS
Collect and Survive
What was once a pop-up shop in Crosby, has now blossomed into a permanent record store in Waterloo – thanks to owner of Collect and Survive, Allan Deaves. After working at his local record shop in the 80s, his aim for Collect and Survive was to bring a real old-school record store back to the area. Relating to its apt name, Collect and Survive supplies both new and used vinyl, as well as record care products bought in from Legend Vinyl.
Stocking a versatile collection, including: new releases, rare collectible records and tracks with sentimental meaning, Deaves loves to help customers find the best tunes, both new and old. Demonstrating his support for the local community, Deaves also provides Liverpool’s budding musicians with a stage in Collect and Survive’s in-store performance area, as well as hosting album launch parties and stocking their releases on the shelves.
Collect and Survive: 124 South Road, Waterloo, Liverpool, L22 0LR
Skeleton Records
With a niche in rare imports, underground press and hippie paraphernalia, Skeleton Records has been open since 1971 and is named after a lyric from Syd Barret song – If It’s in You. Known to locals as ‘Skelly’s’, this record shop is packed to the brim with collectible, second-hand, new and re-issued vinyl, CDs and DVDs. Covering an eclectic mix of genres, such as classic and progressive rock, psychedelic, indie, jazz, soul and funk – Skeleton Records offers both recent releases and old-timey classics. In the bargain basement end of the shop, is where you’ll find tonnes of ‘well-loved’ and more niche hidden gems of the record world.
Skeleton Records: 11a Oxton Road, Birkenhead, The Wirral, CH41 2QQ
