london music scene - record store directory
london has a number of excellent shops
opening their doors to the record enthusiast. each of these stores have their specialities, most of the staff
and clientelle are often djs so if you have some idea of 
the
sounds your after, just say and they'll be picking records off the wall for you and directing you to the turntables
and headphones.
most of the specialist record stores are in soho, and if you don't get the chance to visit them in person, you can always check out the websites, listen to tracks online and order your wish list through the post - it's easy.
bm soho - jazzy-brokenbeat-latin-tech-funky-afro funk-house
a soho institution, blackmarket records stock all flavours of house
on the ground floor & garage and drum n bass down in the basement - bm soho 25 d'arblay street w1f 8ej - 020 7437 0478 email mailorder@blackmarket.co.uk
deal real - hip hop from all over
the place to go if you're looking for worldwide hip hop, r'n'b, soul & funk flavas. they have open mic sessions and live instore performances + a gallery space to get creative - deal real 3 marlborough court 020 7287 7245 shop@dealreal.co.uk
fopp - great for your indie back catalogue
fopp offer great value deals on classic albums often for as little as £5. you can find the latest chart releases and an indie slant to the music instore but not too much hip hop, dance or rnb. there is a small collection of vinyl - fopp 1 earlham street
wc2h 9ll - 020 7379 0883
hmv - live instore performances
flagship hmv store between oxford circus & tottenham court road this is the one that hosts free live performances & signing sessions - hmv 150 oxford street w1d 1dj - 020 7631 3423
honest jons - world flavas
jazz, reggae, african and world music make this a perfect place for the record enthusiast and a great detour from a visit to the nearby portobello market - honest jons 278 portobello road w10 5te - 020 8969 9822 troy@honestjons.com
if music - broken beat dealers
from nu soul to hip hop to broken beat and disco bagged and delivered by dj jeane-claude if he isn't jetting off on one of his world wide clubbing missions. it's side alley location is perfect for dj record buying anonymity - if music 3 greens court w1f 0hd - 020 7437 4799 - info@ifmusic.co.uk
phonica - dirty house & electronica
if you like loadsa bleeps, this is the shop for you. disco, folk, nu jazz & techno vinyl as well as electronica are layed out amongst the gallery, listening decks & sofas - phonica records 51 poland street w1f 7ng - 020 7025 6070 - info@phonicarecords.co.uk
plastic fantastic - where house is the speciality
all flavours of house are stocked here - soulful, progressive, funky, trance - plus the usual facility all top djs expect - listening posts! based in covent garden it's a light in the dark - plastic fantastic, 35 drury lane wc2b 5rh @ covent garden - 020 7240 8055
rough trade records - for indie & dance
formed back in the 70's that also went on to become londons prominent independent label and home to the smiths, the rough trade shop still stands in west london just off the portobello road, stocking the latest in indie & dance as well as a back catalogue. there's also a shop in neales yard covent garden that hosts live drop in's too - rough trade records, 130 talbot road w11 1ja @ ladbroke grove - 020 7229 8541 & 16 Neal's Yard wc2h 9dp - 020 7240 0105
scenario records - hip hop label & vinyl store
us, uk, funk, soul, dancehall, old skool - the name of the game at scenario records is hip hop as can be seen from their website - scenario records 12 ingestre place w1f 0jf @ piccadilly circus - 020 7439 0055 info@scenariorecords.com
selectors music emporium - reggae rarities in brixton hill
great place for classic reggae on vinyl or the latest white labels. chances are you'll come across some reggae numbers on the sound system and maybe even get a bit of jamaican history from mr byron if you're talkative - selectors music emporium 100 brixton hill sw2 1ah - 020 7771 2011
sounds of the universe - soul jazz records in store
jazz, electronic music, soul, house, latin, reggae, disco, techno, funk, post-punk, brazilian - pretty much anything & everything! an online store is in the pipeline too - sounds of the universe 7 broadwick street w1f 0da - 020 7494 2004 info@soundsoftheuniverse.com
uptown records - hip hop & garage central
noted for it's stock of garage sounds, uptown records stocks independent & mainstream hip hop upstairs with garage and house down in the basement, knowledgeable & friendly staff, definitely worth a visit -
uptown records 3 d'arblay street w1f 8dh - 020 7434 3639 -
dan@uptownrecords.com
vinyl junkies - home of vinyl 45s
lots of top vinyl with all flavours including house, techno, disco, funk, new jazz beat, off beat, soul, compilations & rare prints. listening posts of course and chances are you'll see that dj from saturday night splipping out with a boxful of vinyl - vinyl junkies, 9-12 berwick street w1f 0pj @ oxford circus - 020 7439 2923 vjunkies@vinyl-junkies.com
virgin megastores - all under one roof
regular live performances on the stage downstairs but expect dodgy mobile reception (orange) if you're waiting to meet someone down there. branches throughout london - virgin megastores 14-16 oxford street w1d 1af - 020 7580 5822
wyldpytch - hip hop import specialists
wyldpytch stocks loads of vinyl including independent hip hop/us imports, rnb, broken beat, mix tapes and independent test pressings, soul reggae/new soul new releases usually come in on fridays for immediate display -
wyldpytch 51 lexington street w1f 9ar - 020 7434 3472
++++++++++++++++++
any tips or suggestions? if you've got a record store to recommend feel free to email with any useful info & we'll check it out
