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The ultimate guide to independent record stores in Massachusetts, 2025
Just in time for Record Store Day, we've expanded our list to include Central and Western Mass.
Remember those 43 record stores we included in last year’s Boston.com ultimate local record store guide? It wasn’t enough.
When we launched the guide back in 2023, we limited the list to “Greater Boston” — basically Boston to Worcester. But we’ve since realized, what about the music lovers in the more western part of the state? Or the ones looking to peruse the bins when they’re dropping their kids off at UMass Amherst, Mount Holyoke, or one of the other 50-plus colleges out there?
With them in mind, we’ve added the following west-of-Worcester record stores to this year’s list:
- Belltower Records, North Adams: If you’ve been to MASS MoCA — home of Wilco’s spectacular Solid Sound Festival — you’ve probably been exposed to Belltower Records, a festival stalwart located just down the street.
- Breakdown Records, Turner Falls: If you’re visiting idyllic Turner Falls (at least it sounds idyllic), why wouldn’t you stop at this fine, no-frills record destination?
- Greenfield Records, Greenfield: If the hustle and bustle of Amherst is too much for you, you should head north to Greenfield, home to this record store with the awesome slogan “Records make the world go round.” Get it??
- Music Connection, Turner Falls: You may know them from their Manchester, New Hampshire location, but they also have a fully stocked store in the aforementioned idyllic Turner Falls. (Any town with a population of 3,949 that manages to support two record stories is A-OK in our book.)
- Mystery Train Records, Amherst: Once affiliated with the massive store of the same name in Gloucester, this cozy shop — mere feet from the UMass Amherst campus — now stands alone in its mission to bring great used records and live music to the college-town community.
- Platterpus Records, Easthampton: Speaking of gently loved records, if used platters are your thing, you could do a lot worse than a drive out to Platterpus. (Best record store name ever?)
- Raspberries Records, Ludlow and East Longmeadow: Big stores with big selections, and if they’re going out of their way to tout their $1 bins (which they are), you know they’ve got to be good.
- Rob’s Records & Audio, Great Barrington: Rob promises a shop that’s “organized,” “friendly,” and “soulful,” three of our favorite things that a record store can be.
- Spin That Records, Springfield: They bill themselves as “only vintage vinyl record store” in Springfield, and we’re going to take their word for it.
- Straightaway Records, Gardner: If you’ve skied Wachusett you’ve been within the orbit of this platter haven, home to “some of the best record shopping in New England,” they like to say.
- Turn It Up, Northampton and Montague: You’ve got to love a record store that promises it’s “always open late.” And if you find yourself in Montague and don’t visit, you’ll never forgive yourself.
Also of note, Deep Thoughts — our reader-chosen best record store in Greater Boston back in 2023 — has up and moved from Jamaica Plain out to Northampton, so make sure to include them on your Amherst-area record shop crawl.
Besides those, we’ve added several new additions closer to Boston — some opened in the last year, others just sadly overlooked previously:
- A Damn Shame Records, Lowell: Currently residing in Lowell’s lala books after being unceremoniously ejected from Mill No. 5 when that space closed just months after Damn Shame opened there, Lowell’s newest record store will be one of the offerings of a new shopping destination, The Hive Public Market, opening later this year.
- Counter Intuitive, Brookline: It’s a record label AND a record store! Plus, they sell old video games.
- Crystal Ball Records, Bellingham: Opened last year, Crystal Ball is “proudly woman, LGBTQ+, & disabled-owned,” and bills itself as “Massachusetts’ premier alternative record store.”
- RRRecords, Lowell: We’re embarrassed to admit we’ve left RRRecords off the list until now: The former avant-garde record label and current avant-garde record shop has been doing its thing in Lowell since 1984.
- The Time Capsule, Seekonk: It’s hard to imagine a better space to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon than in The Time Capsule, where you can peruse vintage records, comics, collectables, and video games.
So just in time for April 12’s Record Store Day — the international celebration of independent record stores inaugurated in 2008 — below you’ll find a fully updated version of our ultimate local record store guide, including links to 60-plus stores and an interactive map. Happy spinning!
Map: Where to find an independent record store in Massachusetts, 2025
Full list: Where to find an independent record store in Massachusetts, 2025
| Name | Address | What readers said |
|---|---|---|
| A Damn Shame Records | 189 Market St, Lowell | |
| Armageddon Shop | 12b Eliot St., Harvard Square, Cambridge | “There’s a lot of great shops on this list but Armageddon has been my go-to for heavy music for years and years.” — Nick M., Rockland |
| Belltower Records | Norad Mill, Suite 105, 60 Roberts Dr, North Adams | |
| Big Dig Records | 2325 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge | “Cheap prices, rare records, friendly staff.” — John, Somerville |
| Breakdown Records | 59 Avenue A, Turners Falls | |
| Bridge Nine Records | 282 Rantoul St., Beverly | “They have the best music and put on special events.” — Greg W., Southie |
| Cheap Thrills Music | 10 Riverside Drive, Dedham | “Great selection of used and one of a kind records. It’s almost you’re rummaging someone’s private collection.” — P.W., Roslindale |
| Cheapo Records | 538 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge | “They have by far the biggest selection of vinyl in the Boston area.” — Bob, Cambridge |
| Counterintutive Records | 358A Boylston St, Brookline | |
| Crystal Ball Records | 15 N Main Street Unit C1, Bellingham | |
| Deep Thoughts | 5 Market Street, Northampton | |
| Deja Vu Records | 154 East Central St., Natick | “[Owner] runs the place like a swap meet. She gives you great prices and a good time.” — Mark P., Lexington |
| Dyno Records | 1 Middle St., Newburyport | “Great atmosphere, friendly staff, funky decor, and great selection of new and used vinyl and CDs!” — AJ, Newburyport |
| Electric EYE Records | 52 Main St., Apt. 6, Florence | |
| Garnick’s Records | 54 Middlesex St., Lowell | “The brothers [who own the shop] are real mensches.” — Chris W., Enfield, N.H. |
| Good Taste Records | 4 Thacher St., Boston | “The selection is unreal. The vibes is always on point and the owners are so nice and down to earth.” — Ja’coall, North End |
| Greefield Records | 275 Main St., Greenfield, | “Small footprint, but impressive variety. New, used, wide selection, fair prices, sorted by genre. Owner has eclectic taste and always spinning vinyl that broadens one’s horizons.” — Andrew, Melrose |
| Green Street Grooves | 200 Green St., Melrose | |
| Inclusion Records | 340 Washington St., Norwell | “Inclusion has a laid back, classic record store vibe. No pretension. No attitude. Just a cool place to shop for records.” — Carolyn, Quincy |
| Instant Karma Records | 121 MA-6A, Orleans | “Friendly knowledgeable staff and a great selection of records and memorabilia across multiple genres.” — Don B., New York |
| Joe’s Albums | 317 Main St., Worcester | “This store is clean and organized, and the records are priced more than fairly. You never have to check a used record for quality because the owner simply does not sell anything that is low quality. His prices are fair, his Record Store Day stock is the best, and he runs his store like a professional business … yet with a personal touch.” — John M., Worcester |
| Light of Day Records | 21 Main St., Medford | “It’s in a brewery, with vinyl and beer pairings offered!” |
| Looney Tunes Records | 16 Harvard Ave., Allston | “Good vibes and pretty storefront.” — Anonymous |
| Max J Records | 145 Bridge St., Fairhaven | “It’s small but has a tremendous selection of both new and used stock. Owner is friendly and very accommodating. Prices are perfectly reasonable for a small independent.” — Dave, Sandwich |
| Mel’s Record Shop | 4 Water St., Amesbury | “The store has a surprisingly large inventory, is immaculate, and downtown Amesbury is a hidden gem, as is Mel.” — Mike L., Ashland |
| Music Connections | 187 Avenue A, Turners Falls | |
| Music Research Library | 24 Joy St., Boston | “Best curated record store in Northeast by far. It may be small, but you will find many many incredible, interesting, and imported titles here. Prices are very fair and condition is actually considered, a declining factor in todays record world, sadly.” — Joshua M., Beacon Hill |
| Mystery Train Amherst | 178 N Pleasant St, Amherst | “This place does not discriminate. A trove of all types of music and a laid-back atmosphere. With a wall of free (up to 5) records and a wall of $1, you can afford to try out anything you’d like.” — David, Gloucester |
| Mystery Train | 21 Main St., Gloucester | |
| Newbury Comics | 348 Newbury St., Boston (multiple locations) | “Love the selection and the randomness of the stores.” — Joe M., East Boston |
| Nuggets | 486 Commonwealth Ave., Kenmore Square, Boston | “When I step into a record store, I want to feel like I’m stepping into a time machine. Nuggets is certainly that. With that certain smell and vintage odds and ends around the store, it’s obvious this place hasn’t changed much since opening. And I love that.” — Ellena, Fenway |
| Orpheus Performing Arts Treasures | 362 Commonwealth Ave., Boston | “Hidden rock, jazz, soundtrack, and exotica gems. Classical you will find nowhere else. Wonderful staff. Been there forever. Ain’t been raided by the hipsters yet.” — Palmer E., Roxbury |
| Planet Records | 144 Mt Auburn St., Cambridge | “Vibe and employees.” |
| Platterpus Records | 28 Cottage Street, Easthampton | |
| Purchase Street Records | 53 Popes Island #2, New Bedford | “It’s like a blast from the past walking into this store … Everyone who works there is knowledgeable and super helpful and friendly, and the owner is the coolest, nicest guy I have ever met … My favorite record store by far!” — Scott M., New Bedford |
| Randolph Music Center | 900 N Main St., Randolph | “A local shop that’s been around since my father first moved to Randolph back in the ’80s/’90s. The owners are local to the area and very kind, plus a large selection of classics that aren’t overpriced. A hidden gem!” — Emnat A., Randolph |
| Raspberries Records | 207 Winsor Street, Ludlow, MA (multiple locations) | |
| The Record Exchange | 256 Washington St., Salem | “Prices are reasonable, they’ve got a long history, a good selection — truly an institution I hope never leaves us.” — Dan R., New York (formerly Middleton, Mass.) |
| Residency Records | 7 1/2 Church St., Salem | “The staff is always friendly and holds great conversations about music and record collecting. It’s always so much fun to visit, even if I’m not buying anything.” — Marcus J., Worcester |
| Rob’s Records | 286 Main St, Great Barrington | |
| RRRecords | 219 Central Street, Lowell | |
| Soundtracks | 265 Cabot St., Beverly | “The most unique collection by master curator and local legend DJ 7L.” — Mike, Somerville |
| Spinnaker Records | 596 Main St., Hyannis | |
| Spin That Records | 671 Dickinson St Springfield | “Always well stocked with new and old titles and indie record store special editions, plus used vinyl, as well as bags, sleeves and vinyl care products. And yes, they even have CDs and a ton of awesome shirts and other music-related goods.” — Michelle, Cape Cod |
| Stereo Jack’s | 736 Broadway, Somerville | “It’s amazing to have a great record store that is walkable to the Somerville/Medford area. The staff are also really plugged into the local music scene.” — Kerri B., Medford |
| Straightaway Records | 118 Parker Street, Gardner | |
| Strawberries Records @ Tech Hifi | 1 Liberty St., Suite 2, Hanson | “Great selection of records and cleaner than most other stores I’ve been to. Some super rare stuff too, for less than Discogs.” — Ed, Hanson |
| Taurus Records | 1282 Blue Hill Ave., Mattapan | “Good reggae music, which sounds better on vinyl.” — Mikayel, Brockton |
| Turn It Up | The Bookmill, Montague (multiple locations) | |
| That’s Entertainment | 244 Park Ave., Worcester (multiple locations) | “Very helpful staff. Willing to special order records if they aren’t in stock.” — Sean D., Fitchburg |
| The Nevermind Shop | 1 Milford St., Upton | “Selection, prices, and variety of music available. The owner, Mick, is great.” — Brian M., Northbridge |
| The Time Capsule | 1732 Fall River Ave, Seekonk | |
| The Vinyl Vault | 482 King St., Littleton | “Their selection of punk and metal and their location (not in the city!).” — Newt, Holliston |
| Tres Gatos | 470 Centre St., Jamaica Plain | “I fantasize about working there because it’s that great. Always looking for a reason to stop by and see what records I can dig up, and if they don’t have what you’re looking for they’ll order it for you … What’s not to love?” — Marlene B., Jamaica Plain |
| Village Vinyl & Hi-Fi | 307 Harvard St., Brookline | “I never leave that store without great records.” — Dmitry V., Somerville |
| Vinyl Index | 1 Bow Market Way #25, Somerville | “It feels like a community, not just a store. Plus they’ve got the goods.” — Charles W., Chelsea |
| Vinyl Lunatic Records | 63 Main St. Plymouth | “Small record shop in Plymouth, but huge selection of vinyl!” — Anonymous |
| Wanna Hear It Records | 117A Galen St., Watertown | “Great selection and prices, especially on used records. Lots of rarities on the wall. Staff does a great job of updating website and social media on what’s new in the store.” — .James B., Hull |
| Wantlist Records | 113 Trapelo Rd., Belmont | “Great selection, welcoming and knowledgeable staff, bright and clean storefront. Really just a great shopping experience!” — Renee W., Belmont” |
| Welfare Records | 58 River St., Haverhill | “Great prices, huge and deep inventory, very well organized, knowledgeable and consistent staff. Everything a record store should be.” — Scott D., Pelham, NH |
Don’t see your favorite store here? Want to add a comment about your fave? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll add it in.
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Lists and map compiled by Maya Shavit.
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