Manchester still has a vinyl culture. People buy records. Record shops are real businesses, not nostalgia. The shops are good because the demand is there.
Crates Wax
Crates Wax in the Northern Quarter is the serious record shop. New records primarily – they stock current releases across genres. Rock, electronic, hip hop, funk, jazz. The selection is curated, not random. Prices are standard – new records £15-25 depending on format. They have a listening station. The staff actually know music. If you want current releases, this is where to go.
Vinyl Tap
Vinyl Tap stocks used and vintage records. The selection is more hit-or-miss – depends on what they’ve bought recently. Prices are lower – £5-15 per record depending on condition and rarity. If you’re willing to dig, you find good records. The owner is knowledgeable. This is proper second-hand vinyl shopping.
What’s on the Shelves
Manchester record shops have good electronic and dance music sections (because that’s part of Manchester history). Good hip hop selections. Good indie rock. Good international music. What’s missing is pretentious gatekeeping – the shops stock what people want, not what someone thinks they should like.
Record Shop Culture
Buying vinyl is social in Manchester. People go to shops, dig through crates, talk to staff, discover things. It’s not isolation – it’s community. The shop owners care about music. They recommend things. They remember customers. They know what’s good.
New vs Used
New records from Crates Wax are pristine and come with proper packaging. Used records are cheaper but condition varies. Some are excellent, some have surface noise. Check before buying if possible. Many shops let you inspect records.
What to Expect
Don’t expect to find everything. Records are singular – once sold, that copy is gone. If you see something you want, buy it. Don’t worry about finding the newest releases – shops stock those. Go for discovery. Go for the hunt.
