Discover our guide to the best record stores in Paris.
Now, with Spotify and iTunes among others, you can access the largest music catalogues in the world, with free access to thousands of songs in an instant. But today, we decided to travel to Paris and prepare a guide to the best record stores in the city of Love.
If you like to travel and as many of us have a small addiction to music, you are surely like to get lost in a city and discover the best record stores.
Despite a series of closures in recent years, the French capital does not lack record stores. Paris is full of them, from electronic music, rock or black music, second hand or new, you will find gems for sure!
Guide 1 -Independent Record Shops
Betino’s Record Shop
32 rue Saint-Sébastien, 75011
An institution in Paris record stores. Since 1999, Betino Errera offers a very select and personal collection of vinyls. Classics and new from the whole spectra of black music (Soul, funk, jazz) without forgetting a good selection of world music, hip-hop to House and Pop. One of the stores’ big pluses is that it offers secondhand records carefully selected, which are more than often missing from many Parisian stores.
Superfly Records
53 Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth – 75003
Named after the famous Curtis Mayfield song, Superfly Records opens the door to black music: Soul, Funk, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Disco, Afrobeat, Zouk and Jazz. It is a store with a large selection of old records where you can search for lost gems. Everything is perfectly archived, a real pleasure compared to many stores. They also offer many reissues on their own label, Superfly Records.
Heartbeat Vinyls
26 rue Godefroy Cavaignac – 75011
Heartbeat Vinyls is a shop for collectors. Here it is mainly about black and world music. However you can also find some rock, hip-hop and electro. First editions, records in perfect condition, if you have deep pockets, you can find that first edition that you have always been looking for.
Born Bad
11 rue Saint-Sabin, 75011
The ”rockiest” rock record store in the capital. Rock, Blues, Hardcore, Punk, Garage, New Wave or psychedelic, here you can find riffs that move you! Born Bad is a shop for fans of the classics, the forgotten nuggets, as well as the curious who will appreciate the section of the famous eponymous label (Born Bad Records).
Vinyl Office
9 rue Trousseau – 75011
Vinyl Office is a general music store that is entirely dedicated to second-hand records. It is a paradise for vinyl lovers. It does not prefer one genre over another but rather on quality and rarities. The racks of this store are full of all kinds of treasures, from Italian to post-punk to new wave and even house, techno or electro. Apart from the often reasonable prices, the best thing about this store is its sense of community and council.
Souffle Continu
22 rue Gerbier, 75011
Since 2008, the Souffle Continu store offers a very fine selection of vinyls with a focus on current new music. From improvised Jazz to Noise, Indie Rock or Black Metal, the racks are full of often unknown gems. At the back of the store you can find some turntables where you can satisfy your curiosity.
Monster Melodies
9 rue des Déchargeurs – 75011
Monster Melodies is a bit like Ali Baba’s cave with its thousands of records, from floor to ceiling. Racks of Jazz, rock, metal, soul, French music, a bit of electro: the range of styles is wide, whether it be new or secondhand vinyl. Leave time to go to Monster Melodies, you will need it! Go with a few ideas about what you are looking for and of course some money in your pocket!
Music Please
5 Rue Jean et Marie Moinon – 75010
A neighbourhood record shop where you can find real bargains. Music Please store has it all: from psyche rock to hip-hop old school, there is something for everyone, both secondhand and new. And if you have not yet decided to let go of the CD and other formats, don´t worry, they sell and repair high quality audio equipment. In short, a real local record store.
Exodisc
70 Rue du Mont-Cenis, 75018 Paris
Opened in 1982 by a lover of second hand markets, Exodisc is an institution in the 18th quarter. The store is full of crazy records, each one crazier than the last. From an essential Krautrock album to the best of black music, the couple that runs the store are passionate supporters of music in all its variations.
√ More Record Shops worth visiting:
- Music For Satan – 4 Bis Rue Richard Lenoir, 75011
- Balades Sonores -1-3 Avenue Trudaine, 75009
- Pop Culture– 23 Rue Keller, 75011
- Le Silence de la Rue – 39 rue Faidherbe, 75011
- Maquis Megastore – 187 rue de saint denis, 75002
- Ground Zero – 114 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75010
- Plus de Bruit – 35 Rue de la Rochefoucauld, 75009
- Le Rideau de Fer – 12 Rue André del Sarte, 75018
- Illogicall Music -63 rue Blanche, 75009
Guide 2 – Electronic Music Record Shops
Synchrophone
6 rue des Taillandiers, 75011
Syncrophone is one of the most famous French House and Techno distributors. For more than 10 years, the store (label and event organizer) has been offering a great variety of music. A pleasure for dance music lovers in all its variety. One of the best vinyl stores for dance and electronic music in Paris with decent prices and good service.
Techno Import
16 rue des Taillandiers, 75011
Just two doors from Synchrophone, Techno Import is another institution in Paris for dance music lovers. A great selection of electronic music – Techno, House, Disco House, Funk, Psytrance, Hardcore, Hardstyle … Good prices and interesting offers on some new records.
√ More Electronic Music Record Shops:
- Toolbox – 30 rue Saint-Ambroise – 75011
- Smallville – 26 Rue du Château d’Eau – 75010
- Te Lubesc Records – 56 rue Pajol – 75018
Guide 3 – Record Stores that offer something else …
Bigwax
72 bis Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud – 75011
After the closure of the L’international Records store, the manager announced his return by partnering with collector Edouard Mera, and the Squeezer team (which specializes in pressing vinyl, CDs etc …) to open a new Store: Bigwax Records. With almost 100 m2, there are about 20,000 vinyls available, between new and secondhand records at all prices (starting from 50 cents!). At catalogue level, the store is quite eclectic. After making your choice after listening to it on one of the turntables, go to the cash desk and drink a good Demory with tapas and other snacks.
Beers & Records
7 bis rue de Vincennes, 93100
In this Montrueil record store, you can also enjoy a good beer. In Beers & Records, you will find offers of secondhand and new albums that include a lot of Soul, Funk and Jazz but also Electro, Rock and Hip-Hop, from € 2 each. The advantage here is that if you can’t find the vinyl you’re looking for, you can still go home with a good local beer like La Montreuilloise.
La Cuve A Son
56 rue Traversière, 75012
A few records and bottles of wine! New and secondhand records covering nearly all genres: Jazz, Rap, Indie Rock, Punk, Country or African music. In La Cuve A Son you can buy some vinyls and go home with a bottle of organic wine under your arm.
Walrus
34 ter rue de Dunkerque, 75010
Walrus is record shop but also a bar, a great place to come for coffee and a chat with friends. The store has a good selection of records with a focus on Rock and Indie, a studied design with telephone and jukebox booths at the entrance.
√ More Shops & Cafés
- Rupture – 3 rue de la Fidélité, 75010
- Comets Café & disques – 38 rue Léon Frot, 75011
Guide 4 – General Record Shops
Crocodisc
40 et 42, rue des Ecoles, 75005
64, rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Geneviève, 75005
This store is defined by its longevity (forty years) and opulence: with more than 100,000 albums it surpasses the three Rock, Jazz and black music stores located in the Latin Quarter, the Crocodisc store is a great classic where abundance meets knowledgeable sales assistants who will help you find that gem you have been pursuing for so long!
Gibert Joseph
26 boulevard Saint-Michel – 75006
Better known as a bookstore, Gibert is a very interesting store for any music lover. Specialized in almost all styles, the sales assistants are really knowledgeable and the selection is surprising. The most important thing though is that the prices are almost unbeatable. Here you will find many quality albums with friendly prices!
Les puces de St-Ouen
93400 Saint-Ouen, Francia
This street market in St-Ouen is one of the largest in the world and just for that, it is worth a visit. The market opens every Saturday and Sunday and is not only good for vinyl but there are also real pearls among second-hand sellers, antique dealers, book sellers … There is a covered section that contains several record stores.
√ Use the map to find your shop.
- Red : Independent Record Stores
- Blue : Electronic Record Stores
- Green : General Record Stores
- Yellow : Record Stores that offers something else
Written and researched by Vincent Livolsi
