The newcomer’s guide to record shops in Newcastle

Records have always been a niche product for some and are in recent years undergoing somewhat of a revival. While it’ll never regain the pedestal of being the primary method of acquiring and listening to music in this digital age it never lost any of its original charm – perhaps it’s even more delectable now than ever before.

But finding that limited release of your favourite band in its dusty cardboard sleeve can feel like pulling teeth at times.

In Newcastle however there may be an answer to your problem, as there are plenty of record shops just waiting to be discovered and plundered for their treasure within.

So if you’re new to Newcastle here is the beginners guide to finding those records or other music related products you so desire…

RPM Music

Firstly there is RPM, which has been around for over two decades changing location a couple of times and is now situated at number 4 Old George Yard, which is itself a vintage cobbled haven. Recently they’ve moved from selling mainly new music to distributing a much wider collection of 2^nd hand vinyl records. The shop itself stocks a vast array of genres but has a particularly good and growing collection of rock music spanning as many sub-genres as you can fathom. With records pouring in its difficult to say just what you might find here but chances are you’ll come away with something you wanted and quite possibly something you didn’t expect. They also sell numerous CD’s for those of you who haven’t made the vinyl leap yet. Personally the punk section was impressive and is much vaster than even a year ago with plenty to keep you going. What is becoming a new and very interesting development for the shop is its expanding collection of vintage and refurbished record players. There are some absolute gems to be found here, with a room now dedicated to them and varying prices mean students aren’t going to be priced out. Finally they also stock tickets for nearby gigs if you fancy listening to a band a little louder, with a little more feedback.

Reflex

Next there is Reflex, probably the first music shop you’ll discover upon arriving in Newcastle and having scouted the city, with it being highly centralised next door to Grainger market. Reflex’s forte is its continuous stream of new singles and albums both on CD and vinyl and one look at the upcoming weeks new-ins proves this point. As far as size goes it’s not the biggest and doesn’t have the hugest of collections, but anything new and relatively hot you will find in here.

Beatdown Records

Beatdown is situated near the Newcastle train station and is huge, stocking all variety of music with especially large CD racks being dedicated to metal, alternative and punk. It is also now fielding an ever growing stock of electronic and dubstep but is not limited to those. The jewel in the crown of this shop in particular is the huge selection of vinyl available which arguably the biggest in Newcastle, along with masses of second hand material. If you’re looking for records in Newcastle this is the place to be.

Alternatives

If you can’t find what you’re looking for here do not fret there are plenty of other options for you to explore. One of the best is Newcastle’s thriving vintage scene with fares being held in the Northumbria SU a few times a year. There are also vintage warehouses throughout Newcastle which stock and sell vinyl with many having older material you might not find in a conventional shop. Another great alternative are Newcastle’s markets with Grainger having a CD shop inside or if you’re looking for vinyl the Quayside market always has a number of traders looking to offload.

Whatever you’re looking for there is an excellent chance you’ll find it, and if in doubt just ask in one of the shops they will not bite (which I can attest to) and will point you in the right direction.