This Saturday, April 16, is the fourth annual Record Store Day, when around 700 independent record shops across the country celebrate their continued existence as a cultural institution. Some will have sales,giveaways, performances and signings; upwards of 200 different limited-edition vinyl records and CDs will be appearing on their racks, too. Though most of the big music chains have shuttered their doors in recent years, many smaller, quirkier stores have stayed afloat by cultivating loyal customers and integrating themselves into local music scenes. Here are ten of the best. Other Music: New York, NY
This downtown NYC fixture opened in 1995, in the most unlikely spot imaginable for an independent record store with afocus on underground, experimental and forgotten sounds: across the street from a mammoth Tower Records. Now Tower is long gone and Other endures, with a thriving mail-order business and a huge selection of otherwise-impossible-to-find CDs, records, DVDs, and even the odd cassette."We have a really loyal following — customers who come in everyweek," says owner Chris Vanderloo. On Record Store Day, the store will be hosting an intimate performance by Regina Spektor and an exhibition of '80s-era fanzines.
Via http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2065345,00.html
