4 record stores in San Jose, CA

NeedletotheGroove

Needle to the Groove is constantly curating new bins of rare vinyls. | Photo via @needletothegrooverecords

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Ready to get groovy, San Jose? Weโ€™re turning the tables on how you listen to music. From classic rock bands like The Beatles + Pink Floyd to iconic singers such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Marvin Gaye โ€” thereโ€™s vinyl for just about everyone at these local music hubs.

Unplug the aux cord and dust off your dadโ€™s old record player. Weโ€™ve rounded up four vibrant + diverse record stores that are well-stocked and totally in tune with your musical needs. ๐ŸŽต

OntheCornerMusic

On The Corner Music was established in 2006. | Photo via @33sonthecorner

On The Corner Music | ๐Ÿ“ 1737 Park Ave.

Nestled in the Rose Garden neighborhood, this store offers fresh (and sometimes, rare) selections of gently-used vinyls + cassettes almost every day. Donโ€™t be a stranger, because owner Jeff Michael Evans will gladly chat + even let you test out records on his vintage hi-fi equipment, which is also available to purchase.

Knight Sounds Entertainment | ๐Ÿ“ 1518 Alum Rock Ave.

This is a one-stop shop for all your vinyl needs. Owner Carlos Diaz keeps his shop stacked with affordable vinyls, as well as sound systems and DJ equipment. As a veteran DJ himself, Carlos can fix sound issues on your personal devices + is available to book for events.

StreetLightRecords

Streetlight Records regularly features vinyls specific to a celebratory month. | Photo via @streetlightrecords

Streetlight Records | ๐Ÿ“ 980 S. Bascom Ave.

This spunky store was established in 1975 and offers a diverse selection of genres ranging from Japanese city pop to gothic rock to jazz fusion. They update their website regularly with new additions and host live music events โ€” the next one is Sat., May 7 at 4 p.m. featuring John Renna + special guest, Alibastard.

Needle to the Groove | ๐Ÿ“ 424 E. Santa Clara St.

This tiny Downtown record shop is one of two locations dedicated to promoting small artists + bands. They have giant bargain bins, a collectibles section where you may snag some autographed vinyls, and custom shirts sporting major pride-in-place.

For a larger list of independent record stores in your neighborhood, use this map to search your zip code.

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