Streaming music services may have limited appeal for classical music or jazz fans who are album or even box set oriented, and who care deeply about knowing who is playing what, when and how. Apart from Today’s Top Hits on Spotify, there are playlists of happy songs to wake up to, relaxing music to unwind to, party music to dance to, music to go with various types of exercise, music to fall asleep to plus any number of genre-specific playlists.

Most people don’t.) They also provide playlists that are much like thematic replacements for live radio or, as we used to call it, background music. Streaming music services are very good for people who like popular music and are singles-oriented. These include the kinds of music you enjoy, how you listen to it, and why you listen to it. Online shopping also makes it easier to listen to the songs before you buy the record-a feature that not every record shop offers to customers.As always, there is no universal answer because it depends on all sorts of factors. And while it’s always fun to dig through a store’s selection on your own, shopping for vinyl online grants you access to a huge selection all at once, instead of having to trek to three or four stores to find a particular record. Some of the places we’ve listed do have a brick-and-mortar shop along in addition to an online store. And others prefer the streamlined convenience of shopping online as it makes it easy to find the exact records we’re looking for in a matter of minutes. Some like to skip buying their own vinyl and leave the hard work to a vinyl subscription box that picks and ships records to them each month. Some like the tactile experience of spending hours in a store with other music enthusiasts, digging through the crates, and hoping to stumble upon a rare LP. Great for Funk, Soul, Reggae, and Jazz: DustyGrooveĮvery vinyl enthusiast has a preference on where to shop for vinyl. Specializes in Classical Vinyl: Presto Classical World's Largest Independent Record Store: Amoeba Music

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