Best Record Shops in Liverpool

Liverpool, with its rich music history and countless events going down each and every day, is the envy of many music fans. But while the city’s known for producing some of the best bands and artists of all time, Liverpool has another incredibly enviable feature - its record shops.

The city is home to many iconic, essential record shops such as The Musical Box, The Jacaranda and Probe Records. But more importantly, these shops remain as brilliant as they were from the day they first opened. Even better, the newer shops are insanely good too, often doubling up as cafes and venues, creating close-knit communities that can converge there. 

With Record Store Day 2024 right around the corner, we thought there was no better time than to let you in on which one of these beautiful houses of music pressed on wax is worth parting with your hard-earned cash for, as they stock all of this years RSD exclusives. 

The Jacaranda 

Where: 21-23 Slater St, Liverpool L1 4BW

Specialises in: local artists 

Our first record shop was born back in the 50s and will be participating in Record Store Day this year. After opening another 400 capacity store; Jacaranda Baltic, The Jacaranda are back and better than ever. This year they're having their biggest celebration yet with the likes of The Kairos, Michael Aldag & Ruby J joining them for some special performances across all three floors; and other RSD exclusives!

The Jacaranda is an incredible record shop with listening booths so you can try before you buy, coffee and alcohol, and the only available restored 1948 Voice-O-Graph (a machine that lets you record your voice on a vinyl disc) to the public. It’s safe to say it’s a pretty cool shop. 

81 Renshaw

Where: 81 Renshaw St, Liverpool L1 2SJ

Specialises in: dance, house, disco, trance and hip hop 

81 Renshaw is a breath of fresh air with a little bit of everything found within its walls. You can find the vinyl in the basement, and on the ground floor, there’s a café/venue for live performances, including comedy gigs. While there’s lots of dance, house, hip hop and trance, you can also find the smattering of LPs, 12"s and 7"s that call the majority of record shops in the county their home. 

The Musical Box

Where: 457 W Derby Rd, Liverpool L6 4BL

Specialises in: indie, rock and alternative

If there’s any record shop that deserves some serious appreciation, it’s The Musical Box. This little shop is Liverpool’s oldest, having been open since 1947! A true institution, The Musical Box has stayed in the same family for four generations and was even featured in the documentary Last Shop Standing. Diane, the owner, is an absolute legend in Liverpool thanks to her crazy enthusiasm and unmatched ability to track down rare records for customers. Even if you stop by just to appreciate the cultural significance of this Liverpool record shop, it’ll be a worthwhile trip.

Probe Records

Where: 1, The Bluecoat, School Ln, Liverpool L1 3BX 

Specialises in: new releases of rock and its various subgenres such as indie, punk and metal

Fun fact: the frontman from Dead or Alive and the dancer and keyboard player from Frankie Goes to Hollywood both worked at Probe Records before their rise to fame. Probe Records is another legendary Liverpool record shop, dating back to the 70s. Probe has a pretty huge collection of records, mostly rock and its subgenres, but also a lot of electronic, soul and jazz. 

Dig Vinyl

Where: 27 Bold St, Resurrection L1 4DN

Specialises in: second-hand vinyl, most popular genres such as pop, rock, jazz, soul, reggae etc

Dig Vinyl doesn’t have the history of some of the others on this list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a top little Liverpool record shop. Established in 2014 by two passionate music fans with buckets of experience in the industry, Dig is an old-school indie shop with music spanning most popular genres. After a recent renovation, the shop’s now home to more stock, and there’s more room for a proper dig through the crates. 

Defend Vinyl

Where: 395 Smithdown Road, Liverpool L15 3JJ

Specialises in: indie, punk, emo, and alternative

If you’re happy to venture slightly out of the city centre to Defend Vinyl, you’ll find one of the best record shops in Liverpool (if not the best) for emo, alternative, punk and indie music. But even if these genres aren’t really your scene, there are plenty of other genres on display, including hip hop, soul and more. Participating in Record Store Day 2024, it’s a great idea to check out this cosy little shop.

Skeleton Records

Where: 11 Oxton Rd, Birkenhead CH41 2QQ

Specialises in: prog and psychedelia 

If you’re happy to venture even further out of the city centre to Birkenhead, you’ll find Skeleton Records. The shop is spread across two rooms with thousands of records spanning multiple genres with a focus on prog and psychedelia, thanks to them being the founder's area of expertise. Skeleton has been open since 1971 and stocks both new and second-hand vinyl, perfect for any music fan.

Despite the decline in popularity of vinyl records upon the invention of the CD, Liverpool is still full of some unreal record shops and many that have a rich history. But even the newcomers on the list are impressive and attract plenty of locals and tourists alike. So get down and support these cracking record shops in Liverpool that help keep music alive and well! 

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

 Header image: Defend Vinyl on Facebook