It’s not in any way hyperbolic to say that independent record stores are truly the heart beat of music’s ever increasingly homogenised industry. Where the big chains and direct label services can often feel slightly cold and soulless, there’s a warm, personal edge that can only be captured within the painstakingly curated walls of your local indie record store. Whether it’s from stumbling across a local release you maybe wouldn't have otherwise known about or forming a new musical relationship, these moments are the cornerstone of the music fans journey.

Some of my favourite and most informative musical experiences have often come from the magical discoveries of getting recommendations from shop clerks and fellow buyers alike while casually flicking through the stacks. It’s an exciting feeling that you really can't manufacture or replace, it just exists, free from all the outside noise. Buying records is about so much more than just whats on the wax, it really is a cathartic experience. With this year's Record Store Day just around the corner we wanted to give a tip of the hat to some of our favourite stores both local and all across Australia ahead of the big day!

SKYDIVER  is a special kind of record store. Not one to be confined by the traditional constraints, they’re a hybrid record store, café, bar, and event space based in Collingwood, Naarm/Melbourne. Opening in 2016 by three local DJs from Animals Dancing, Awesome Wales, Daydreams, Everyday Coffee, Otologic & more their shelves feature a carefully curated collection of new and used records and tapes spanning house, techno, disco, italo, synth-pop, new beat, new wave, cosmic, dub, ambient, IDM, jungle and more.

Immediately weaving itself into the fabric of the energetic Melbourne music scene they would regularly host album launches, In-stores & food pop ups, becoming a hub for community driven art and culture.

REPRESSED RECORDS feels like the true heart of the DIY and underground scene within Sydney’s broad musical landscape. Since opening its doors in 2002 Repressed has specialised in independent and underground titles from Australia and around the world. If you’re looking for a band you saw supporting your favourite band there’s a high chance Repressed not only stocks it but has been a strong early champion for them.

Both a brick-and-mortar and an online store, they’re based right in the action within the shuffling streets of Newtown, Sydney Australia. Stocking both new and used records, cassettes, prints and merch, they really are a perfect example of “if you know, you know”.

HISS & CRACKLE RECORDS has quickly become a hub within the greater Newcastle music community since opening in 2019, and exists as much more than just a stand alone record store. H&CR stock a carefully curated and loving assortment of new & used vinyl, pre-loved merch, zines, books, surrounded by a stage for regular gigs + events, giving local artists a perfect all ages space for any and all creativity to thrive.

Featuring performances from heavy hitters like Hockey Dad, Bad//Dreems, Press Club, Floodlights, MessEsque, Nunchukka Superfly, Astrodeath, Buddhadatta from Japan, as well as Sore Points from Canada, Hiss & Crackle is an essential and vital pillar for the Newcastle music scene and beyond.

HAPPY VALLEY Opening its doors back in 2013, owner and operator Chris Crouch (Polyester Records, Cancel Records & The Tramway Hotel) has quickly built up a store that aims to deliver an experience first and foremost. Carefully curating a selection of books, art and gifts that perfectly complement the records they surround. Operating on Melbourne’s iconic Smith Street, you’ll be hard pressed to find a store with wider variety.

Happy Valley has a massive range, spanning all genres without sacrificing the love and care that is vital for retaining the feel and energy of a more niche space. It’s easy to see why in their first year they won a Melbourne Design Award. New York's Condé Nast Traveller named the store as one of the "best shops around the world for last minute gifts".

RED EYE RECORDS Bang in the heart of the Sydney CBD, down a narrow, unassuming set of stairs rests one of the most substantial and boundless array of records ever assembled in Australia. Opening in 1981, Red Eye Records has proven itself to be the gold standard for record buyers everywhere, with just about every record under the sun, safe to say it’s very hard to walk out empty handed.

After starting to sell records at school in the late ‘60s (which he says was his way to “to get money to buy records”), and managing various other record stores in Sydney in the 1970s, owner and operator Chris Pepperell has very much carved his name into the deep lore of Sydney’s musical community.

THE RECORD STORE Tucked away within the chaos of Sydney’s Crown Street in Surry Hills is The Record Store. Built from the ground up by Steph Gyory, TRS is a shop that’s totally for the heads. People looking to bury themselves in the stacks to find the perfect 12”, specialising in all things electronic, ambient, dub, reggae, soul & disco. 

If you’re looking to get into spinning vinyl or simply buying your first turntable they have all the bits n bobs to get you started off. The perfect in between for last minute gifts and massive detail for the electronic heads, they offer an extensive range of vinyl accessories, hi-fi, turntable maintenance, record cleaning and even Steph's own signature chilli powder! 

Article credit: Daniel Gordon - Abicus Records