Before There Was iTunes: Los Angeles Music Stores

I went to U.C. Berkeley, and I can’t tell you how many hours I spent at Amoeba when I probably should have been studying. Anywho, you can only imagine my excitement when Amoeba opened up an LA outpost a few years back. The parking is atrocious, but the ridiculously large selection (I can spend hours browsing the used music section here) will make you forgot about parking. It will also make you forget where you parked your car.

This place is near where I grew up, and it pains me that it didn’t exist when I was in high school. They have a pretty big selection here and it’s worth checking out if you’re kicking it Valley-style. I actually sold a bunch of my CDs here last year, so if you come across a used copy of Animal Collective’s “Strawberry Jam” that’s probably mine.

A hip record store in Silver Lake?! Now there’s a surprise. This place is the friendly neighborhood record store you’d expect to find in Silver Lake. Just don’t expect to find John Cusack working behind the counter.

This is a great place to browse after a show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Granted, I’ve never bought anything here before (I don’t think my taste is “eclectic” enough for this hipster haunt), but it’s a good place to try and pick up a cute music nerd.

I’m a big fan of Second Spin, although I can’t really decide whether I like the Santa Monica location or the Sherman Oaks location better. Sherman Oaks is bigger, but I’ve found some awesome stuff in Santa Monica, so I suggest hitting up both just to make sure you get the full Second Spin experience. What I also love about this place is that they have listening stations! What place lets you listen to a CD before you buy it? (Well, other than iTunes…)

Those looking for random-ass records that will undoubtedly impress any hipster should come to Don’s. This place has a crazy selection of records that will definitely earn you street cred with the music snob crowd—the stuff here is so obscure, people will think you’re really cool by default.

This place doesn’t have the insane collection that Amoeba has, but it has that nice neighborhoody feel, and that keeps folks coming back for more— well, that and the fact that they sell some pretty cheap vinyl here.

Everyone complains that this place has lost its edge (thanks to the fact that part of store is now devoted so clothing,) but it’s still fun to browse around. Who knows, you just might leave with some hip “streetwear.” Whatever that means.

If you’re serious about vinyl and live on the Eastside, then chances are you’ve been to Atomic. But if you don’t know how to operate a record player, or you think vinyl is what’s on your kitchen floor, then you can still have a grand ol’ time here— they also sell CDs and DVDs.

If you’ve seen “Knocked Up,” then you’ve seen Record Surplus— it’s the record store where Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd bond. But movie references aside, if you’re into vinyl this place is a must-visit. Plus, if you live on the Westside, it’s a hell of a lot closer than going all the way to Amoeba.