Cincinnati, OH | New Record Store to Open in Over-the-Rhine: Alien Records will primarily carry vinyl records, but will also offer a collection of CDs, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, DVDs and other music-related media. A local music enthusiast is taking his love of music to the next level. Cincinnati native Timothy Henninger will open a record store on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine later this year. For Henninger, opening a record store continues a lifelong passion for vinyl records and music. “I’ve had so many memorable experiences in record stores throughout my life,” Henninger said in a press release. “Michael Jackson’s Thriller was the first album I ever bought with my own money, and I just kept coming back for more. I hope I can give others the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy music as I have. I want it to be a sort of refuge—a place where they can escape for a little while.”
UK | Vinyl to return to WH Smith stores for first time for more than 30 years: High street retailer WH Smith is bringing back vinyl records for the first time for more than 30 years across a raft of stores nationwide. The chain said it will stock vinyl in 80 high street shops as it looks to capitalise on its surging popularity among a new generation of music fans. Vinyl sales have jumped in recent years as the format has come back in fashion, helped by new releases by artists such as Taylor Swift, who recently announced that her 11th studio album – The Tortured Poets Department – will be made available on vinyl, while Oasis have also re-issued The Masterplan on vinyl. …Emma Smyth, commercial director of WH Smith’s high street operations, said: “I’m sure there are many customers out there who remember spending hours in record shops browsing the latest vinyl LPs and the artistic record covers. “To me it’s no surprise that vinyl is growing in popularity again, and we are very excited to be bringing back record selections to more than 80 different stores across the UK for both seasoned fans and new listeners alike.”
UK | How Black music record stores shaped the sound of the UK: Black music record stores have always been more than just places to buy records. These spaces became lifelines for communities, cultural hubs where people gathered, shared stories and connected over a shared passion for music. From the early days of the Windrush generation to the present, these stores have been a vital part of the Black cultural experience. For many, they were crucial in shaping not just their musical tastes, but their sense of identity and belonging. I am part of a new research project, The Record Store and Black Music: A UK History, which is aiming to shine a spotlight on this legacy by documenting the untold stories of Black record stores across the UK to preserve them for future generations. Through oral histories, films and photos, we are capturing the vibrant world that flourished within these stores.
Lafayette, IN | 4 one of a kind places to buy vinyl records: Vinyl records aren’t extinct. In fact, this form of listening to music has been revived throughout the past decade and is still increasing in popularity. I started to appreciate and collect vinyl records within the past few years after seeing my dad’s old collection. And I noticed the Greater Lafayette area is unique compared to other cities because it has several places to peruse, compared to “just the one.” Because of the several stores in the area, all with unique offerings, my collection has drastically increased and maybe, in a few years, will finally rival my dad’s. Whether young or old, if you want to grow your record collection or start one, the Greater Lafayette area has many local, unique, non-chain stores that sell new and used vinyl records.
Sugar Land, TX | Vintage music store ZT Records expands to Sugar Land: ZT Records, a Texas-based record store, will open a fourth location in Sugar Land’s First Colony Mall, owner Phil Ramirez said. ZT Records will offer records, CDs, cassette tapes and posters as well as record buying and trading services. The record store is known for its diverse music selection with classics such as Pink Floyd to modern music with artists including Tyler the Creator, Metallica, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, The Marias, Pierce The Veil and Tame Impala. Ramirez said he named the record store after his daughters Zoe and Trinity with a focus on selling records and vintage media to younger generations. Ramirez founded ZT Records in Frisco in 2011 and expanded his business to The Woodlands Mall in September 2023 and Arlington in 2024.
Vintage electronics: Retro tech is hot for kids and their parents: A friend recently asked if I knew where he could get a “vintage” Sony Walkman for his 14-year-old daughter’s Birthday. That’s all she wants, he said. Not an iPhone. Not a PlayStation. Not even a pony. She wants the same gadget I carried around when I was 14 — nearly 40 years ago. Retro-tech is having a major moment. Transparent, see-through gadgets are coming back. Cassette tape sales have increased nearly 490% since 2015. Analog alarm clock sales are surging. Everyone from Gen X to Gen Z can’t seem to get enough of the knob-twisting, boombox-carrying, cassette-tape-whirring reminiscences of those neon days gone by. Smartphone burnout and nostalgia are driving people back in time when it comes to their favorite gadgets for both comfort and curiosity. “In an increasingly digital world, the magic of analog is really enchanting…”
Ozzy Osbourne to Release Expanded Solo Vinyl Box Set in 2025; Watch Hilarious Promo Video Starring Zakk Wylde: Just in time for his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ozzy Osbourne has announced plans to release an updated version of his expansive 2019 solo vinyl box set, See You on the Other Side. The new, limited-edition collection, dubbed See You on the Other Side V2.0, will be released on March 14, 2025. The box set gathers together all of the Metal Madman’s solo releases, including studio efforts, live albums, and rarity compilations. It features 18 albums or EPs spread across 27 vinyl LPs. The updated collection adds Osbourne’s two most recent studio albums, Ordinary Man and Patient Number 9. It also comes packaged with 10 new posters boasting vintage photos of Ozzy, a gold bat slipmat, and an individually numbered certificate of authenticity signed by Osbourne.
Biffy Clyro announce limited edition vinyl pressings of first three albums: The vinyl will be available for purchase on their ‘A Celebration Of Beginnings’ tour. Biffy Clyro have announced limited edition pressings of their first three albums ahead of their ‘A Celebration of Beginnings’ tour. The band’s six sold-out shows in London and Glasgow are in celebration of their albums ‘Blackened Sky’ (2002), ‘The Vertigo of Bliss’ (2003) and ‘Infinity Land’ (2004). The gigs will see the Scottish rockers – comprised of Simon Neil and twins Ben and James Johnston – commemorate their early days and will see them play one album in full each night along with a selection of tracks from their other LPs. Limited edition vinyl variants for the three albums will be available for purchase only from the band at the shows, their official website and the Beggars Arkive webstore. ‘Blackened Sky’ will be pressed in an orange, black and transparent splatter while ‘The Vertigo of Bliss’ will come as a white and yellow inkspot pressing and ‘Infinity Land’ will be pressed on a blue and white propeller pressing.
Christopher Cross to reissue 2007 holiday album on CD and LP: Grammy winner Christopher Cross is helping folks celebrate the holidays this year by reissuing his classic holiday album. A Christoper Cross Christmas, originally released in 2007, will be reissued on CD Dec. 6, while a special edition white vinyl will be released for Record Store Day Black Friday on Nov. 29. This will mark the first time the album’s been released on either format in over a decade. The album features Cross’ take on such holiday classics as “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “Christmas Time Is Here,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and more. The CD of A Christopher Cross Christmas is available for preorder now.
