Beijing, CN | Across China: Lonely record store plays solo: Vinyl records, CDs, tapes… In this digital era, these words are seldom heard, but not for An Peng, who has lived his dream of running a record store in Beijing for the past 20 years. In An’s store, some customers are occupied browsing shelves full of CDs and records while some are sitting on a sofa, playing their disk with the phonograph in the store, enjoying the music with their eyes closed. With the needle of the phonograph slightly slipping on the vinyl record, a melodious classic lingers in the 20-square-meter store, immersing the customers in its notes. In recent years, streaming music online has exploded in popularity, and it has become rather difficult to find a record store like An’s. An’s store, called Cool Music, is located in Dongsi Street, an old street in Beijing’s downtown area. “People seldom come to buy CDs now. They prefer to open music apps on their phones and listen to music that way,” An said.
Muskegon, MI | Entrepreneur opens 4th ‘geek’ store in Muskegon-area mall: At least one local entrepreneur thinks The Lakes Mall is “the place to be.” Todd Lange owns four “geek”-focused shops in the mall: Lange’s Comics and Collectibles, Lange’s Comic Warehouse, Forbidden Planet Toys and, most recently, Spin City Records and DVDs. “We’re happy to be in The Lakes Mall,” he said. “We think that that is the place to be.” Spin City features all types of discounted, second-hand media that can be seen and heard, including vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, Blu Ray discs and VHS tapes. It also sells movie memorabilia. Lange acquired used vinyl record and movie collections this summer and thought they would make a good store in the mall, he said. If it goes well, the store might also sell new vinyl records and movies, he added. Like others around the country, The Lakes Mall is a victim of a changing retail environment that has seen companies close stores due to bankruptcy after struggling to compete with online giants like Amazon.
Warwick, NY | 55 Plus: Love to rock? Listen to these tunes: …t’s time for the 55 Plus Guide to New Music for Older People – according to six folks in the musical know about everything from rock, folk and jazz to country, Latin music and hip hop. Our experts include Greg Gattine, 57, program director of one of the hippest, boundary-breaking commercial radio stations around, WDST-FM in Woodstock; Jason Tougaw, 50, host of Jeffersonville public radio station WJFF-FM’s genre-bending Friday night Mix Tape show; Bobby Olivier, 29, a contributing writer for Billboard magazine; Don Lefsky, 59, the owner of one of the region’s pioneering independent record stores, Jack’s Rhythms in New Paltz; Rene Campos, 62, owner of the hip hop/Latin music record store/electronics shop in Newburgh, DMU; and Jim Eigo, 72, a record business veteran and owner of Original Vinyl Records in Warwick and the jazz promotion company, Jazz Promo Services. They’ve listed some of their favorite new music, with musical reference points…
Brighton, UK | From pioneering pop star to friendly vinyl shop owner: …Now living in Saltdean with partner Abbey, Simon is the owner of record label Bella Union, set up month before the Cocteau Twins’ demise. Now the company’s line-up boasts stars such as Beach House and Father John Misty, as well as a tiny record shop in Ship Street Gardens. And Simon’s transition from pop star to friendly vinyl shop owner has been smooth. “It’s so small, you walk in there and you’re literally faced with the counter, you’re right in the middle of it,” he said. “Usually customers are a bit shy and they try and go downstairs, not realising it’s the stockroom. “I just say ‘there’s nothing down there’ and try and make conversation, give them a coffee and stuff like that.” The city’s vinyl revival has also boosted business, though Simon has differing opinions. He said: “It’s nice to see so many younger people getting into vinyls, but I don’t think the numbers are going up. “It’s nice to see the gender balance too, you see so many young women in record shops now. “When shops like Sainsbury’s start stacking vinyls, it’s always going to exaggerate the figures.” [Hey Simon, it’s “VINYL.” —Ed.]
The Official Top 100 Motown songs of the Millennium: As Motown celebrates its 60th anniversary, we reveal the labels biggest songs, including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes and Marvin Gaye. Founded 60 years ago in Detroit, Michigan, Motown was the label that launched a musical revolution. Its impact still reverberates across music today: songs like Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, My Girl and Stop! In The Name of Love are timeless classics that remain as popular today as when they were first released. Motown was founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy, an unknown record producer who borrowed $800 from his family to start up the label. It went on to revolutionise pop with its distinctive brand of R&B-soul with a pop influence – and helped pushed black artists into the mainstream.
