Last updated on 06/30/2026
Vinyl fans will find a remarkable density of well-stocked record stores in Berlin. If you love electronic music, there is no getting around Hard Wax in Mitte, which many consider the city's top address. Dodo Beach in Schoneberg is a labor of love and makes collectors' hearts beat faster with its careful selection. The Kreuzberg shop Sound Metaphors impresses with its industrial interior design and a stock that ranges from techno through house and disco to reggae. And Musicland Berlin in Spandau has long been a small institution. Whether electro from tiny labels, hip-hop vinyl, jazz or the finest black music, real treasures away from the mainstream await you in the many small shops, often with friendly advice. Which record store do you like browsing in most?
Yulia Veksler
I chose the record stores not only by the breadth of their music selection, but also by the advice on offer, because friendly staff is not a given in the vinyl business. In the spirit of High Fidelity, the nerd factor was also important to me. In the end, what counted for me were the finds away from the mainstream and the feeling of being truly welcome while browsing.
Since 1989, Hard Wax has been Berlin's most important record store for electronic music – founded by Mark Ernestus, today located in the Kraftwerk complex in Kreuzberg, right next to Tresor and Ohm. Those who truly understand Techno, Dub, and House don't just stumble upon this place by chance.
Dodo Beach Record Store in Schöneberg is arguably Berlin's most renowned address for vinyl enthusiasts: around 30,000 records, curated rarities, and a legendary Metal Dungeon in the basement. If you want to not only buy records but also learn a lot about these fine pieces, this is the right place.
A staple of Berlin's club culture since 2015, now newly rooted in Neukölln: Sound Metaphors at Weichselstraße 22 is the record store DJs from all over the world seek out for the most curated selection of second-hand vinyl for techno, house, disco, and dub.
In Spandau, near the train station, Berlin's oldest still active record store has stood since 1974. Musicland Berlin is far more than just a place to buy records: it's an institution that unites vinyl, community, and music history under one roof.
Those searching for off-mainstream vinyl in Friedrichshain will sooner or later end up on Marchlewskistraße. Since 2006, Bis Aufs Messer Records has stood for curated record sales with attitude: punk, drone, avant-garde, and jazz, coupled with expert advice and its own label.
At Yorckstraße 52 in Schöneberg, there's more behind the name POP – The Record Store than just a vinyl shop: here, passionate record knowledge meets a vibrant community that understands pop culture as a discourse. Around 10,000 records, Friday evening events, and a newly renovated store concept make it one of Berlin's most personal destinations for record lovers.
In the Bergmannkiez, in the heart of Kreuzberg, resides one of Berlin's largest record stores: Spacehall combines an impressive vinyl assortment across three rooms, focusing on electronic music from House to Techno to Minimal, and has long achieved the status of a true Berlin institution.
Hidden in Berlin-Mitte is a record store that takes its name literally: Record Store Berlin is an address for vinyl lovers seeking original pressings, signed rarities, and shellac records from the thirties – enjoying cult status worldwide.
The HHV Store in Friedrichshain is Berlin's interface between record culture and street style: Those browsing for vinyl here will find around 2,500 records from Hip Hop to Jazz, Techno to Reggae, flanked by sneakers and streetwear on 200 square meters in Grünberger Straße.
Soultrade Recordstore in Neukölln is Berlin's go-to spot for black music on vinyl: Soul, Funk, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Afrobeats, expertly curated by people who truly understand their craft. If you're looking for rare originals, limited reissues, or quality used records, Sanderstraße is the right place.
