Edinburgh is a compact city with a surprisingly deep record shop scene. Within walking distance of Waverley station you can dig through electronic 12-inches, hunt second-hand prog and punk in shops that have traded for decades, or pick up a new indie release with a coffee. Our Edinburgh record shops page lists every shop we cover in the city, and this guide pulls them together by area so you can plan a proper day of digging.
A practical note before you set off: opening days vary a lot here. Several Edinburgh shops close on Mondays, and some open only from the middle of the week, so check each listing for current hours before you travel.
Three Edinburgh record shops to start with
Backbeat Records has been a Southside fixture since 1981. Owner Dougie McShane holds more than 65,000 second-hand records and CDs across a warren of rooms on East Crosscauseway, with prog, psych, jazz, reggae, punk, sixties rock and soundtracks stacked high. Bring a want list: Dougie will dig through the back rooms to find it. See the Backbeat Records listing.
Vinyl Villains has traded from the top of Leith Walk since 1983, still under the same ownership. Its racks of carefully checked second-hand vinyl are strong on rock and punk, with jazz, soul, reggae and blues alongside CDs, DVDs, books and memorabilia. The staff buy, sell and trade at fair prices. See the Vinyl Villains listing.
Underground Solution on Cockburn Street has been trading since 1996, making it one of the longest-running independents in the city. It is a DJ-friendly shop, with electronic 12-inches and LPs at its core and hip hop, soul, funk, jazz, indie, rock and soundtracks around them. Turntables, mixers and accessories are sold in the same space. See the Underground Solution listing.
Edinburgh record shops by area
Old Town and the city centre
The Old Town is the natural starting point, with three shops close to Waverley station and the Royal Mile.
- Underground Solution, 9 Cockburn Street. Electronic music, DJ stock and audio equipment, trading since 1996.
- Avalanche Records, Waverley Mall. A broad, well-organised range of vinyl and CDs, handy if you are arriving by train.
- Slow Progress Records & Coffee, 53 Blackfriars Street. Run by Connie and Andy since 2022, this vinyl shop and café sells new records rooted in indie, punk, emo, hardcore and post-rock. The back room hosts gigs and open mics, and free Fringe shows each August.
Southside
South of the Old Town, Backbeat Records at 31 East Crosscauseway is the destination for serious second-hand digging. With tens of thousands of records and CDs spread over several rooms, it rewards time and patience more than a quick visit. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Tollcross and the West End
The streets around Tollcross and Lothian Road hold three very different shops within a short walk of each other.
- Assai Records Edinburgh, 1 Grindlay Street. A modern independent close to the Castle and Princes Street, and part of the Dundee-born Assai family. It stocks vinyl across every genre, plus CDs, cassettes and Pro-Ject hi-fi, and is known for its signed, limited Assai Obi Editions and a busy calendar of in-store performances and signings.
- Backtracks Music Film & Games, 17 Brougham Street. A Tollcross institution since 1989, packed with second-hand vinyl, CDs, tapes, DVDs, retro games, guitars and tested hi-fi. Owner Tommy Robertson buys, sells and exchanges, and the shop features in an award-winning portrait hanging in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
- Umbrella Vinyl, 20 Valleyfield Street. A vinyl-only shop opened in August 2023 by three friends, Josh, Laura and Nick, whose record collecting began while they were living in Hong Kong. The racks lean towards jazz, soul, funk and blues, with reggae, dub, ska, disco, Latin, Afrobeat, highlife, library music and soundtracks close by.
Bruntsfield
Two of the city’s most distinctive shops sit near Bruntsfield Links, which makes this an easy add-on to a Tollcross walk.
- Thorne Records, 125 Bruntsfield Place. Look for the bright yellow frontage. Owner Mark Thorne worked in seven record shops before opening his own in 2022, and the focus is new vinyl across eras and genres, curated with particular strength in jazz, folk and world music.
- Greenhouse Records, 10 Barclay Terrace. A record shop and radical bookstore dealing in underground dance, left-field and experimental vinyl, new and second-hand. There is a window listening station, and the staff are happy to put records on.
Stockbridge
VoxBox Music at 21 St Stephen Street blends quality used vinyl, selective new releases and a bargain-filled back room with a genuine connection to the local music scene. It suits focused collectors and anyone happy to browse properly. It opens from Wednesday to Sunday.
Leith Walk
Leith Walk links the city centre with Leith, and it has two long-standing shops at either end of a walk down the hill.
- Vinyl Villains, 5 Elm Row. Second-hand vinyl strong on rock and punk, trading at the top of Leith Walk since 1983.
- Elvis Shakespeare, 347 Leith Walk. Open since 2005, it combines vinyl with second-hand books. It is especially strong on punk, indie, alternative and dance music from the late 1980s onwards, with changing stock and occasional in-store performances.
Corstorphine
Out to the west of the city, Almond River Records at 253 St John’s Road is worth knowing about if you are staying on that side of Edinburgh or heading out towards the airport. Check its listing for opening days, as it does not open every day of the week.
Beyond the city
If you have a car or a rail pass, the Lothians add a few more stops. Low Port Music at 56 High Street, Linlithgow, recently moved to larger premises and sells new and second-hand vinyl, CDs and music memorabilia. In East Lothian, Dunbar has two shops on its High Street: Green Cat Records and New & Used Vinyl Records & Retro Gaming, which pairs records and CDs with retro games.
Edinburgh also pairs well with Glasgow for a longer trip. Our guide to record shops in Glasgow covers the other side of the central belt, and our weekend record shop road trip guide has tips on planning a route.
Planning a day of digging in Edinburgh
A good route starts in the Old Town at Cockburn Street and Blackfriars Street, crosses to Backbeat on the Southside, then heads west to Tollcross and Bruntsfield, where five shops sit close together. Save Stockbridge and Leith Walk for a second morning, or finish with Leith Walk if you are staying in the north of the city.
A few tips help you get the most from the city’s shops:
- Check the days. Backbeat, VoxBox, Umbrella Vinyl and Greenhouse are all closed on Mondays, and Slow Progress is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. A Thursday to Saturday visit catches almost everyone.
- Bring a want list. The big second-hand shops hold far more than they can display, and staff are often happy to check the back.
- Bring records to sell or swap. Vinyl Villains, Backtracks and Backbeat all buy second-hand stock, so it is worth asking before you travel.
- Time it around August. During the Fringe the city is at its busiest, and Slow Progress hosts free shows in its back room.
If you are new to second-hand buying, our beginner’s guide to crate digging explains how to check condition and pressings, and starting a vinyl collection on a budget covers the essentials. For more cities worth a trip, see our round-up of the best UK cities for vinyl outside London.
Find every Edinburgh record shop
Shops open, move and change their hours, so the Edinburgh record shops page is the best place to check before you go. Each listing has the address, a map, opening hours and links to the shop’s own website and social channels. If we have missed a shop in Edinburgh or the Lothians, you can add it to the directory and we will review it for inclusion.
