6 Best Record Stores in Montreal

180g Café-Disquaire

“With a laid-back and jovial vibe, you can’t help but feel good about the mission that lies ahead.”

A bright and inviting ambiance, coffee, food, and many records make for an inspiring introduction to digging in Montreal. With a laid-back and jovial vibe, you can’t help but feel good about the mission that lies ahead. The coffee is quite honestly to die for and the French toast breakfast sandwich with maple syrup is highly recommended. There’s always something great spinning on the turntable and the owner’s personal art adds a playful dimension. Even a trip to the restroom is entertaining with a revolving light show and art on every available surface. 

180g has a good used vinyl selection, but their strength is new releases, particularly hip hop records. There’s an entire row of LA Beat Scene vinyl and all sorts of other delicacies abound. 180g offers a stamp card that can quickly lead to a free record which is a nice touch for repeat customers. Do not forget to check out the 45s located in boxes underneath the 12-inch bins.

Aux 33 Tours

“…a great balance of new and used with some extra attention paid to Quebec prog and jazz reissues that are hard to find.”

Aux 33 Tours is a deceptively large store with a constantly revolving new arrivals section. With jazz, international, and francophone sections that seem to go on forever, this is an easy shop to lose a few hours in. There’s a great balance of new and used with some extra attention paid to Quebec prog and jazz reissues that are hard to find.

Spending some extra time to sift through the larger sections can be very rewarding as the sheer volume offers more opportunities to make a new discovery. The staff is helpful, knowledgeable, and happy to assist you in finding what you need.

Death of Vinyl

“With a classic, unpretentious atmosphere, it is an essential stop on any Montreal record excursion.”

With a broad selection of almost exclusively used records, it’s anyone’s guess what might show up here at any time. Death of Vinyl is very well organized and there’s far more to look through than a single visit will allow. Twelve-inch singles take up a large portion of the shop and everything from 80’s house and broken beat to top 40 pop has a place. There are many boxes and shelves filled with 45s all around the store and a cassette rack awaits you as you make your purchases. With a classic, unpretentious atmosphere, it is an essential stop on any Montreal record excursion.

La Rama

“…shifting waters of dance, electronic, and international sounds.”

La Rama is a deep dive into the shifting waters of dance, electronic, and international sounds. The shop is crisp and inviting with an ear for the undiscovered. There are two well-appointed listening stations and the music playing over the house speakers is usually something new to the visitor. Take some time to explore the discount shelves located under the bins as they are a trip through disco history. La Rama is a hub for DJs and a deep community connection is felt here.

Sonorama

“A shopper with tastes geared towards the esoteric and unexpected will find no shortage of musical curiosities here…”

Allow yourself some extra time to tackle Sonorama. A shopper with tastes geared towards the esoteric and unexpected will find no shortage of musical curiosities here (although tried and true classics are also well-stocked). With a really solid selection of new jazz releases, both recent recordings and archival material, this is the perfect place to get acquainted with some deep, rewarding sounds.

Phonopolis

“… a fantastic place for any budding collector to get started.”

Really close to La Rama and Sonorama, Phonopolis is a great neighborhood store with a good selection of new and used titles and a fairly large new arrivals section for a smaller store. There are some nice higher-priced items on the wall and a solid selection of CDs. The staff is friendly and helpful. Phonopolis would be a fantastic place for any budding collector to get started.