The return of vinyl as the main format of music is much welcomed by audiophiles everywhere, and vinyl in Budapest is now easy to find. This year, vinyl has outdone CDs as the most sold physical format of music. All who love music should rejoice, as not only is vinyl cooler and more collectible, but it is a much sturdier format that holds up much better over time.
Vinyl is abundant in the city as there are many record shops in Budapest selling vinyl and tape (which is also making a bit of a comeback in certain genres), so you can get your mitts on some rare gems at a very affordable price. Regardless of the genre or kind of music you are into, there is a Budapest record store that is right for you! In this list, you’ll get an insider view of the best places to buy vinyl in Budapest from the pen of an analog format fetishist dedicated to my fellow crate diggers.
Deep
Highly recommended for club enthusiasts and lovers of House Techno, Minimal, and of course, the deep subgenres, but anything even remotely electronica related from any era can probably be found here. This is a Budapest record store with a mission, as it is run by the owners of the eponymous label, and they hold live streaming events and sessions in the record shop. This means that you can also taste Budapest’s club culture, which is world famous for a reason. Deep is celebrating its 20th birthday this year and offers great sales, so if you are into electronic music, this place is not to be missed.
Kalóz Records
This record store specializes in selling rare records at a reasonable price. Very often beating the Discogs price for a lot of items (just check their Discogs profile), they do deliver! Although not going after a single genre, they do tend to feature a lot of Hungarian pop and rock music from the “big generation”, including some hard-to-find singles and 7”s. They have a love for Eastern European folk and rock and roll records, but you can find a great selection of Disco, Motown, Funk, Hip-Hop, and many other genres here. They also sell fanzines and have dirt cheap used vinyl, usually in great condition.
Lemezkuckó
Lemezkuckó is your classic mom-and-pop record shop, one of the last such record stores in Budapest. They are also one of the oldest, having been open since 1986! They sell CDs, DVDs, and of course, vinyl. They do not focus on a single genre, which is good, because you can find some classic vinyl and get a good price on it. Most of their vinyl is used, and some of it ain’t in collectible condition, but for the most part, expect great condition, and you can bargain on these releases. They also sell used record players and other audio gear, so this is a real treat for all my fellow gear heads. Check out their website first!
Wave
The home of punk rock in Budapest, in any format. Wave is probably your best bet if you are looking for some punk vinyl in Budapest. Holding recent releases in a number of genres, classic old punk records for a reasonable price, local punk and hardcore bands, as well as dirt cheap CDs and tapes. Also, a great place to learn about gigs in the city, and you can buy tickets to numerous events, too. Say hi to Madár for me should you decide to visit!
Newport Records
A haven for Jazz enthusiasts, this is the only record store in Budapest to specialize in jazz. They specialize in French music, including the influential chanson and afro-beat, disco, and bossa nova relics of bygone years. A great place to visit for Francophones or any vinyl enthusiast interested in French music. Of course, they are not exclusively French so we can recommend this rather fancy establishment to anyone with a finer taste in music. They also clean vinyl and players.
Laci Bácsi Lemezboltja
A real treat is Laci bácsi (uncle Laci) and his amazing record shop. He is a collectors’ collector: all of his records are second-hand with very low prices, and he ONLY deals in rarities and long-out-of-print vinyl. He has over 16 000 records to browse in his tiny storefront in the heart of the party district. He is as fun-loving and knowledgeable as any true music fan, making his Budapest record shop a must-see for all music nerds. Please note that the records from here have been used and can be in a quite bad condition, but Laci bácsi takes this into account when setting his prices.
Rock’s CD
Last but not least, a little something for the metalheads: Rock’s is a small record shop in Budapest with a jaw-dropping selection of mostly heavy metal and hard rock. A time capsule of the late 80s, with CDs to boot. If you want to know more about Hungarian metal and rock and roll, this is the place for you, and while here, I am sure you can find some interesting international oddities too, and for a great price.
