Hamburg has a well-deserved reputation as an important musical city. It dates as far back as 1678 when Europe’s first public opera house opened its doors on the Gänsemarkt. Since then, Hamburg has birthed loads of amazing artists and scenes, so it’s no surprise that the city embraced vinyl culture to the fullest.
The city has a huge selection of record shops to choose from. So whatever your musical tastes, there’s plenty of crate digging to be had. Here are some of our favourite record stores in Hamburg:
GROOVE CITY
Where? – 114, Marktstraße
Groove City is the beating heart of Hamburg’s vinyl scene. Voted as one of the ten best record stores in the world for travellers, this shop sells new and vintage vinyl and CDs across soul, funk, hip hop, jazz, psych, Latin, Middle Eastern, African and more. It’s also super close to BIMM HQ too – what’s not to love?!
HANSEPLATTE
Where? – 32, Neuer Kamp
There’s perhaps no better way to improve your knowledge of the Hamburg music scene in one fell swoop than to pay a visit to Hanseplatte. This store specialises in Hamburg-based bands, musicians and labels. It mainly focuses on indie and electro but also stocks wares by local artists, including prints, designer t-shirts, jewellery and more. It’s housed in the same building complex as the BIMM offices, making it a very dangerous habit for our staff members!
MICHELLE RECORDS
Where? – 10, Gertrudenkirchhof
Michelle Records is a vinyl institution in the city centre, regularly hosting in-store gigs by visiting bands in their shop window and stocking a wide range of vinyl – mainly of the rock, indie, soul, jazz and pop variety. Their special section for Hamburg record labels is definitely worth checking out if you’re new to the area.
ZARDOZ
Where? – 55, Marktstraße
Zardoz is a huge record store located in the Schanzenviertel quarter of the city. It has a massive selection of new and old vinyl, and a large collection of new and second-hand books too. So, it’s a must-visit for any music lovers and/or bookworms out there. It tends to cater for an indie crowd – but fear not; they stock a bit of everything, so it’s still worth a visit if you’re in the area.
OTAKU RECORDS
Where? – 3, Bleicherstraße
Otaku was established in 1997 and is now located in St. Pauli: Hamburg’s world-famous red-light and amusement district. Otaku serves DJs, clubbers, collectors and home listeners alike and specialises in ambient, techno, all kinds of house music, drum’n’bass, dubstep, grime and so much more. This is definitely the place to go for that hard to find stuff, plus a handpicked selection of magazines, t-shirts and record bags – way more than they offer online!
Start with these and then explore even further! Hamburg is one of the most renowned music cities in Germany, and there is always somewhere new to explore for your next vinyl fix. Don’t forget how good some charity shops can be if you’re on more of a budget.
You can find out more about what life in Hamburg is like, here.
