London has always been a thriving musical hub, with artists like Queen, Coldplay, Amy Winehouse, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie all calling this city home. Music is built into the very fabric of the city, as anyone who has taken a stroll through Camden or the West End well knows.
Its rich musical heritage means that London is also home to a huge number of fantastic record shops. If you want to spend an afternoon browsing vinyls and other music memorability, there are plenty of stores all over the capital, many of which are within easy reach of Park Grand Kensington London. Let’s take a look at some of the best record collections in London.
Honest Jon’s Records
278 Portobello Road, London, E10 5TE
As you can imagine, many of the most famous record shops in the capital are situated in the trendy areas of Soho, Notting Hill and Camden. This forty-year old music institution is currently located on the eclectic Portobello Road, having relocated there in the 1980s. It was formerly owned by John Clare, a sociology lecturer, and in its early years, it mostly traded in jazz records. It’s still renowned for its jazz collection, but now it also specialises in reggae and experimental music too. Honest Jon’s also has its own label, in collaboration with Notting Hill local Damon Albarn, of Blur fame.
Sister Ray
75 Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 8RP
Located in Soho, which is just a couple of miles away from our 4-star hotels in Kensington London, Sister Ray is a stalwart of the London music scene. It’s occupied three different shops along Soho’s Berwick Street, and despite the explosion of online shopping and e-commerce, the owners are dedicated to selling their best stock in-store.
The record collection is diverse and all-encompassing – the only thing you shouldn’t expect to find here is the type of popular records you’d find in any other record shop. Sister Ray also has a ‘sister’ branch at Shoreditch’s Ace Hotel, so if you don’t immediately find what you’re looking for at the Soho branch, it’s worth checking out the smaller location.
Rough Trade West
130 Talbot Rd, London, W11 1JA
Rough Trade West is situated just off Portobello Road, and is just one of the five iconic Rough Trade stores currently in operation across the world. As well as stocking vinyls across every genre imaginable, Rough Trade West hosts regular live events and signings from up-and-coming artists. Known as a place to embrace independent thinking and self-expression, this is a must-visit for all record collectors visiting London.
Soul Brother Records
1 Keswick Rd, London SW15 2HL
Just across the River Thames, you’ll find Soul Brother records – the primary destination for all your funk, soul and jazz needs. The store has thousands of albums, twelve-inch singles and seven-inch singles, as well as a huge selection of collectors’ vinyl. This store is also the birthplace and headquarters of the Soul Brothers record label, which has released anthologies on soul and jazz artists, as well as creating the Organic Soul series to showcase new talent from the US.
