NYC's Best Record Stores for Electronic Music

One of the most iconic digging spots in New York, A1 Records has been a staple of the East Village for decades. The shop carries an enormous range of used and new vinyl, but its dance music sections — house, techno, disco and electro — are especially respected among DJs. The constantly rotating bins mean no two visits are the same, and serious collectors often spend hours digging through the shop’s deep selection.

Located in the East Village, M45 Records is a focused electronic music specialist known for its strong dancefloor selection. The bins lean heavily into disco, house, techno and electro, attracting DJs looking for records that work in the mix. Small but carefully curated, it has quickly become a reliable stop for electronic vinyl in Manhattan.

Ergot Records is a respected New York record shop and label known for its carefully curated selection of contemporary electronic music. The bins focus on techno, experimental club sounds, bass music and forward-thinking releases from independent labels, making it a key stop for DJs searching for cutting-edge underground records.

The Academy Record Annex is one of the city’s largest record stores and an essential stop for serious diggers. Known for its massive used vinyl inventory, the shop covers nearly every genre imaginable — but its electronic music bins often hide forgotten club records, imports and rare dance releases.

Archivio Records is a by-appointment concept space combining record digging with a quiet listening-focused environment. The space offers a curated selection of electronic and experimental records designed for slow and intentional digging.

A longtime neighborhood shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn Record Exchange offers a large mix of new and used vinyl. Electronic records regularly appear in the bins, making it a worthwhile stop for DJs and collectors digging in the area.

Boom Service is a Williamsburg record store with a broad, well-curated selection of new and used vinyl. Alongside house, techno and other electronic records, the bins also reach into jazz, hip-hop, rock, world music and stranger left-field finds, making it a strong stop for both DJs and general diggers. With in-store listening stations and a constantly rotating mix of stock, it works as much as a browsing destination as it does a dance-music shop.

Buzzed Monkey Records is a small neighborhood shop located inside a barber shop in Williamsburg, offering a wide mix of used vinyl across many genres. While the electronic section is small, interesting records occasionally appear in the bins, making it a fun side stop for crate diggers exploring the area.

Captured Records is the storefront of the Brooklyn-based Captured Tracks label, located in Greenpoint. The shop focuses on independent and underground music, carrying a curated mix of new and used vinyl across genres including indie, post-punk, synth-driven music and experimental releases. While not primarily an electronic music shop, its selection often includes ambient, synth and left-field records that attract collectors and curious diggers.

Cosmic Arts is a hybrid record store, art space and community hub located in Bushwick’s Bogart Street art district. Curated by legendary house music producer Joe Claussell, the space blends record culture with visual art, listening sessions and occasional DJ events. The selection leans toward deep house, spiritual jazz, ambient and experimental releases, reflecting the underground dance music philosophy behind Claussell’s Sacred Rhythm label.

Deep Cuts is an independent neighborhood record store in Ridgewood that has been buying, selling and trading vinyl since 2012. The shop carries a broad mix of new and used records across genres — from jazz and hip-hop to rock, experimental and underground releases — making it a relaxed and rewarding stop for crate diggers exploring the area.

Duty Free Records is a Brooklyn record shop with a carefully curated selection of new and used vinyl across many genres. The bins span everything from indie, rock, jazz and soul to electronic and experimental releases, making it a rewarding stop for collectors and crate diggers exploring Williamsburg.

Human Head Records is a long-running independent record shop in Brooklyn known for its extensive selection of used vinyl. The store spans a wide range of genres — including soul, jazz, funk, rock, international music and underground releases — making it a well-known destination for serious crate diggers. It’s a used vinyl paradise and a deep digger’s dream. They buy massive DJ collections — the gems end up here. Good bins for techno, house, electro, drum and bass and the unexpected.

Located in the former Material World Records space, the shop leans heavily into underground culture — with an especially deep “used metal” section full of atmospheric projects, obscure pressings, and small-label releases. They even have entire sections dedicated to noise cassettes and experimental sounds. Beyond that niche, Nexus also carries a strong selection of electronic music — from techno and ambient to more left-field and hard-to-find records. It’s full of stuff you won’t find at many other stores, definitely worth the trip.

A well-known Greenpoint record shop with a strong electronic section covering techno, house, electro and left-field club music. Alongside its broader selection of new and used vinyl, the store regularly carries underground dance records and independent label releases, making it a reliable stop for DJs digging in the neighborhood.

A well-known Greenpoint record shop with a strong electronic section covering techno, house, electro and left-field club music. Alongside its broader selection of new and used vinyl, the store regularly carries underground dance records and independent label releases, making it a reliable stop for DJs digging in the neighborhood.

Second Hand Records is a record shop known for its deep selection of used vinyl, especially 12-inch singles. The bins are packed with house, techno, disco and other dancefloor records, along with plenty of DJ tools and affordable finds for selectors building their crates.

The shop has a relaxed, unpolished atmosphere that feels closer to digging through a friend’s home studio than browsing a traditional retail space. For DJs looking for second-hand dance records at good prices, it’s a dependable stop while exploring the Williamsburg and Bushwick digging circuit.

Superior Elevation is a boutique record shop in Williamsburg known for its thoughtful curation across many genres. While the store carries everything from jazz and soul to experimental music, its dance music bins — spanning house, techno, disco and left-field electronic releases — are especially respected among DJs. The space also hosts listening sessions, community events and DJ classes, making it both a record shop and a hub for music culture in the neighborhood.

The Mixtape Club is a low-key listening space and record shop rooted in discovery and intention. Originally launched in 2009 as a platform for sharing mixtapes from music lovers around the world, it has since evolved into a physical space in Tribeca offering a carefully curated selection of soul, dance, ambient, and obscure records — alongside cassettes, CDs, and printed matter. The atmosphere is quiet, focused, and almost archival. No photos, no distractions — just music, objects, and presence. It’s less about digging fast and more about slowing down, listening deeply, and respecting the space as something shared.

Woodward Garage is a small independent record store located inside a two-story garage in Ridgewood, Queens. The shop carries a wide range of new and used vinyl, from classic records to more obscure selections, with a good focus on house, techno and electronic imports. On weekends, the space often hosts intimate DJ events and listening sessions, bringing together local selectors and collectors and helping build a grassroots music community outside the usual nightlife circuit.