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Before fans went online for music, they got in line. And though the information age has made acquiring one's jams more convenient, there's still plenty to be said for the irreplaceable value of brick-and-mortar record shops—where Facebook won't automatically generate a post announcing "Billy just bought Some Like It Hot by The Power Station on vinyl"—instead of the cold digital expanse of Spotify or iTunes.

Whether you're looking for the latest release from Diiv, classic salsa by Héctor Lavoe or a well-worn copy of H₂0 by Hall & Oates, there's one thing you'll be sure to find at these music dispensaries: the human touch. (And if you're looking for Rick Springfield's "Human Touch," you may also be in luck.)

By the way, as long as you've got records on your mind, check out our roundup of famous New York City album cover locations.

Generation Records
Screeching guitars. Painted faces. Primal yelps. Some music scares parents. Generation provides an onslaught of such hard-core, punk and metal—including enough vinyl to fill a mosh pit. Jason, a manager at the store, chalks up the Greenwich Village institution's continued success to the loyalty of those genres' fans. "Metal and punk guys are always buying records, [and] that keeps us going," he says. If you're lucky, you may even catch a favorite act performing in-store (but don't thrash so hard you knock over the albums).

Come here if you like:
• …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
• Bridge and Tunnel
• Agnostic Front

Academy Records. Photo: Malcolm Brown

Academy Records
Think your records are ancient? Some even predate LPs themselves. Those who rock it really old school can take heart in Academy's extensive secondhand classical catalog. According to owner Joseph Ganun, "If you want the original cover art and a nice package [for certain rare recordings], the only way you'll find it is in a secondhand store like this one." Academy doesn't forget the past hundred years or so, either. Its jazz selection is outstanding, and there are also rock, folk and R&B gems scattered throughout, plus a nice selection of used DVDs.

Come here if you like:
• Johann Sebastian Bach
• John Coltrane
• Philip Glass

Other Music. Photo: Malcolm Brown

Other Music
True to its name, Other Music wants patrons to discover new artists. "It's about coming in and finding a lot of interesting, diverse underground music," says co-owner Josh Madell. Whether you like indie rock, electronic music or experimental jazz, this is the place to find high-quality tunes that haven't hit the mainstream. The shop also prides itself on supporting local musicians (of which New York City has no shortage).

Come here if you like:
• Grimes
• Deerhunter
• The Flaming Lips

Earwax. Photo: Malcolm Brown

Earwax
Earwax owner Fabio Roberti feels strongly about tastemaking in his hip Williamsburg neighborhood and prefers his store's carefully chosen inventory to "all the [hogwash] that's on every website on the planet. There's a lot of [hogwash] out there." If you want to leap from The xx to the next next big thing, Earwax's knowledgeable staff may clue you in to your new favorite band. And, as befits its name, Earwax has a huge selection of vinyl.

Come here if you like:
• Roots, blues and/or country
• Psychedelic, Krautrock and/or alternative rock
• Noise and experimental, world music and/or reggae

The Thing. Photo: Malcolm Brown

The Thing
The Thing is an ever-growing blob of $2 vinyl and whatever else its proprietors find. "We've got some 8-foot African statues… there's weird costumes from theater things, I have no idea which play, really weird carnival stuff… a ton of electronics that's come in… bizarre paintings, same old found-object photos from family collections, too," explains employee Jeremy Rodriguez. Though searching the piles almost requires spelunking gear, customers often unearth the valuable and unusual. "Every kind of record that's imaginable has come in," Jeremy explains. "What's left is the rare freaky stuff that people don't really know. Come with an open mind. If you come looking for one record, there's probably a one-in-a-million chance you'll find it."

Come here if you like:
• Secondhand appliances
• Every John Coltrane record shoved into one sleeve
• Entropy

Breakdown Records
At $2 for albums and $1 for 45s, owner Anthony Cascella calls his shop—which he started with 2,000 albums from his own collection—"paradise" for wax collectors. Here, dedicated music geeks spend hours sifting through vinyl mountains. "People say they've been looking for [an album] their whole lives or they had it when they were a kid," he says—and they find it at Breakdown.

Come here if you like:
• Led Zeppelin
• The Supremes
• Variety (you never know what Breakdown has in stock)

Casa Amadeo
This venerable store has stood on the same block for half a century, fueled by owner Mike Amadeo's love for and knowledge of music. This isn't the spot to seek out the latest chart-toppers, as they essentially never receive new inventory: "Anyone who has any sense about what music is can come to me and I'll help them out, but not with the reggaetón," explains Amadeo. It's a place for classics—including tunes by artists like Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Cheo Feliciano, for whom Amadeo has composed. Amadeo also sells musical instruments. He only recommends that you call ahead if you're looking for a specific record, lest you be disappointed.

Come here if you like:
• Tito Puente
• Willie Colón
• Héctor Lavoe

Fifth Avenue Records and Tapes
This Park Slope gem is overflowing with used vinyl (they have new records, too, but the pre-played collection is massive). The stockpile is cramped and not particularly organized, but perusing the offerings within is frequently rewarding. Tom, a manager, is particularly proud of the singles. "You'll find Beatles and Bob Dylan 45s," he says. "Rare original ones. We have a lot of that." There are also fantastic finds in the bargain bins outside, some for as little as $2. Everything from show tunes to Phil Collins, Supertramp and Chicago sometimes ends up out there. (We saw a vinyl copy of Billy Joel's Storm Front, which, in certain circles, is pretty exciting.) The owner, Anthony, offers the kind of personality that we want from our record store proprietors. When a young couple purchased a Paula Abdul record recently, he gave the album a cursory glance and dryly remarked, "I used to date her."

Come here if you like:
• The Beatles
• Kenny Loggins
• Density—the small space holds a huge collection that's always changing

Kim's Video & Music. Photo: Joe Buglewicz

Kim's Video & Music
For those of you who remember Kim's from its video-rental days as the pinnacle of hipper-than-thou posturing and needless condescension (they organized their videos by director instead of title!), it may come as a surprise that the staff these days at the remaining First Avenue location is…nice. They'll be glad to help you find whatever vinyl, DVDs or CDs you need and even sell audio cassettes—many from local indie bands—by the cash register. "There are independents who release their music only on cassette," says Kenny, a manager. "We try to promote local artists." Whether you want the latest tape from an obscure local act or an LP copy of Is This It, buy whatever strikes your fancy. They won't judge.

Come here if you like:
• My Bloody Valentine
• Wavves
• The Strokes

Black Gold
Black Gold is a candidate for "Brooklyn-est Store in Brooklyn." Not only do they accommodate both vinyl snobs and coffee snobs—groups that both thrive in the borough—but they also carry taxidermy. Asked about the unusual combination, co-owner Summer replies that it was a natural fit: "We're all collectors of records, antiques and big, avid coffee drinkers, so it just kind of made sense to us." Like the store concept itself, the music selection is wide-ranging. While the collection is mainly rock, Summer reports, "We have a lot of weird foreign stuff [and] a lot of rare soul." Now all we need is a record-pickling station.

Come here if you like:
• Coffee
• Taxidermied animals
• Rock, soul and world music

Music Matters
The very essence of a small local record store, Music Matters' inventory is more about what Park Slope denizens want than anything else. Jason, the owner, sums up the motivation behind his purchasing decisions as "neighborhood demand." Indeed, the shop's collection is curated to meet Park Slope's taste—a healthy dose of indie rock is available on CD and vinyl, with new releases coming in every week. Loyalty is rewarded here: customers get their 16th vinyl album free after filling up a punch card. The store is small, but Jason will order anything you're looking for that isn't on hand.

Come here if you like:
• Radiohead
• Fiona Apple
• Personal attention