Brighton record shops: the complete vinyl guide for 2026
Every Brighton record shop worth your time in 2026: where they are, what they stock and which one suits your taste.
12/27/20254 min read
Brighton has one of the best concentrations of independent record shops in the UK. Most of them sit within a ten-minute walk of each other in the North Laine and along Gloucester Road and Trafalgar Street, so you can dig through new pressings, used rock, reggae, soundtracks and Brazilian rarities in a single afternoon.
This guide lists the Brighton record shops that are open in 2026, what each one specialises in, and how to plan a crate-digging route. It's written by Panacea, a Brighton grunge project, for anyone who still believes music sounds better when you can hold it.
Quick answer: the best record shops in Brighton
Best all-rounder for new vinyl: Resident Music, Kensington Gardens
Best for used rock, punk and blues: The Wax Factor, Trafalgar Street
Best for hip hop, funk and soul: Rarekind Records, Trafalgar Street
Best for indie and new pressings: Cult Hero, Brighton Place
Best for soundtracks and classical: The Record Album, Terminus Road
Best for sheer volume of used stock: Across The Tracks, Gloucester Road
Best for punk, hardcore and metal: Hellride Records, Foundry Street
Resident Music
Resident is the one everyone mentions first, and with good reason. It has been on Kensington Gardens in the North Laine since 2004 and has been named the UK's best independent record shop more than once. Expect new vinyl and CDs across every genre, a strong indie and alternative section, Record Store Day exclusives and regular instore sessions. If you only visit one Brighton record shop, make it this one.
The Wax Factor
On Trafalgar Street, The Wax Factor is the place for used rock, blues, punk, reggae, dub and jazz. It has had the same owners since the mid-1980s and feels like it: crates stacked high, prices that reward patience, and staff who know exactly where that obscure pressing is. This is where to look for original 90s alternative and grunge vinyl.
Rarekind Records
Also on Trafalgar Street, Rarekind is Brighton's specialist for hip hop, funk, soul and disco, with new and used stock. The upper floors host Middle Floor Records for UK bass, house, techno and electronica, and RK Bass Records for drum and bass and jungle. Three shops in one building makes it an essential stop for DJs.
Cult Hero
Cult Hero, on Brighton Place in the Lanes, sells new pressings only: indie, punk, soul, electronic and jazz. The owner has been selling records in Brighton since 2007, originally under the name Ape. It is a small, carefully chosen shop and a good place to find new alternative releases.
The Record Album
Near Brighton Station on Terminus Road, The Record Album has been selling records since 1948, making it the city's oldest record shop. It specialises in film soundtracks, theatre scores, classical and jazz, mostly used. It changed hands in 2018 and opens fewer days than most, so check before you travel.
Across The Tracks
Across The Tracks opened in 1989 and has been on Gloucester Road since 1994. It carries a huge used stock across reggae, dub, rock, jazz and pop. Bring time and a strong back.
Mr Bongo
The Brighton home of the Mr Bongo label sits in Gloucester Yard, just off Gloucester Road. Expect Brazilian, Latin American, African, jazz and soul reissues and originals. Opening days are limited, so check online first.
Bella Union Vinyl Shop
The retail arm of the Bella Union label, now at the Metalworks on Gloucester Street. It focuses on the label's own catalogue plus a few curated picks, with coffee and occasional live sessions.
Hellride Records
On Foundry Street, Hellride is the city's go-to for hardcore, punk and metal: records, tapes, zines and shirts. It filled the gap left when Punker Bunker closed, and it is the closest thing Brighton has to a home for loud, heavy music on vinyl.
Further afield and smaller shops
Dream Street Records, Kensington Place: collector-focused records, tapes and 80s and 90s memorabilia
Capsule Records, Western Road, Hove: jazz, soul, funk, disco and house, with a coffee shop
Uptight Records, Sackville Road, Hove: used soul, funk, jazz and reggae, plus turntable repairs; short opening hours
Vinyl Selecter, Open Market: old-school reggae and roots
Stall 7 Records at Snoopers Paradise, Kensington Gardens: a long-running vinyl stall worth a flick through
Closed Brighton record shops
Some older guides still list shops that have gone. Rounder Records closed in 2012 after 46 years, and Punker Bunker has also closed. If a guide sends you to either, it is out of date.
A crate-digging route through Brighton
Start at Brighton Station with The Record Album on Terminus Road. Walk down Trafalgar Street for The Wax Factor and Rarekind, then cut into the North Laine for Resident, Dream Street and Stall 7 at Snoopers Paradise. Head up to Gloucester Road for Across The Tracks, Mr Bongo and Bella Union, then finish in the Lanes at Cult Hero. Most shops open from late morning; several close on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best record shop in Brighton?
Resident Music on Kensington Gardens is the most acclaimed, with a broad range of new vinyl and a history of national awards. For used rock and punk, The Wax Factor is hard to beat.
Where are most record shops in Brighton?
Most are in or near the North Laine, especially Kensington Gardens, Trafalgar Street and Gloucester Road, all within walking distance of Brighton Station.
What is the oldest record shop in Brighton?
The Record Album on Terminus Road, selling records since 1948.
Where can I buy grunge and alternative vinyl in Brighton?
Try Resident and Cult Hero for new alternative releases, and The Wax Factor or Across The Tracks for used 90s pressings. You can also pick up our debut album, Remedies for nothing, on Bandcamp.
Sounds from the North Laine
Panacea's debut album, Remedies for nothing, comes out of the same city and the same love of raw, physical music. Read more about Brighton's live music venues, the Brighton grunge revival, or listen to Remedies for nothing.
Contact
Get in touch about merch, press, playlists and collaborations, or just to chat
info@panaceamusic.website
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