Sell your Music in Retail Stores
AIMS stores are located coast to coast and their membership currently stands at 29 stores in 21 cities. They are not a chain, but rather an association of independent stores working together to benefit their customers and record label partners. They have a wide selection of music that goes far deeper than most mass-market retailers (including formats such as vinyl and DVDs at most of their stores). Through their combined efforts they are also able to work with record labels to bring consumers special issue CDs that you simply cannot find at any chain store. The site gives you store contact information for all 29 stores where you can contact them to try to get your music in those stores.
The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a group of some of the best independent music stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995; its current membership is made up of 40 stores in 25 states. Many of the accounts have been recognized by the music industry and their local communities for their outstanding dedication to customer service and developing artist support. They give information on how to get your records into their stores.
Location: Brighton, MA 02135
Newbury Comics is a chain of stores in the Northeastern United States. They have over 25 locations and carry a large selection of records and CDs.
Location: New York, NY 10104
ADA is a full service, independent national distributor whose services include: National distribution of music with a knowledgeable sales force spread across the country, digital preparation, distribution and marketing, co-operative advertising planning and placement, manufacturing and printing of music (CD,DVD,vinyl), warehousing, and inventory management, full suite of financial reporting and marketing tools for distributed labels including a B2B web site.
Location: Red Bank, NJ 07701
Jack's Music Shoppe in Red Bank, NJ is a smaller store selling music and instruments of and to independent artists. Contact the store for information regarding an in-store performance or appearance whilst on tour.
Location: Huntington Beach, CA 92615-5232
Rev Distribution has been providing independent retailers and distributors with a one-stop solution for punk, hardcore, indie, rock, emo and metal music including hard-to-find releases.
Location: Portland, OR 97214
Located in Portland, Jackpot Records has a huge selection of CDs, vinyl, and DVDs of independent music and art. Contact the store for info on an in-store performance while on tour.
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Boo Boo Records in San Luis Obispo, CA offers fans a large selection of independent music, as well as movies and clothing in their locally operated store. Contact Boo Boo for setting up a live performace and appearance in their store.
Location: Lexington, KY 40508
CD Central is Kentucky's hub for new and used CDs and vinyl for independent and local music. For a performance or an appearance, contact the store.
Location: Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Central Square Records in Santa Rosa Beach, FL is a beachside store selling CDs, DVDs, and vinyl of independent and local artists. They also maintain a very active blog on their website regarding albums they keep in the store. For a live performance in store, contact Central Square.
Location: Houston, TX 77098
Cactus Music in Houston offers customers a selection of albums and movies of local and independent musicians. For information regarding an in-store performance or appearance, concact Cactus.
Location: West Chester, PA 19380
Chester County Book and Music Co. is a small store in West Chester, PA, selling CDs, DVDs, and vinyl of independent musicians. For an appearance, contact the store for details.
Location: Atlanta, GA 30307
Criminal Records in Atlanta sells a wide selection of CDs, DVDs, and vinyl of independent and local artists. For information about an in-store performance or album signing, contact Criminal Records.
Location: Dearborn, MI 48124
Dearborn Music has a huge selection of musical genres, but also sells indie CDs, vinyl and movies. Contact Dearborn Music for info regarding an in-store performance.
Location: Memphis, TN 38104
Goner Records is a record label with a store in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to buying and selling new and used vinyl, Goner Records puts on a music festival every year in Memphis.
Location: Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Earshot sells CDs, movies, and vinyl of independent and local artists in North Carolina. Contact Earshot for information regarding an in-store performance or appearance.
Location: Austin, TX 78704
End of an Ear in Austin offers fans a huge selection of indendent and local CDs, movies and vinyl. For instore events contact End of an Ear.
Location: Champaign, IL 61820
Exile on Main is a small botique record store selling music and movies of many independent and local artists in Champaign, Il. To set up an in-store performance and appearance while on tour, contact the store.
Location: St. Louis, MO
Euclid Records is a large store in St. Louis that sells albums and movies of independent musicians and artists. For an in store performance while on tour or other information contact Euclid.
Location: Bowling Green, OH 43402
Finders Records in Bowling Green, OH is an entirely independent music store selling CD, records and movies of the lesser heard side of the arts industry.
Location: Dallas, TX 75218
Good Records in Dallas has established itself as an independent music store selling CDs and vinyl of local and lesser known music. For info about playing a live performance or making an appearance in the store while on tour, contact Good Records.
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
With 2 Utah locations, Graywhale has built itself as one of the most prominent record stores selling CDs, movies and vinyl of independent and local artists. Contact for an in-store live performance or appearance while on tour.
Location: Nashville, TN 37203
Grimey's of Nashville is a small store selling new and used CDs, DVDs, and vinyl of independent and local artists. They frequently host in-store performances for bands rolling through Nashville, conact the store for details.
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
With three Oklahoma City area locations, Guestroom Records sells albums and movies of local and independent artists. Contact the store for information regarding an in-store performance while on tour.
Location: Seattle, WA 98116
Easy Street Records is a Seattle-based record store and cafe which buys and sells new and used vinyl. Contact for details about in-store performances.
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
With their 5 Colorado locations, Independent Records and Video offers fans a huge selection of independent and local music and movies. Contact the store to play a performance or make an appearance in one of their locations while on tour.
Location: Indianapolis, IN 46220
Luna Music in Indy offers music fans a huge selection of independent and local music and movies. Contact Luna for information regarding an in-store performace and appearance.
Location: Charlotte, NC 28205
Lunchbox Records in Charlotte, NC offers nothing but quality independent and local music. They frequently host bands for in-store performances and appearances while on tour.
Location: San Diego, CA 92103
M-Theory in Sand Diego has an affinity for selling CDs, DVDs and vinyl of indie, alternative, and local musicians. Contact M-Theory for info regarding a live performance or an in-store appearance while on tour in Southern California.
Location: Charleston, SC 29407
Monster Music in Charleston is South Carolina's indie, local, and alternative music store, selling a huge selection of CDs, vinyl, and DVDs. Conact for an in-store appearance or a live performance while on tour.
Location: Orlando, FL 32803
Park Ave CDs of Orlando sells CDs, DVDs and vinyl of independent and local musicians. Contact for information on a live performance or album signing.
Location: Richmond, VA 23221
Plan 9 Music has two Virginia locations, selling the CDs, DVDs and vinyl of independent and local artists. Plan 9 is very active in the music community of Va and often has artists come into the store for a live performance or other promototions while on tour.
Location: Princeton, NJ 08542
Princeton Exchange is an independently owned and operated store buying and selling music and movies of indie, alternative and local music (among other genres).
Location: Newark, DE 18711
Rainbow Records in Newark, DE, has established itself as one of the largest CD, DVD, and vinyl duplication and production companies in the country. Rainbow also sells a great variety of independent and local music.
Location: Berkeley, CA 94704
With 5 Northern California locations, Rasputin Music is a large-scale seller of CDs, DVDs, and vinyl of independent and local musicians. Rasputin frequently brings talent into one of their locations for a live performance or appearance while on tour. Contact store for details.
Location: Raliegh, NC 27607
Schoolkids is a small record store that buys and sells independent and local music and movies in Raliegh.
Location: Seattle, WA 98109
Silver Platters of Seattle boasts 3 location in the metropolitan area, all selling and buying local and independent music and movies. Silver Platter often has artists come into the stores for a live performance while on tour, contact for details.
Location: New York, NY 10003
Stranded is a record store chain with one location in New York City and two in the San Francisco Bay Area. They sell new and used vinyl from a wide range of both established and lesser-known artists.
Location: Madison, WI 53711
Madison's Strictly Discs is a small but very able record store, selling a variety of CDs and vinyl of local and independent artists.
Location: Seattle, WA 98107
Sonic Boom Records in Seattle is a record mecca of the Northwest, buying and selling independent and local music and movies. Sonic Boom also has artists come in for in-stores frequently, contact the store for details.
Location: Baltimore, DE 21231
The Sound Garden, or otherwise known as 'The CD Joint' has two locations, one in Syracuse, NY and another, the flagship store in Balitmore. The store buys and sells CDs, DVDs, and vinyl of independent and local music. Contact for setting up a live in-store performance or apperance while on tour.
Location: Phoenix, AZ 85013
Stinkweeds of Phoenix in an indie record store selling music and movies of the lesser noticed talent. For setting up an in-store, contact Stinkweeds.
Location: San Francisco, CA 94114
Streetlight Records offers the Bay Area three locations all selling a variety of music and movies of independent and local artists. Contact Streetlight for information on setting up a live in-store appearance or performance.
Location: Los Angeles, CA 90028
Ameoba Music in Los Angeles is the World's largest independent musc store selling what seems to be and endless selection of indie and alternative music. Contact Ameoba for in-store information.
Location: San Francisco, CA 84177
Ameoba Music in San Francisco has been voted as one of the best record stores in the country multiple times, selling a fanatstic selection of independent music. Contact Ameoba for in-store performance information.
Location: Berkeley, CA 94704
Ameoba Music in Berekely is the first store of the three, begining an independent music empire. Contact Ameoba for in-store performance information.
Location: Hattiesburg, MS 39401
T-Bones Records in Hattiesburg is a cafe-store combo selling a great selection of CDs, DVDs and vinyl of independent and local artists. T-Bones often has groups come on for live performances while on tour, contact for details.
Location: Milwaukee, WI 53202
The Exclusive Company located in Milwaukee and 7 other cities across Wisconsin is a record store offering a variety of CDs, DVDs and vinyl of independent and local artists. Contact one of the locations for information regarding an in-store performance or appearance while on tour.
Location: Denver, CO 80206
Twist and Shout Records in Denver sells CDs, DVDs and vinyl of independent and local musicians. They also frequently bring in bands for in-studio performances, contact for details.
Location: Austin, TX 78703
Waterloo Records in Austin is an independent music store selling indie, local, and alternative music. Contact Waterloo for setting up a live in-store performance or appearance while on tour in Austin.
Location: Las Vegas, NV 89102
Zia Records in Las Vegas is one of there 8 Southwest locations selling CDs, DVDs and vinyl of independent artists.
Location: Boston, MA 02215
In Your Ear has long been a staple for beantown music fans with their simple approach of selling used and new music of independent and local artists. In Your Ear has two locations, one in Boston, MA, and another in Warren, RI.
Location: Minneapolis, MN 55404
The Electric Fetus is a record store in Minneapolis that sells CDs, DVDs, and vinyl of independent and local artists. Contact the store for information regarding in-store performances and appearances while on tour. Electric Fetus also has a location in Duluth, MN.
Location: Omaha, NE 68102
Homer's Music in Omaha is a record store selling music and movies of independent and local artists and musicians. Contact for live in-store performance and appearance information while on tour.
Location: Missoula, MT 59801
Rockin Rudy's in Missoula is an independent records store selling CD, DVDs, vinyl and other merchandise. Contact for live in-stores while on tour in Montana.
Location: New Orleans, LA 30117
Euclid Records in New Orleans is a large store selling music and movies of independent artists. Contact for live in-store performances and appearances while on tour.
Location: Portland, ME 04101
Bull Moose runs a small record store empire in New Hampshire and Maine. Bull Moose sells CDs, movies, and vinyl of independent artists. They also host bands for acoustic or live sets in one of their 12 locations, contact for information.
Location: Chicago, IL 60657
Reckless Records is a record store chain that has been serving Chicago since 1988. They have three locations in Chicago as well as one in London.
Location: Philadelphia, PA 19147
Repo Records in Philadelphia is an old-school record store selling CDs, vinyl, and movies of independent and local artists.
Location: Washinton, DC 20009
Crooked Beat is a record store in Washington DC that sells a variety of independent and local music and movies. Contact Crooked Beat for information regarding a live in-store performance or apperance while on tour.
