At first, they used the Sam Goody name before opening a separate division of superstores called Media Play. The Musicland Group, who had acquired the Sam Goody name in the late 1970s, also opened superstores. The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of the music superstore, with chains like Virgin Megastores and HMV opening large, multi-level locations in major cities around the world. It wasn’t unusual for artists to stop in and play mini-concerts or sign albums before an appearance in a particular city. These stores often had a strong sense of community and served as a gathering place for music fans. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, independent record stores began to pop up all over the world, catering to the growing demand for rock, pop, country, and other genres of music. Singles still sold well and served an important purpose, but albums were the real money maker for record stores and record companies. Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys changed all that, and the album became the preferred format of the serious music buyer.įans looked forward to buying a collection of songs that fit together, along with artwork, and perhaps liner notes including pictures and lyrics. Up until then, albums were only purchased when the buyer really liked the artist or when the album was made up of mostly hit singles. In the 1960s, though, three artists changed all that. As rock & roll and country music became popular, the latter was the big seller, primarily because it was affordable for young buyers. One was the 12-inch, 33-rpm record, while the other was the 45-rpm, 7-inch single. While that business was successful, Goody’s bread and butter was mail order.Īfter World War II, music was released primarily in two formats. In 1951, Goody decided to open a chain of stores. Goody, whose real name was Sam Gutowitz, opened his first shop in the late 1940s on 9th Avenue in New York City. On the East Coast, Sam Goody was one of the first major chains. Tower Records quickly became a mecca for music lovers, offering a vast selection of LPs, 45s, and CDs from a variety of genres. One of the earliest and most famous record stores was the Tower Records chain, which was founded in Sacramento, California in 1960 by Russ Solomon. However, as the popularity of recorded music grew, dedicated record stores began to emerge. Before these devices were available, music lovers bought sheet music of their favorite songs to perform at home.Īfter the first record players were introduced, recorded music was sold primarily through department stores, electronics stores, and mail-order catalogs. ![]() Record stores have a long and rich history that dates back to the early 20th century when the first phonographs and gramophones were invented.
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