Music Lovers In Tennessee Need To Visit These 8 Iconic Vinyl Record Stores

Some shopping trips are quiet. Record shopping has a rhythm of its own.

Tennessee knows that better than most, with stores where music history, local character, and crate-digging excitement all share the same room. One minute you are flipping through classic rock, the next you are spotting soul, country, jazz, punk, or a rare pressing you did not expect to find.

It is part nostalgia, part treasure hunt, and part weekend plan. For music lovers who still believe albums should be held, studied, and played loud, these Tennessee vinyl record stores are worth adding to the list.

1. Third Man Records, Nashville

Jack White built something truly one of a kind when he opened Third Man Records in Nashville back in 2009, and the music world has never looked at record stores the same way since.

Located at 623 7th Ave S in Nashville, TN, this space functions as a record store, a working record label headquarters, and a live music venue called The Blue Room, all under one roof.

The Blue Room is legendary for its direct-to-acetate recording setup, which captures live performances straight onto a record in real time. It is the only venue of its kind in the entire world, which makes every show that happens here a genuinely irreplaceable experience.

Inside the store, you will find a refurbished 1947 Voice-o-Graph booth that lets you record up to two minutes of audio onto a six-inch phonograph disc. It is the kind of detail that separates Third Man from every other record shop on the planet.

The selection of vinyl is deep and carefully curated, with Third Man label releases sitting alongside a wide range of other artists and genres. The staff know their stuff, and the whole atmosphere crackles with creative energy.

Whether you are a lifelong White Stripes fan or someone who just started collecting last month, walking through the doors of Third Man Records feels less like shopping and more like seeing a very important chapter of rock and roll history up close.

2. Grimey’s New And Preloved Music, Nashville

Since 1999, Grimey’s New and Preloved Music has been the kind of place Nashville music fans talk about with real affection, the sort of store that feels like it belongs to the whole city.

Situated at 1060 E Trinity Ln in Nashville, TN, the shop now operates out of a converted church building in East Nashville, which gives the whole space an artistic, almost sacred quality that fits the music perfectly.

The selection here is enormous, covering new vinyl, used records, CDs, cassettes, books, and movies. No matter what genre you love, Grimey’s almost certainly has something that will stop you in your tracks mid-flip.

One of the most talked-about features of the store is its John Prine murals, which cover the walls in vivid color and serve as a beautiful tribute to one of Nashville’s most beloved songwriters. Walking past them on your way to the jazz section feels genuinely moving.

Grimey’s also hosts in-store live performances on a regular basis, turning ordinary shopping trips into small concerts you did not know you needed. The store has been recognized nationally as one of the best independent record shops in the country, and that reputation is completely earned.

The staff are passionate, the vibe is welcoming, and the whole experience rewards you for slowing down and actually spending time there. Grimey’s is not just a record store.

It is a Nashville institution that music lovers carry with them long after they leave.

3. Shangri-La Records, Memphis

Few record stores in the American South carry the kind of weight that Shangri-La Records does, and entering its midtown Memphis location on Madison Avenue makes it immediately clear why.

Located at 1916 Madison Ave in Memphis, TN 38104, Shangri-La has been a cornerstone of the Memphis indie music scene since it opened in 1988. That is over three decades of crates, conversations, and community built around the love of recorded sound.

The origin story alone is worth sharing. The store actually started as a sensory-deprivation flotation tank business before expanding into records.

That kind of unexpected beginning says a lot about the creative spirit that has always driven this place.

The inventory is staggering in its scope, covering tens of thousands of LPs, 45s, CDs, and DVDs spanning virtually every genre you can think of. Memphis music naturally holds a place of honor here, but collectors of all tastes will find something worth carrying home.

Rolling Stone included Shangri-La Records on its best record stores list back in 2010, a recognition that longtime customers would say is long overdue. The staff bring deep knowledge and genuine enthusiasm to every interaction.

Shangri-La is the kind of store where you go in looking for one record and walk out an hour later with five you did not expect to find. Memphis music history practically radiates from the walls, and the whole experience feels like a privilege for anyone who takes sound seriously.

4. River City Records, Memphis

Downtown Memphis has no shortage of music history, but River City Records at 101 S Main St manages to feel like one of the most focused and purposeful spots in the whole neighborhood.

What sets this store apart almost immediately is its blues selection. Memphis is the birthplace of the blues, and River City Records treats that legacy with the respect it deserves, stocking a carefully assembled collection that ranges from foundational classics to harder-to-find titles that serious collectors will recognize on sight.

The staff here are frequently described by visitors as some of the most knowledgeable and genuinely passionate record store workers they have ever encountered. A conversation at the counter can turn into a full music education if you let it, and most people are very happy to let it.

The store is beautifully curated, which means the selection is not just large but thoughtful. Every record feels like it earned its place on the shelf, and browsing here has a different quality than digging through a massive, disorganized collection.

River City Records also benefits enormously from its location. Being situated right in the heart of downtown Memphis means you can pair a visit here with a walk down Beale Street or a stop at the Stax Museum, building a full day around the music that made this city famous.

For anyone who wants to understand Memphis through its records, River City is the place to start, and very likely the place you will keep coming back to.

5. Yellow Racket Records, Chattanooga

Chattanooga tends to surprise people who underestimate it, and Yellow Racket Records at 2311 E Main St is one of the very best reasons to pay closer attention to this city’s creative scene.

Spread across three spacious rooms, the store offers a browsing experience that feels genuinely generous. Most record shops make you feel like you are working to find things.

Yellow Racket gives you room to breathe, explore, and actually enjoy the hunt.

The selection is carefully curated rather than simply massive, which means the time you spend here tends to be more rewarding than hours spent digging through poorly organized bins elsewhere. The staff clearly put thought into what ends up on the shelves.

Live events are a regular part of what makes Yellow Racket more than just a retail space. The store has built a real community around music in Chattanooga, and that community shows up in the energy of the place every time you walk through the door.

Chattanooga itself deserves more credit as a music city, and Yellow Racket Records is part of what makes that argument easy to make. The store sits in a neighborhood with real character, and it fits right in.

First-time visitors often remark that the atmosphere feels welcoming in a way that some bigger-city record stores do not always manage. Yellow Racket has figured out how to be a destination shop and a neighborhood hangout at the same time, which is a genuinely rare and valuable thing to pull off.

6. Lost And Found Records, Knoxville

There is something deeply satisfying about a record store that has been around long enough to have its own mythology, and Lost and Found Records in Knoxville has been building that mythology for over 23 years.

Located at 3710 N Broadway in Knoxville, TN, the store has occupied five different locations over its lifetime, which tells you something about the loyalty of the community that has followed it through every move. When a shop earns that kind of devotion, it is doing something right.

The focus here is on out-of-print records, and the staff approach their inventory with the goal of offering good quality vintage vinyl at prices that feel fair rather than inflated. That combination of quality and accessibility keeps regulars coming back on a weekly basis.

Classic rock, jazz, funk, and independent label seven-inch records are among the specialties, giving the collection a range that rewards both casual browsers and serious collectors. The vintage stereo equipment on display adds another layer of character to the whole experience.

The store even has a resident dog, which automatically earns it points in any ranking of great places to spend an afternoon. Notable visitors over the years have included Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and RuPaul, two names that together paint a pretty interesting picture of the store’s appeal.

Lost and Found Records is the kind of place that reminds you why physical music has never really gone away. Knoxville is lucky to have it, and anyone passing through the city should make time for a visit.

7. Phonoluxe Records, Nashville

Only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Phonoluxe Records at 2609 Nolensville Pike in Nashville operates on its own schedule, and its devoted following would not have it any other way.

That limited availability has a way of making each visit feel like a small event. You plan around it, you look forward to it, and when you finally walk through the door, the experience feels earned in a way that a store open seven days a week rarely achieves.

Phonoluxe is known across Nashville for having one of the finest physical media collections in the city. Vinyl is naturally the centerpiece, but the depth and variety of what you will find here goes well beyond what most shops can offer.

The store has built a devoted following over many years, with customers who have been making the trip out to Nolensville Pike for decades. That kind of long-term loyalty is not something you manufacture with marketing.

It comes from consistently delivering an experience worth repeating.

Nashville is full of record stores, which makes it all the more impressive that Phonoluxe has carved out such a distinct and respected identity in the city’s music retail landscape. It does not try to compete on volume or foot traffic.

It competes on quality and character, and it wins.

If you are planning a music-focused weekend in Nashville, timing your trip to include a Friday or Saturday stop at Phonoluxe is the kind of decision that turns a good day into a genuinely memorable one.

8. Goner Records, Memphis

In the Cooper-Young neighborhood of Memphis, Goner Records at 2152 Young Ave occupies a special place that goes well beyond what most people expect from a record store.

Co-owned by Eric Friedl and Zac Ives, Goner operates simultaneously as a retail shop and an active independent record label, which means the music sold here is often connected directly to the music being made and released right on the premises. That dual identity gives the whole place an energy that is hard to replicate.

The store specializes in punk, garage rock, post-punk, and synth-oriented music, and it has released records by artists including Jay Reatard and the King Khan and BBQ Show. If those names mean something to you, Goner will feel like a pilgrimage.

If they do not, the staff will happily change that.

Since 2004, Goner has hosted Gonerfest, an annual Memphis music festival that has become a beloved event for fans of underground and independent music from across the country. The festival is a natural extension of everything the store represents.

One of the more delightful oddities inside is a quarter-operated Elvis Impersonator Shrine, which delivers a brief and completely unexpected experience for anyone willing to drop in a coin. Memphis has always done things its own way, and Goner embodies that spirit completely.

Visiting Goner Records is not just a shopping trip. It is a front-row seat to a living, breathing piece of Memphis music history that continues to shape the sound of independent music worldwide.