Popular music is the product of the modern business enterprise. Executives and employees of the popular music industry try to create the selection of music that will have the greatest success with the public, and thus maximize the profits of their firms.
There are a tremendous variety of music stores and shops in London, so the British capital can be easily named as the mega music shop of the world. Three companies dominate the megastore "scene" in London, namely HMV, Virgin and Tower Records.
They are conveniently located within easy traveling distance of each other and every music shop stocks a wide selection of music CDs (with sections devoted to practically all musical genres). Here you can find videos, DVDs and computer games as well as posters and music related books. In addition to these huge megastores there are a stunning number of smaller music shops that are also worth a visit. If you are a music lover this list of music store line is for you. We?ll start with the most famous and the biggest London music stores.
HMV is first and has two large stores on Oxford Street (360 Oxford Street (HMV "Bond Street"), W1C 1AB, Tel: 020 7514 3600) and the group Bond Street (150 Oxford Street (HMV "Oxford Circus"), W1D 1DJ, Tel: 020 7631 3423) music shop. These music stores carry a vast selection of music and video/DVD. The stores are well laid out, which helps occasional shoppers find what they're looking for quickly.
Tower Records (1 Piccadilly Circus, W1J 0TR, Tel: 020 7439 2500) is next on the list and has a favorable position on Piccadilly Circus that ensures popularity with locals and tourists alike. Although the arrangement is more haphazard than HMV or Virgin, the salt of this music shop is that recordings by lesser known artists are more widely stocked here.
Next up is the Virgin Megastore (14-19 Oxford Street, W1D 1AR, Tel 020 7631 1234) which is unquestionably the lead store of Richard Branson's megastore empire. This music shop is even bigger than HMV with perhaps a slightly larger music selection.
With a prospering club scene and demand for a wide variety of music sounds, London is thankfully well served by specialist music stores. In particular, they provide the opportunity to obtain club mixes and rare vinyl grooves. The most well-known are Cheapo Cheapo Records (53 Rupert Street, W1V 7HN, Tel: 020 7437 8272); propose to your attention a huge collection of 70s and 80s vinyl, videos and books); City Sounds (5 Kirby Street, EC1N 8TS, Tel 020 7404 1800; DJ oriented shop specializing in house, garage and underground garage); Daddy Kool (12 Berwick Street, W1V 3RG, Tel: 020 7437 3535; has a wide selection of 60s/70s reggae and ska rarities); Division One (36 Hanway Street, W1P 9DE, Tel: 020 7637 7734; great amount of indie vinyl releases as well as the very latest club/garage releases); Eukatech (49 Endell Street, WC2H 9AJ, Tel: 020 7240 8060; the specialist store stocking all things techno, tech-house and house), etc. The average number of such club shops runs to 20-30 just in London.
There are also many specialized music stores where you can find the records of certain music style and trend. For example, if you are looking for classical music Harold Moores (2 Great Malborough Street, W1 (020) 7437 1576) is up to you. Drum?n?Bass you can find in Blackmarket Records (25 D?Arblay St, W1 (020) 7439 2403); Funk & Soul - Soul Brother Records (1 Keswick Rd, SW15 (020) 8875 1018) and Soul & Jazz (12 Ingestre Place, W1 (020) 7494 2004); House, Garage & UK Garage - Small Fish (372 Curtain Rd, EC1 (020) 7739 2252), Vinyl Addiction (6 Inverness St, NW1 (020) 7482 1230) and Uptown Records (3 D?Arblay Street, W1 (020) 7434 3639); Hip-Hop - Mr Bongo (44 Poland St, W1 (020) 7287 1887) and MSM (17 Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 (020) 7284 2527); Indie & Rock ? Reckless (26 & 30 Berwick St, W1 (020) 7434 3362), Rough Trade (130 Talbot, W1 (020) 7229 8541) and Select-a-disc (94 Berwick St, W1 (020) 7734 3297); Jazz - Mole Jazz (311 Gray?s Inn Rd, WC1 (020) 7278 8623) and Ray?s Jazz at Foyles (113-119 Charing Cross Rd, WC2 (020) 7437 5660).
So, as you see, you can get whatever you want in a London music shop or the many music stores. With such an endless variety all you need to be aware of is time.
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