Experiences
The Hunt for Vinyl
If you are looking to expand your music collection, İstanbul is the place to be with a long musical heritage and a wealth of different musical genres. With a variety of secondhand and new records for sale from various stores and vendors, all over the city on both the Asian and European sides, İstanbul is a collector’s dream.
In addition to antique shops and flea markets, there are also dedicated music shops that specialise exclusively in vinyl records and are so well organised that you can find what you are looking for in no time.
Few would have predicted the huge revival in vinyl sales in recent years. The whole ritual that comes with playing vinyl records: the old smell of pulling out a used record, the tenderness of cleaning the dust off an LP, or the soft crackle that greets you when the record starts to play when the needle hits.
What you find in several vinyl shops or record specialists right away is the positive and friendly atmosphere in Kadıköy’s Moda. Vendors in Moda offer great pleasure in sharing their wisdom and knowledge about music with curious vinyl collectors.
If you are looking for a transcendence of music appreciation for the retro or old school, looking through Moda’s record shops can leave a lasting impression and be a great opportunity to find old favourite artists’ records.
The West and East of the Bosphorus aside, you will be impressed by the variety and selection on offer when browsing for records in Moda and also in Beyoğlu. Music has always been at the heart of İstanbul, and it’s no surprise that the global resurgence in vinyl sales has spread across the city. The streets of Beyoğlu and Moda are littered with record shops old and new, inviting record collectors to take time out and relax in a friendly atmosphere and browse to their heart’s content, and of course, find both local and international vinyl treasures to add to their collection.
