It’s hard to deny the appeal of vinyl’s physicality—the blissful ritual of unwrapping a fresh record and throwing it on a turntable with your own two hands. But due to social media’s sprawling omnipresence, platforms like Instagram are redefining how we relate with records old and new. Whether it be through dazzling photos of opulent audiophile setups, rare 45s paired peppered with grabbing captions, or in the case of the Vinyl Yorkies Instagram account, beloved records surrounded by a pack of small Yorkshire terriers.
Below we’ve whittled down some of the most intriguing vinyl-focused accounts that creatively feature one of the world’s original music mediums. Some of these pages are run by individuals, others families, as well as some DJs and label owners whose names you might recognize. In a world where technology continues to redefine how we absorb a variety of music formats, whether in an auditory, visual, or physical sense, these accounts might help you love records in a whole new way—or they’ll at least inspire deep-seated, seething FOMO at a level you’ve yet to experience.
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1. @Dadsdiscdelights
Self-described as a “vinyl project between a father and a daughter” this account would warm (and impress) even the most chin-stroking, vinyl purist’s Discogs-loving heart. According to a six-minute mini documentary produced by one-half of the project, London-based photographer Zoë Timmers, the page started as a way to showcase her late father’s lifelong passion for records, as well as his wall-to-wall collection of albums spanning genres and decades. Timmers’ father—only referred to as “dad” throughout the feed—would pick each record, and provide a great caption, while daughter Zoe would take the photo and post to the page. “Dad” passed away in late 2014, but Zoe has promised her followers to keep his legacy going—though the last post was around 30 weeks ago on what would have been his 80th birthday.
What to expect: Extravagant photos of sentimental jazz albums that brought a family together.
Anything for sale? No.
Followers: 11.5K.
Our favorite post: “Dad’s” 11 copies of Kind of Blue.
2. @noblerecords
While many vinyl-themed Instagram accounts merely provide succulent eye-candy, others provide utility in the form of actually selling records (while still looking good, of course). These quasi-online boutiques aren’t foreign to frequenters of social media and can sell everything from records to clothes to artisanal crystals. We haven’t seen a way yet to buy records directly from the app (give it a year) but accounts like Noble Records, a Charlotte, North Carolina based record outfitter, make it pretty damn easy to get your hands on their wares. Alongside posts of records they just want followers to check out, they regularly provide a price tag on the photo as well as instructions on how you can grab a copy for yourself. It’s pretty easy and all you have to do is send cash to their email like you would on Paypal or Bandcamp. Too lazy to walk yourself down to your local record store or log on to Discogs? Dive into their collection and you’ll be spinning in no time.
What to expect: Solid deals on classic records your parents grew up with.
Anything for sale? Yes.
Followers: 15.6K.
Our favorite post: Can’t beat some Bowie.
3. @dustandgrooves
If you’ve been to a house party in the last couple of years, or frequented record store-cum-clothing-store-cum-gift shops like Urban Outfitters or Rough Trade, there’s a good chance you’ve come across the Dust and Grooves book, a photography project created by Eilon Paz. Originally backed on Kickstarter by 637 people who raised $41,375, the book features spellbinding photos of vinyl collectors “in their most intimate environment: their record room.”
Essentially, it’s countless pages of stunning vinyl collections located everywhere from vast living rooms to eccentric nooks—and belonging to a range of individuals from celebrity diggers like Questlove to regular dudes from Indiana. Their actual Instagram account, which showcases a slew of drool worthy vinyl snaps, hasn’t been overly active in the last year, but throughout its posts you get a great look into the pages of their book, and the various personalities that made it come to life.
What to expect: Pages on pages of beautiful vinyl rooms with an intimate, human touch.
Anything for sale? Yes
Followers: 8.3K
Our favorite post: You can’t miss the book’s latest editions interview with digging legend Gilles Peterson.
4. @Rushourmusic
The beloved Amsterdam record shop and label helmed by Antal Heitlager is a bit of a chameleon something of music industry chameleon. Rush Hour acts as a record shop, traveling DJ crew, and all-around curator of fun, eclectic music that stays true to a digger-focused ethos. Their page features a revolving door of top-notch grabs from their store shelves as well as snapshots of DJs like Ge-ology and Tom Trago gracing their spot for installments in their “Rush Hour Digs” series where selectors pulls record from the store’s bins and lay them all down in a one-take mix, bringing their records to life. You’ll also be able to keep up to date with the whereabouts of their label players like Hunee, Soichi Terada, San Proper, and Antal, in addition to a stream of records ranging from rare Brazilian albums to the best and brightest in house and techno.
What to expect: Record legends, legendary records, and one of the best shops to see both on earth.
Anything for sale? Yes.
Followers: 23.6K
Our favorite post: Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of their latest compilation of sought after Surinamese funk and disco Surinam Funk Force.
5. @stevekoutta
DJs can hold the keys to breaking records, but individual collectors are often the key makers—buying up the rarest cuts and recommending hot new releases, thus helping shift the market. Australian stevekoutta certainly isn’t as recognizable name as a Gilles Peterson, but his sleek presentation aesthetic and broad pool of posts—from new genre spanning albums like Kaytranada’s 99.9%, Dam Funk’s DJ Kicks, to colorful classic pressings of rock and alternative—offers a look into what the new generation of collectors might look like. He also includes a variety of well-written captions, buying guides, magazine features, and audiophile-focused technical how-to’s that offer a journalistic approach to his curated stream. Keep up with Steve’s various recommendations and you’ll soon have the record setup of your dreams.
What to expect: Endless record FOMO.
Anything for sale? Yes.
Followers: 42.2.6K
Our favorite post: We’re quite certain we can’t afford it, but Steve’s Gramovox floating record player is bonkers.
6. @vinylyorkies
Nothing captures the internet’s all holy power than pictures of records surrounded by little canines. Enter vinyl Yorkies: an Instagram page devoted to the pairing of Yorkshire terriers and a variety of classic record photos. The page’s custodians—owners Frank and April—don’t tread too far from the beaten path musically speaking, but something about seeing their pups Bandit and Fiesta present the likes of Jamie XX, Biggie, and Green Day albums make us love the classics in a whole new way.
What to expect: Dogs + records = heaven.
Anything for sale: No (sadly).
Followers: 24.9K
Our favorite post: Bandit and Fiesta’s touching Prince tribute.
7. @turntablelab
A wise man once said “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it,” and while many accounts are cutting out the record stores to put vinyl right on our phones, you can’t beat a good old record shop. Luckily, many of the best stores to buy records are also heavily into the Instagram world and utilize the service to show of the flair, atmosphere, and even employees of where they work and sell wax. New York’s beloved Turntable Lab is one of the most low key, expertly stocked place to cop records anywhere, and their nearly daily active account showcases their recent arrivals, hot of the press restocks, as well as a lot of the high-end gear they have on their shelves They also have a trademark Mike Tyson graffiti photo that customers and passersby like Eli Escobar, Earl Sweatshirt, Blood Orange, and Questlove pose for photos in front of.
What to expect: One of the Big Apple’s most cherish record shops from all angles.
Followers: 20.2K
Anything for sale? You betcha.
Our favorite post: Grab the smashing new edit release from Brooklyn locals Razor-N-Tape before it’s all gone, as well as Symbol Audio’s sleek new record crates.
8. @thevinylfactory
One part London-based label (home to THUMP faves like Kim Ann Foxman), one part pressing plant, one part vinyl-focused daily publication, The Vinyl Factory is a record head’s wet dream. Throughout their stream you’ll find links to guides on how to plug in your record setup correctly, new release guides, mixes, as well as just countless beautiful photos of records and set ups—from new drops to rare cuts. They might be the boldly self-proclaimed “home of vinyl,” but we won’t argue them that much.
What to expect: Like their name suggests, this is a factory of all things vinyl.
Followers: 60.1K
Anything for sale? Yes.
Our favorite pick: The Garrard 301 Statement turntable in Macassar Ebony (pictured above)—a bargain at just $17,000.
9. @gillespeterson
If there was a Record Digging Hall of Fame, Gilles Peterson would surely have his own personal bust constructed purely out of rare acetate. Throughout his storied career as DJ and radio host, the British figure has introduced us to records from the world’s many hidden scenes, as he puts it, “searching for the perfect beat.” While Peterson is active on pretty much every medium you could imagine—from the airwaves to the world’s best clubs—his Instagram account is a solid look into the life of someone who lives, breathes, and perhaps even eats records. Attention grabbing cuts you can add to your Discogs wishlist, updates on his busy schedule of touring and radio hosting, mixes and premieres—it’s all here.
What to expect: A day in the life of music’s most lovable characters.
Followers: 62.9K.
Anything for sale: Not really, but there’s always Discogs.
Our favorite post: Gilles showing off some cheeky title-hiding from Theo Parrish’s Sound Signature.
10. @willbankstrilogytapes
In addition to DJing and releasing left-field dance music from the likes of Anthony Naples and Barnt, The Trilogy Tapes label owner, Will Bankhead, moonlights as a designer, and from browsing through his page you can get a sense of the influence records provide to his wonky, minimalist aesthetic. While there’s a lot more going on throughout his stream than just records—from photos of cows to shots of skateboarders—the records he posts to his page work well to draw you in via their mysterious labels and oft-obscure titling. His photos are a good example on how the conventions of vinyl pages don’t always need to be clean and expensive looking, but rather, dark and sometimes even a bit off-putting.
What to expect: Blurring the lines between where art project, record label, and obscure record nerdom intersect.
Followers: 12.5K.
Anything for sale: Yes.
Our favorite post: Nothing like a single L.I.E.S record in view of a half eaten Subway sandwich.