Academy Record Annex

As a music enthusiast from Paris, I was thrilled to discover Academy Records Annex. The store boasts an impressive selection of both new and used vinyl records across various genres, including classical, jazz, rock, and blues. I was particularly delighted to find records that are hard to come by in France, all at very reasonable prices. The staff was knowledgeable and helpful, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

Knowing Academy records in east village since turn of century, I like how they kept the accessible price point here in Greenpoint as well. That said, I still question the pricing basis the condition of discs (well, I come from Japan where there’s much higher bar for condition), but some good findings in $1 bins. 8/31/25 post. I’m leaving for Japan tomorrow permanently. Will miss this place!!

My review is based on my observations of my fellas who were doing all the shopping! They all had a fabulous time and, from what they said, this was the best record store they visited during our stay in NY (and believe me we visited quite a few!) and they all made a good few purchases. I was happy because there was a nice swivel chair for me to sit in whilst they were browsing (that's how I judge a record store 🤣) and a great UK punk poster to admire on the wall.

⚠️This record shop is a prime example of everything WRONG with the modern "hipster" scene. My abuela and I were politely looking through their vinyl collection, and we were treated with thinly veiled suspicion and outright rudeness by the staff. It's truly baffling — they have a Mamdani poster proudly displayed, yet they can't even manage to treat Latinas (or anyone who isn't their idea of "cool," it seems) with basic human decency. Apparently, daring to look at records while being a woman of color with her grandmother is an offense worthy of constant, judgmental stares. We weren't touching anything inappropriately, weren't being loud, and certainly weren't stealing. The hypocrisy of claiming to support diverse artists while actively being unwelcoming and condescending to people of color is astounding. Save your money and go somewhere that actually practices what they preach.

NEVER disappoints I always find the best Spanish records every time I go.

Top class record shops, got sone great early US House, thanks

I love shopping at Academy! Great selection, mostly of used records of all genres. The price range is wide and fair. They always play great music while you shop and keep everything welcoming and organized. One of NYC’s essential record stores.

Fantastic record store in Brooklyn! Great selection of vinyl broken up into many genres and fair prices. Can’t ask for anything better!

Academy Records Annex is easily my favorite record store in this part of Brooklyn. I don't come here expecting fantastic deals, but over the years, I've purchased some great finds at decent prices. Of course, I won't shell out money for albums that are significantly cheaper online, but for me, it's mainly about the experience. You can't replace the feeling of flipping through stacks and stacks of records until you discover one that catches your eye. Most of the other stores in this neighborhood don't have the same kind of selection. Academy Records Annex carries a wide variety of genres, and occasionally, I'll learn about new artists just from browsing their inventory. In addition, their staff has always been helpful and willing to answer my questions, even on particularly busy days.

All of their best stuff they reserve for discogs and won't sell to walk-ins. The stuff that makes it to their used bins is very subpar. Frustrating. Why have a brick and mortar store at all?

I love everyone who works here! But Ron is simply the best! His recommendation for Tango In The Night Alt Mix was （） I even found Sylvia - Sylvia which I never see in NM condition. Love this location of Academy to death! Had such a good time 2 years ago visiting this shop on Record Store Day where they had free doughnuts and coffee!

New store looks great and had killer stuff in it. I wanted to sell some records and they gave me more than I expected in store credit. favorite record store in nyc !

I am a serious collector. Thousands of vinyl LPs. I am looking for a specific record. I live in the Hudson Valley, so I called in to ask if they had it. Staff was disinclined to check their inventory.

Hands down one of the best record stores in NYC. I always walk away with something here whenever I visit! This past week I picked up wax from Deathside, Deathreat, Forward, Meanwhile, F*** on the Beach!

I'm glad to finally find a good place to buy lps for reasonable prices! As a person who still loves hunting for&listening to hard to find lps I could spend hours there. Nice, informative guys at the counter too.

The wife and I decided to head over to Brooklyn while visiting to visit this record shop. This record shop has a nice selection with reasonable prices. We found some great finds and I would definitely recommend this store to anyone that is working on increasing their vinyl selection.

Amazing business. Cory is efficient, kind and fair for trade ins. Loved doing business with him and his staff!

The very best shop for used vinyl in NYC. Good enough to just not review & keep to yourself. Thoughtful staff who give a damn and work hard for their customers. The inventory is always turning and changing and the new arrivals section is big. Good value and selection with lots of varied genres represented. A few grails here and there. Off the path if you're not in Brooklyn, but a valued destination. Top 10 on the planet!

I've been record collecting for over 25 years and have never encountered a store that has as many awesome records as Academy Annex ! Got a great original copy of the Dark Side Of The Moon for cheaper than i've ever seen and they always have given me AMAZING prices when i've sold and traded my used records. Best Store in town ! -MARK

Good store Has a great $1.00 bin I got a lot of stuff there, They had a sale once all $1.00 records were 49 cents each can't beet that day I picked up tons and new sealed multi colored vinyl can't beat it. Even though it's a bit out of my way & it's over an hour drive (I'm from out east on Long Island) it is well worth the drive.. The only other place in Brooklyn that compares to this is human head records w/ a great $2.00 bin.

Unfriendly & pretentious. Only gets two stars because my gf found a Celia Cruz record she was looking for - otherwise, we won't be back. There are other record stores in Greenpoint to dig. Also, no public restroom. -__-

4 stars for the sole reason that they have a little section labeled with the actual word "drum n bass". Real interesting selection and reasonableish prices. Their inability to keep up their listening station keeps the 5th star away. Bring your own headphones because theirs rarely work.

We were in Greenpoint for 2 days on tour and I was there BOTH days! Spent money both days! Found new stuff both days! The selection is massive no matter what genre you listen to. With 'New Arrivals' put out daily there's always something new to find! Got a question about whether a new release has a lyric sheet, or is on colored vinyl? Ask and they'll probably open one just to find out! (They did for me and I bought the record!) I can't wait to visit the east coast again! This place will be on my list!

Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, this is the best record store in New York City. The recently arrived used bin is constantly curated, and refreshed. Expect used records in the $5 to $20 range.

I sold my much loved LP collection yesterday to Academy Records Annex and dealt with Cory. He was terrific and gave me a good price. Would highly recommend!

It's downright scary to think about how much money I've dropped at this location since moving to NYC. What else can I say that hasn't already been said? I love this store so much, shopping here has practically become part of my weekly routine. By a long shot the best selection of new vinyl (followed by rough trade), and there's enough turnover to troll the same bins week after week and still find new albums. Good selection of used vinyl as well; consistent enough that the new arrivals bin is really just that. I've never had a prolonged interaction with the folks who work here, but checkout is always easy and friendly. On occasion, I've received a small discount for spending... ahem... a larger than average amount in one visit. Without a doubt my favorite spot for vinyl in New York.

I'll never come back to this store again. The guy behind the counter ignored me several times when I pretend to pay. They refused to give me a recipt! Finally they used records are really really leftovers... It will be hard for you find good stuff here.

Awesome record store that's been here for years! Used to find lots of HXC rarities at the Williamsburg location but still find some Punk gems here and there. I haven't been in a while but usually find good stuff there. Great reissues too!

A good experience and a cool store with a large selection, including used records. Staff was much more helpful that at the nearby rough trade. Will come back many more times!

One of my highlights on a recent trip to NYC. First, the space is huge. So many records, so little time.. I stuck with the used section as I'm primarily interested in original pressings of older albums. Even with that rule in place, I must have burnt 45 minutes to an hour in here and not even made it to the Rock & Pop. I had a look for some specific artists but with a wife in tow and two growling bellies we called it a day, only $30-40 poorer but 11 records, 1 cassette and 2 8-tracks richer! Incredible value. I will be back very soon.

I really enjoyed visiting this store. I know most people enjoy browsing through old records and great deals but I enjoy finding the new ones even more. This store has a great variety of new rock records, well organized and has a friendly and attentive staff. I can't wait to bring the boyfriend here, whose much better at finding some good vinyls.

I wrote a review in their old listing before they moved. So, not to sound like a *broken record*, I like the new digs a lot. The place is a lot more open and you can move around more. Still the same great selection, and the new arrivals section still has me picking up 5-10 records a visit. Picked me up some Paul McCartney/Wings for about $3 after watching American Hustle.

One of the best record stores in Brooklyn! Huge selection, several turntables to test out used records you are considering purchasing, helpful staff, and a clearly marked signs that tell you which sections you are looking through. The first time I visited the store, I scored 5 used records for under $25 - what a steal!! The next time I came by, I bought 7 records, some old and several new, for ~$90. Great deals, great selections, friendly staff. I dont even mind how far away it is because there's always a great find in the store!

The selection here is decent, but the prices are outta control. When you go into a store, have a handful of records that you have a general sense of the average cost of. Allow that to be the indicator of a good record store. For me, It's Springsteen's "Born in the USA". If you can get it for under $5, that's a store that understands there were millions upon millions of these albums printed, and yeah, you should probably have a throw-away copy in your collection, just because. It's not a collectors item, it's not even hard to find. Any store could have 10 copies at any given time. At Academy it was $20+. Wild and the Innocent - $20+. I think "High Hopes" was $35. Guys, really? No.

This is the new spot for vinyl junkies in Northern BK. The more compact size, when compared to their previous location on N.6th in Williamsburg, provides a better browsing experience. Really, all around, it's a bit fresher, nicer, and less likely to be swamped with tourists. Keep on keeping on Academy!

3.5 Stars. Not a bad record store, not too bad at all. The vinyl collection is rather large with many genres available. Pretty generous collection of R&B and disco which is always awesome. It's never overrun with people so you can browse easy. Its a bit out of the way though and I am not sure there is enough to distinguish it from other stores yet. If you are in the area you should swing by.

I love both Academy locations, but this one is maybe the superior of the two in terms of my own personal tastes. Alt/Punk/Metal. I rarely leave empty handed, and their own label stuff is always solid too. No trip to NYC is complete without a visit to one or both Academies!!

This is pretty big record store that you can browse for an hour or two. They have tons of records to dig through and 2 listening stations to try them. Most of their inventory are neatly organized, everything is separated into its own genre. They also have a few CDs and even some equipment too. They also have new records too, and of course there is a new arrival section which is the first place I dig through. Overall a good store but I do have one complaint. It feels like a lot of their records are not in the best shape. A lot of times when I find a record I like it's got some marks on them, I don't mind checking it out on their turntables but I don't want to go and check 10 records or so just to check one track.

This is the largest used record store in New York that I know of. The prices are decent and its a nice, open space thats pleasant to be inside. The staff are also uncommonly friendly considering they are record know it alls. You can find cheap listening copies and rare, uncommon treasures. This is almost definitely the best record store in New York. There are many good stores in the neighborhood tht are also worth checking out (Permanent Records, Captured Tracks, Record Grouch) but this one is prob where you want to go first.

Always great finds for prices cheaper than online. Great and wide selection of all different genres plus theres cassettes!

I enjoyed my visit to Academy today. Picked up two perfect albums to reignite my collection. They had a great selection and some very good copies which is always important for me.

Best record store in NYC. Reasonably priced records... they also give you the best deal than anyone else in the area on selling or trading your vinyl in.

Decent rock but jazz section is rough. Staff is standard record store standoffish.

A breath of fresh air for someone searching for vinyl! I'm so happy a friend of mine brought me here! As any record shop goes to find something you want you do have to dig through the lot. But all in all there is a wide variety of music to choose from here. I will definitely be coming back here soon :)

Well worth the trip up to their new location, pretty easy on the L or the G. I found a bunch of jazz and soul reissues that I couldn't find anywhere else in NYC, an the used hip hop section was pretty decent.

This shop has a really solid selection of used titles. The "just in" bin was one of the biggest I've seen in a while and I found a few good records while thumbing through. I have a feeling you can dig some really good stuff at this store if you hit it on the right day. The wall had a few cool collectible titles, but most of them were around 20% higher than they should have been. This is one of the stronger stores in Brooklyn that I will go back to next time I'm in town.

Great selection and friendly staff. I routinely buy and sell records here and prices are always fair. My favorite record store.

Great staff, great selection, and a wonderful place to stumble upon some weird and eccentric gems.

I love music and collecting records and have been a record junkie for some long stretches in my life... I want to love Academy, but alas I only like it.. why? Because their 'new arrivals' section is just too much of a hassle for me. This goes the same for the Academy in the East Village. Their 'new arrivals' is is about 10 long bins. I'd say that's very close to 20 crates. And although it may have some good records, it is by far filled with really common filler records. But even if it was full of heavy hitters, it would still be too time consuming. It's a hassle... A drag... Having a 'new arrivals' section this big defeats the purpose of a 'new arrivals' bin which is - to allow regular customers to peep the new music - so they don't have to look through the whole store. When you go through Academy's giant 'new arrivals' section, it's just too darn time consuming.... I have heard this complaint from other longtime music/record fans. That is in fact how I first became aware of the issue. It had been bugging me but I hadn't really realized how much. I think smarter record stores have smaller new arrivals, and just stock the filler. People are capable of finding records in sections. That's why they exist. I love browsing through records, but I don't want to have to go through 15-20 crates of them, to see what cool new records a favorite record store has brought in over the last weeks. By the time you're done, you're mentally beat. You do not need to have the Godspell soundtrack in New Arrivals (just my opinion). If someone wants The Godspell soundtrack (that's cool I'm sure it's very good), they can just head over to the Soundtrack section and find it. It's easy. That said : ) Academy surly aInt bad, it's just not hitting its full potential!

my favorite vinyl store. sure, some used selections are pricey. but i end up finding some great records (im an 80s fan) for great price. great variety and they always have something 'OMG, i need to get this!' worthy.

always a nice and stacked new arrivals section, i've found everything from some original cocteau twins stuff to uncontrolled substance by inspectah deck. the staff has always been nice, courteous and helpful. there isn't any stuck up elitist snob bullshit here like you can find at other spots in brooklyn. so if you have some extra money and you want a nice quality dig that can turn up some real gems go to academy annex. rest in peace tigger we will never forget.

this shop is pretty much as good as any shop ive been to in the country. workers may seem gruff at first, but were actually so nice and full of recommendations once i asked. insanely good finds in the 2 for $5 bins.

I've lived in NYC for 9 years, and Academy has been and remains to be the best, most affordable, friendliest record store in the city. I've found and purchased great quality used records here, I've sold selections of my precious collection here, I've seen good shows here, and have seen the store go through a giant move, which they did with grace. Staff is highly knowledgable and friendly, and always very fair when buying from the customer. I'm often surprised at what a great deal on credit I receive. This store is HUGE and packed with tasty treats. Go here, you won't be disappointed!