Cactus Music

It’s been about two years since this record store piqued my interest, and I first stopped in to browse—and let me just say, it was a trip down memory lane. Walking into Cactus Music reminded me of the excitement I felt back in the 1980s, visiting Camelot Music Land and other classic record stores in the mall. Cactus Music has its own unique charm and an incredible selection of vinyl that caters to just about every taste. Whether you’re a lifelong collector or just dipping your toes into the vinyl world, the staff here is fantastic—knowledgeable, helpful, and always ready to guide you to something new or nostalgic. One of the highlights of visiting is the music playing overhead. It’s often something fresh and intriguing, adding to the store’s vibrant energy. And then, of course, there’s the joy of flipping through the albums. There’s nothing quite like stumbling across an album cover you haven’t seen in decades. It’s not just about the music—it’s about the memories tied to those visuals. Album cover art has its own way of connecting us to moments in time, and in today’s world of digital media, it’s something we don’t get to appreciate as often.

Cactus is the best for music on vinyl, CD and even cassettes. Books and gifts for music lovers are available, too. The staff is ready to help and super nice. For Record Store Days, Cactus has a great orderly flow for buying and lots in stock. Catch live music in-store performances and listening parties. Cactus has it all!

Cactus is the place to be! You’ll always find something. Great gifts and selection! Hard to find vinyl, cassettes and even cds, posters, tees, collectibles. Very decent prices! If you’re visiting Houston you MUST come here! It’s a staple for our city! Always the kindest people working at the store. They know their stuff and can point you in the right direction. I highly recommend this special place. Plus, you never know when you’ll catch an incredible in-store! :))

I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to see Cactus Music up and running as I was driving down Shepherd. This was one of the must go places for music paraphernalia and lp's back in the day, when it was located on Alabama and Shepherd. I returned the following week to "step back in time," and it did not disappoint. The store was pretty busy, and the parking was adequate. I was happy to see a good selection of records to peruse in many genres, as well as collectibles such as autographed albums and metal lunch boxes of various artist et. al. (There were quite a few signed Taylor Swift albums for those interested, but they weren't flying off the shelf!) However, many of the albums I was interested in, maybe vintage, that were a little too over-priced for me but if they're reprints, why are they priced at $65 and above?!! Yes, KISS Alive is a classic and noteworthy album, but I'm not paying $85 for a reprint....and even if it isn't, that's still a little too pricey in my book. Not paying over $30 either for Ded Leppard's Pyromania or High n Dry reprint albums (my girlfriend did, ugh). Blame my old fashion sense of value and cost if this rolls your eyes, lol. Luckily, they have a section of new and used albums that are mixed, and I was able to find some of my back in the day music to appease my demand for re-acquiring them in LP. And they were in pretty good shape too - the used ones. Maybe I'll run across another record store down the road, but I'll definitely be coming back here.

Live music by Dr. Rockit and the Sisters of Mercy was one of the top bands in Texas through the 1980s. In 1989, Rock started his "Red Shack" recording studio. Free great music, free beers, awesome crowd, life is good

Came in for a needle and the customer service was so good, I bought an album I’ve been looking for. Excellent store for vinyl, CDs or t-shirts. I’m not cool enough to wear their shirt, but I do aspire to it.

Excellent and well organized record store located about 10 minutes outside of downtown Houston. The prices are a little higher than I’d like, but they have everything you could possibly want from both new and used vinyl. If you love box sets, Catcus probably has the largest selection of vinyl box sets I’ve ever seen. I bought the latest reissue from The Donnas and had a very easy time finding it on my own and easily spent another hour just browsing through the tons of new albums. It’s also worth noting that they have a sizable stage. I didn’t go for an event, but it’s probably pretty awesome.

Cool store but some of their items were priced higher than market value. I asked about a Yellow Submarine Album they had priced for $100. The last 9 sales of that album on Discogs ranged from $45 - $85 with an average of $75. I asked if they would take $80 and they were not interested. Better off buying from Discogs.

GOD I LOVE THIS PLACE. An amazing selection of both CD's and records, posters, shirts and more. Picked up a CD for 1/3 of the price I was looking at online. Free live music sometimes. Reasonably priced signed copies. If you're thinking about visiting - visit.

In the early aughts, I used to be an avid reader of the Houston Press. Inside the publication was an ad for an indie record store called Cactus Music, and said ad promoted lots of albums an audiophile could dream of. As a self-proclaimed audiophile myself, I was intrigued by the store. But since I lived more than a couple hours away, I never had a chance to visit it. Twenty or so years later, I finally did a few days ago for a listening party for Linkin Park's upcoming comeback album, From Zero. Cactus is a block away from both Houston's ever-so busy thoroughfares, the Southwest Freeway and Richmond Avenue. You have to have a good eye to spot it. Entering the shop is like a beautiful dream for anyone obsessed with music. Record stores are rare like payphones, but this one keeps the spirit of the former alive. Any format, any album can be found here. There are even some titles that are listed at a dollar so it's no wonder to see a lot of shoppers. Aside from the music and the setup, I was also intrigued by the clothing sold. I was penny pinching at the time of my visit, but I sure love to return and make a purchase.

Cactus is the place to be! You'll always find something. Great gifts and selection! Hard to find vinyl, cassettes and even cds, posters, tees, collectibles. Very decent prices! If you're visiting Houston you MUST come here! It's a staple for our city! Always the kindest people working at the store. They know their stuff and can point you in the right direction. I highly recommend this special place. Plus, you never know when you'll catch an incredible in-store! :))

Listening party beer star pizza vinyl. Used, new, Clerk s who know music. They do events right . Easy parking even on a rainy Sunday

This is my favorite record store EVER!!! I collect vinyls and the selection here is awesome! Staff is also SO very friendly! I asked about a Paramore vinyl and they didn't have it in stock, so they called me and let me know when it was! This is genuinely my happy place and I go whenever I can

Excelente variedad de vinilos, encontré justo lo que iba buscando altamente recomendado para los amantes de la música.

Came here for the Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd listening party in March of 2023. The selection of physical music is incredible, and the staff are with no doubt some of the nicest I've encountered so forth. When waiting for a while in line to buy two LDR CDs, they made sure to give a weighty discount. Most important is their lack of critical judgment and their ready acceptance. They understood the fans coming to listen and had pins available when the posters ran out. I felt free of negative eyes when here! Definitely come even if just to browse. A lot of great copies are on clearance always.

Located near the star pizza next to 59, the place is easy to find and has plenty of parking available. For a record store, the interior is huge and the collection of CDs, cassettes and vinyls are impressive. They sell plenty of other fun things like posters, cardboard cut outs, and funky pops. Came here looking for vinyls, the price for the new and used ones are reasonable (slightly cheaper than the record shops in the heights). The only complaint is that the store is slightly disorganized on genre of music, if you are looking for anything that's indie or alternative, they most likely will be mixed in rock/pop sections.

Has everything from cassettes to vinyls. The staff are always so friendly and there's always new gems to find at good prices. Love this place so much.

Located near Montrose and the OG Halal Guys next to 59. Parking is pretty easy to find. Really large interior that's full of stuff; my complaint is that it's a big disorganized and you'd be spending a lot of time trying to find stuff. Would be great to group out the vinyls by musical genre (rather than have everything be looped under Rock/Pop and be unable to find anything without sorting through everything). Prices are a bit better than the vinyl shops in the Heights and they actually have a decent used vinyl collection. +1 for having Beach House, Max Demarco, and Beach Fossils.

Awesome Music Store. Any thing you want they have. Live music free beer. Check them out.

Been following them on IG for years... Finally had a chance to pop in... I saw they had kpop albums so I decided to pick one up... it included a free keychain... which the guy just let fall on the counter It was a very off putting environment... Now I see why people prefer Amazon & Target Needless to say I unfollowed them on IG

Great atmosphere and vibe with lots of selection. Brought a friend here who was visiting from out of town and wanted to browse vinyls. She found a couple she'd been looking for and left happy.

Super legit record store. Vinyl, CDs, tapes, imports, & rarities. Well curated new and used vinyl.

Definitely a Houston staple. My favorite part is the record room in the back. You are bound to stumble upon some great finds. The employees are really nice as well.

Cool record store with lots of variety from $1 records, new, and used ranging from all different genres. I could've spent hours in here even though I have a list! So much to see and explore.

Heaven! Nostalgia at its best! Vinyl selection A1! Cassettes, cds, etc. the ambience is top tier. Love this place. Todays visit I bought a vinyl, and 3 cassettes.

Who doesn't return unopened merchandise? It's as if they wanna find a reason to not take things back, like the vinyl was in the car and warm and so cannot be returned. That's absurd!

came in here for vinyl. decent thing here and there new and used. wish there were more used but it's a small place. new lps overpriced. idk. had to treat myself for a rough week at work..they had a good sun ra collection.

One of the best record stores I've been into! Well organized with a great selection of new and vintage. Also, tons of great merch!!!

I had a mishap with a color pressing and Violet immediately helped me out, and got me the right one. I can't recommend this record shop enough they have everything and the staff is amazing.

Never have I been to a place of records and be immediately sucked in. Not even the ol' Newbury Comics in Mass can rise to the occasion in record delights. I was in a rush, but I believe I grabbed all I could. This place will have you licking your vinyl loving chops as soon as you step inside. Their records, be it (Imports, oldies, new, owned but never taken advantage of, recently departed and awaiting new ownership, this place has it all in terms of records. I will always come back and spend a good three hours here.

This reminds me of the independent music stores I frequented before streaming. Great vibe, friendly staff, great inventory. Hard to get out of the store without buying something great.

Cactus makes perfect. Or so they say. Expensive but good. Much like your mother. This is a fantastic little independent music store which would earn five stars if only it had cheaper prices. But other than the cost of certain things in here, it's just a fantastic store with great owners and they seem to be very honest. As a musician I recommend this over almost anywhere else I've been.

Daisy is the best worker ! Cactus has very patient workers! I got the best deals on MF DOOMs MM...FOOD. Cannot stress this enough please give them a chance to expand or make your vinyl collection!!

Wait a minute....what just happened to my bank account? Oh, I just visited Cactus again... Seriously folks, this is by far the best record store in Houston. Excellent selection of both new and used, knowledgeable and friendly staff - what more can you ask for? If you are looking for recorded music - all genres! - this should be your first stop!

This place blew my mind! Hubs and I went in, not looking for any specific items, but found a LOT of albums from the early days of country music. There was so much to look at, but we blew the budget by the first row of 97 cent used albums! I can't wait to go back and spend so much more time here! Side note: the construction in this area is wretched. Do not trust your GPS to get you all the way there due to constantly changing road closures. Use your eyeballs!

i've been coming to cactus music for as long as i can remember. i love supporting small+local businesses, and the staff is always super nice and helpful. unfortunately i think they missed the mark with their paramore album listening party. i was kind of confused as to how a small (literally, it's a small store with not much room for many people) record store could host a bunch of people without selling tickets or at least requiring some sort of reservation, but i was excited to hear the album early, so i went. there were at least 100 people packed into the store, and they were quietly playing the album out of one speaker in one corner of the store. with 100+ people talking, you couldn't hear the album at all. i ended up leaving after a couple of songs because i just couldn't hear anything. additionally, they advertised free refreshments, but only offered room temp beer, which left nothing for those under 21 or people who don't drink. i will always support cactus, but i think there needs to be better management/organization with an event in the future.

Came there about two weeks ago for the first time and spent over 100$ on a random search for sound. The customer service was great everyone greeted me and made sure to tell me they were available to help. Gave me great suggestions, and intro to the store and brief history- id see myself coming back here to add onto my current collection. Thank you for making my experience a great know. Also to note; when I checked in via Yelp they offer you a .99 LP for free- pretty neat

I went to cactus music 3/23/2023 for the Melanie Martinez listening party,I called in to make sure I knew when to get there so I could beat the long line and be sure to get the exclusive poster and stickers, when I had called up and asked a worker two days before the event the worker said they would not pass out posters till 5,start playing the music till 5. When I got there on the day of I thought I had a very good spot in line outside I got there at 4:32pm I then realized the line wrapped around the entire inside of the store and I have no sort of problem with it,I had my sister waiting in the car for me and she said she saw people leaving with posters before 5 not to mention they let people line up way before the event had even start and giving away thing,I waited about 45 minutes just for a wrist band and a pin although I am grateful I'm disappointed in my experience once I had to go in I had to wait in line in the back of the store where there is no good kind of AC and was full of heat,not to mention it was very cramped I could barely hear the music till I got farther her into the main part of the store.All I have to say to cactus music themself is do better. I do recommend going if you are just looking for music not for a listening party for a very very popular band/ or artist.

Don't know how I haven't review Cactus Music before now, thought for sure I had. These guys have a fabulous selection of new and used vinyl, 7inches, 12inch singles, picture discs, box sets....you name it....if they make it, Cactus has it. They also have tons of cd's, music related books and collectibles. One stop shopping for all your musical needs. They also have great live performances, from local and national bands. When Record Store Day rolls around, the lines are long, but they will have what you are looking for.

When we called and specifically asked if they had very much used Heavy Metal vinyl they said yes so we headed right over. 99.9 percent was brand new. Very disappointed, but it is a good store and they have quite a bit of NEW and used vinyl and CDs. I found a couple items that I liked. Very clean and organized store. The staff was nice and helpful.

I really like Cactus Music because of the wide variety of CDs and music. Yes, I still buy CDs. The only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was that fact that they didn't have all of the genre of music and the fact that they would have Tupac, but not Biggie Smalls. I was specifically looking for Smashing Pumpkins 1993 album and although they had it--it was way too expensive for that old CD (plus they only had one copy). It's funny how they had Tool, but they didn't have Diecast. I mean, they are both good metal bands. Why carry one and not the other. That was the same problem I had with several other CDs that I was looking for.

You know, this place is confusing. I've never really liked Cactus Music (Cac-douche Music) and sometimes I hate it. The actual store is great - the people are all bozo sh!ts. If you're an out-of-towner and want to check out the Houston vinyl scene - steer clear. I don't want this to be your lasting impression of Houston music. The loot can be good, the sheer abundance is awesome and it's organized - sometimes overpriced but good. Other than their proximity to Trader Joe's on Shepherd, I would not frequent it as much as I do. I'd more than likely avoid it all together. There are two decent fellows that work at Cactus (hence the two awarded stars) - the rest of the men (all male staff) would piss in your grandma's flower bed. Don't expect a "hello" back from these guys - they're WAY too cool. Say "hello" anyway and "goodbye." I always do = crickets. Too cool for school, these guys, way cooler than you and nice ain't in. I'm not rich but I make decent money. Despite my off-duty attire, tethered boots, jeans, and a tank top, I'm actually a Financial Analyst. I carry a small handmade collapsible army green bag with me when I shop for vinyl because it's soft and slim - cut to the exact size of about 4 albums. So here's ONE example of douche baggery that goes on ... one day about 6 months ago, I brought a limited edition MTV Unplugged Nirvana album to trade. Found a couple records I'd make a trade for and the guy (of whom I've known the past few years) short of accused me of stealing the record. He was upset that I'd had this tiny bag on me. "You've been all throughout the store, who knows what you've been doing." I'm not a child. I pulled it out my Nirvana, showed him the unoccupied space in my bag, and left the record with him over night to have priced. Happens all of the time there - I hate that I contribute to putting dinner on these guy's table. If I had it my way, they'd go belly up and have to sell off to some cool people. Again, if you're visiting Houston and want to check out one of our local shops - pass on by these guys. Keep it movin' There are SOOOO many cool options - Vinal Edge, Deep End Records, Sound Exchange, Sig's downtown ... Recommendation to Cactus Personnel: There's a keg on the back wall across from the Jazz and Blues section - use it ; )

This record store was very pleasant place with an amazing staff! The selection of vinyls, cd' along with t-shirt and posters was eye-popping. They also play very relaxing background music. I will definitely be back for my next vinyl purchase!! Thanks Cactus!!

This is like a candy store for me! If you like vinyl records and collective music items, this is it. Everyone here is so nice and helpful. You can tell they know their music and enjoy their jobs. I love that cactus hosts various meet and greets with artists and let us interact with musicians. I could spend hours looking through the music and vinyls here. They also have cool shirts, prints and collectibles. Music stores are so hard to find these days and especially ones with great prices. Whenever you are in Houston and need some amazing music, this is the place to be.

I always love coming here for special events. They have a great selection of vinyls, magazines, books, and all kinds of awesome music merch. Parking is weird but oddly I have always been able to find parking even with a special event. Fortunately they've always carried what I've wanted.

New vinyl and G/VG+ vinyl that is clean, and decent prices. What else can you ask for? I've never been left with bad vinyl from this place - their return period, while short, is generous. Stop by sometime and you'll be impressed. They have live bands and beer fairly regularly too.

Cactus has provided great products and convenience at a great price. Thankful for the amount of care and thought they took to keep patrons and staff safe throughout this pandemic.

If you truly love the sound of music from vinyl, this store is for you. From new to previously loved they have almost everything.

I think this used to be called Cactus Records in a different location, but still in my neighborhood. First off, they have pretty ample parking for being inside the loop. My first visit was this past Saturday. They were pretty busy, so I didn't get a ton oof help with questions. It is a record store though and they just so happen to alphabetize the records... so not too big a deal. I think I purchased 5 new and recently released records. All are fantastic! Got the latest Vampire Weekend (father or the bride) it is pretty phenomenal. Also got the latest Beck, Spoons greatest hitt that few attires one new song, No Bullets Spent, the latest Black Keys (Let's Rock) and finally the latest Cage the Elephant (Social Cues). Definitely went 5 for 5 with all fantastic songs from beginning to end. This rarely happens to bee the case. I'm really giving it 4.5 stars and for a few reasons. On my first trip Saturday, these guys didn't know what an SACD was. But then one employee said we might have some... I got excited I said what do you have and where. He said I don't know and they'd just be mixed in. I did have a great chat with a couple while waiting in line to checkout. Also the DJ was pretty helpful and semi-talkative. I returned back this evening looking for 2 pretty popular records and they had neither. Prices are middle of the road to the higher side of value, but I actually prefer hitting and supporting local stores. I think it's worth the few extra bucks. I will continue to shop here regularly, as I've got a pretty bad vinyl habit. I told them the other 2 stores I hit. I was actually probably most disappointed with Sig's Lounge, even though it has the highest Yelp review for all Houston record sHops. Cactus was helpful and recommended Vinyl Edge. I will probably swing by there tomorrow to see iff they have a few records I'm on the hunt for.

I went to Cactus Music one day to sale and had the most horrible experience. First I walk in and they told me i had two people in front of me when I wanted to sell. Lies or confusion, you be the judge... Then they didn't take one of my CDs claiming scratches when it was just fine. Crazy! I had to think to myself... I own stock in Apple, I have a degree, I don't go around hurting people, I am smart. I've had little weird experiences with them in the past where silly things would happen with them on Twitter, but they're dumb now.

I had the pleasure of visiting Cactus Music on shop small saturday. It's a cool concept where you can support local businesses and get a $25 credit from your AMEX credit card. This store is awesome because you can find hard to find classics, vinyl, box sets, just about any other cool item related to music. But the best part? The FREE live music. They have a small stage and offer concerts free to the public. Also, while you get to listen to FREE music you get FREE beer too from Saint Arnold's. What else could you ask for?

Very cool local record store. However, why do they close so early? Check them out during cool events. We wandered in Saturday afternoon - and they had a live band and were selling beer. Helpful staff, great selection. Also a great place to buy gifts for holidays or birthdays.

Been a long time since I had visited a record store. Really nice brings back the delight of youth, when I used to visit them all the time and go through selection. Wow, online convenience os nice, but it just doesn't compare to going to store and flipping through the collection, and hearing tunes that one would never, ever even think about not even with all the AI tech. When a store clerk puts on off the wall tune and we get to enjoy and discover music from another era, time, and land that experience can never ever be duplicated online. Plus the clerk was very nice and helped me out to located a CD that I was looking from, and introduced me to a Brazilian CD that was playing while I walked in. Love, that is just all I have to say.

I always love coming here. I'm not sure if anyone will understand this. There is a specific smell that comes with vinyl records. Like how library's smell or coffee shops. This place is the real deal. Their prices are fair and the selection is wonderful.

Great in-store events with beverages from St Arnold's. Welcoming and knowledgeable staff. I have watched more than one band and left with a signed record. I have left with signed books from John Doe(X the band) , Lol Tolhurst(co-founder of the Cure ) and others

This place is truly a must see for any music lovers when in H-Town. I brought my record-obssesed girlfriend and she was in heaven I swear. They have such a huge selection of various genres, they even have a section of records from movies like grease and hairspray ( it's wonderfuly, truly). We probably spent like an hour just wandering around the store and my gf walked out with some of her favorites. Their restroom is noteworthy , I had a blast reading all of the writings on the wall( people are so clever and funny I swear). I can't wait to come back and get some more records for myself , they have a pretty cool selection of books like Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis ect.. I was admittely amazed by their selection of airboards which I would love to fill my apt with, my head ran wild with ideas when I saw a giant Lumineers airboard. I really can't wait to come back. They had some cool tom petty and the heartbreakers tshirts amongst other they are just a tad bit expensive but most certainly stop by this wonderful music-lovers paradise for a fun time.

Store itself is great, but business practices are what I question since new vinyl is regularly marked up 10-15% in an already inflated vinyl market. Additionally, it's hot as hell in the store. Isn't humidity a factor to be considered for preservation of vinyl and to keep it from warping? At the end of the day, I'd probably support local stores more if prices were fair, but the fact that I can get LPs, in mint condition, cheaper online or through Discogs.com makes frequenting the store less important.