Crooked Beat Records

Best RSD experience around: fair, orderly, and an amazing staff to guide you through it. Well worth the drive from wherever you are on Record Store Day or any day that ends in “y.”

Great record store. You can find all kinds of records, from the old time rock & roll to the new music. If you are in the area I definitely recommend stopping by.

A truly awesome vinyl store. Plenty of choice with a focus on independent labels, alt-rock and post punk. A mix of new and second hand with friendly and knowledgeable staff. Places like this need to survive so please visit. I spent 2 hours there with my 12 yo daughter and we loved every minute

I love this place, their selection of old and new records is great and the customer service is always fantastic

A hidden gem off the corner of Madison Street. Cozy little shop, reminds me of what I wanted my bedroom to look like in middle school. A grand selection of new and used vinyl. Decent pricing. Staff is very informative. I didn’t buy anything here today but this will be the first place I visit when I wanna get my hands on some vinyl.

Crooked Beat is a great local record shop. Bill knows his stuff and always has a good rotating selection of new and used vinyl. Sometimes he releases some very special records when he has purchased someone’s collection, so keep an eye on their social media accounts. Given the issues that they were having with the building, I was excited to hear that he was staying local and only moving to Del Ray. The pictures are just some of the gems I’ve picked up here.

visiting from michigan and this shop came highly recommended. awesome selection and loved chatting with Bill for a bit. clean and spacious with decent prices, walked out with some good picks and more knowledge about local DC music courtesy of Bill. thanks a ton! will be back.

Big fan of this record store. Just went for the first time at its new location in Del Ray, right next to the Cheestique. It’s a little tighter than the old location, but that’s obviously not their fault. Great selection, just like before, and a good mix of local bands. I hadn’t even realized Ex Hex had a new album and they had it. Also picked up some classic Christmas albums. Highly recommend if you’re in Del Ray or nearby. The clerk was really knowledgeable and friendly. The more you support local record stores the more likely they’ll stay in business, so definitely give it a try if you’re in the market for vinyl.

Stopped in for the first time today. Eric was super nice!!! This shop has an excellent selection of new/used vinyl with decent prices. Easy to browse with great decor. Found a bunch of great items!

Location. I.live in Parffairfax and I can walk to the store. I appreciate the esthetics. Service is quite good and the prices are very reasonable. All things are good to great

Great neighborhood record store with friendly staff, a fantastic selection, fair prices, and a unique underground space that makes it feel authentic. Watch out for their events like limited record releases!

They relocated to Delray - FYI. The new space is nice; their selection is good and the staff are helpful. They have all kinds of events (check their event board outside the entrance or their website). Everything is well organized by genre and it's a fun way to spend an hour perusing around.

like the movie High Fidelity (which this place reminds me of), great record stores are as much selection as they are knowledgeable staff who can help you fill in the gaps in your collection. Crooked Beats has both in spades. Top Five record stores on the east coast.

Great place... they changed their address to 2417 Mt Vernon ave, the owner was super friendly and knowledgeable.

I went in with high expectations because of past reviews. I think for some collectors this would be the perfect record store, especially if you like new vinyl. I prefer used classic rock, and the selection was incredibly picked over. There were virtually no records for any major artists, like Bruce Springsteen, Beatles, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, etc. The records I did like were overpriced. I did get 3 records for $20 which was a good deal, but the records I bought were in tough condition and not from popular artists. What I did like about the store was it's bestselling albums of the week displayed on the wall. It's also cool that they have a DC artist section.

Let it be known that wedding planning is a pain in the butt. But you know what rocks? Wedding gifts! Annie K and her boyfriend recently gifted Robert S and I with a vintage record player which is the raddest, baddest, most awesome gift I have received so far. I'll admit it, I'm a record noob....I had to read the instruction manual from front to back to figure out how to move the damn needle but once I figured that out I knew that I had to purchase my first record to join up the ranks of vinyl heads everywhere. I stumbled upon Crooked Beat Records while walking over to Mandu one lovely summer afternoon and my fate was sealed. The store is pretty small but it is filled to the brim with records from every genre. I was especially pleased with their collection of old school jazz and soul. Hellooooo Duke Ellington! They also had a few newer rock albums and I ended up taking home my very first Daft Punk album on vinyl. Prices were in the $15 - $30 range but all of their used albums were in very good condition. I could spend hours just trolling through their entire selection. So excited, I hope to one day be up to Mike B's level!

I don't know why this store has such high ratings. Being somewhat new to the DC area (I've been here for about 4 months now), I figured one of the first things I should do is acquaint myself with some of the local record stores. Obviously, Crooked Beat Records came up on a quick Google search. Though I had been to AdMo a few times, I always put off going to visit Crooked Beat Records. One early evening, though, I finally made it a point to go. Perhaps it was me hyping it up, but I was so disappointed. I went in, expecting great things because of the reviews on Yelp... but it was such a disappointment. They had a good mix of new vinyls and used vinyls. On the wall, they also have merchandise (shirts, etc) for purchase. They had a huge stock, but there was nothing GOOD. No gems at all. I mean, that'd be all right if they actually priced their stuff accordingly... but nope. Pretty much everything here is overpriced. For example, I picked up a Dusty Springfield record here, looked at the $12 price tag, and immediately put it down. I had literally just been to Joint Custody not 10 minutes prior and saw that same album (in the same--if not better--condition) for a dollar. I... I just legitimately don't understand some of these reviews. I understand everything in DC is a bit more expensive, but when other shops in DC have better prices, that should be a sign to shop elsewhere. I don't know if a lot of the reviewers are casual vinyl collectors or only got into it to look "cool" (and not for the actual music), but if you're pressed on time in the DC area and want to make your record store rounds, you can definitely skip this place. I've been to record stores all across the country (and in different continents) and this is probably one of the worst I've ever visited.

Worst vibe I've ever experienced in a vinyl shop. Bad customer service, sterile atmosphere, extremely rude staff. Felt unwelcome and they did not appreciate their customers. Don't bother with this poor excuse of a record store. Also WAY overpriced. Will never return. Poor location.

This is a cool little record store in Old Town. They have new vinyl & used vinyl. They have a new arrivals section in the used vinyl section. They have rock, pop, jazz, urban and comedy albums. They have a small section of 45s too. Prices are reasonable, selection is fair and the place is decorated with old concert posters. They also sell turntable needles & cartridges. Nice to see a funky record shop in Old Town.

How rad! This indie music store is pretty darn cool. One of its orginal owners is now running Som over on 14th Street. I my opinion and others like me who are constantly in search of non corporate chain stores to get their tunes, there can't be too many of shops like this. Based on the old Clash album that was playing when I was in here, the name "Crooked Beat" comes from one of the lesser known songs from band's album Sandanista. I remember when Madam's Organ used to be in the same building upstairs, before it moved across the street. If you do decide to stop in, take a look at their "local band" section stocked with stuff like Siddal's "Pedestal." There is also a bunch of Dischord stuff and photos, too

I've been going to Crooked Beat for several years and even more since they moved down to Alexandria from Adams Morgan. In short, if you are looking for a new record (particularly in the alt/indie genre) this place is likely to have it. They have a very good selection of new vinyl and new reissues. Most of it is concentrated in alt/indie, but they do have an OK selection of newly issued/reissued jazz, soul, and classic rock stuff. It's also cool that they have a dedicated space for local DC bands. As far as the used vinyl selection goes, it's usually underwhelming. The used jazz and rock sections are pretty small compared to other record shops in the area. I have rarely experience a "WOW" moment finding a rare used record here. Every so often you might get lucky though but it seems there's not much turnover in their used selection. All in all, it's worth checking this place out. Prices are fine and comparable to other shops. The owner is a nice guy and knowledgeable. There's usually plenty of street parking out front and it's easy to find.

Great record store! Tons of vinyl, great selection, and knowledgeable people. Plenty of parking, just north of Old Town.

Very good selection and at a reasonable price. Easy to park nearby. The owner knows his stuff.

The best record shop in the DMV hands down and I have collected vinyl in shops all over the world. Bill the owner is everything you expect a great record store owner to be and the selection of new, used, import and rare is incredible. A jewel for vinyl lovers.

Well-managed vinyl record shop with a steady stream of new and used releases -- which you can get sneek peaks thru their social media channels including flip videos of new arrivals. You'll generally have no problem finding nearby street parking. New and used music is organized separately and by genre with an emphasis on punk, modern and rock genres; although the jazz, blues and soul are there as well. The musician-owner, Bill Daly, is a certifiable rock and punk musician historian and has insights that only many years of being part of the North Carolina, DC and Virginia music scene provides--take a moment to view the wall of posters. Need a turntable, some record cleaner, a Crooked Beat T-shirt, or a recommendation on what to listen to next--Crooked Beat is your place.

I've been coming to Crooked Beat sine I moved two D.C. 5 years ago. I've moved around the city, they've moved down the street, but they've always been consistently wonderful. I've found many...gems here in those five years, including a white label promo "Tonight's the Night" (Neil Young) for $20), Stereo first pressing Kinks "Something Else" and "Face to Face for around $30 a pop, as well as many new LP's I haven't been able to find elsewhere. Bill and the staff are always welcoming, and knowledgeable about their stock, and can often find something for you that you've been looking for. I know recently he had at least one Beatles "Butcher Cover" pass through the store. Another positive about this place is that everything is priced fairly based on the condition of the LP. If it comes down to paying $1 for a beat up LP, or $12 for a pristine LP, I'm spending the $12, I've spent too much on my stereo to buy bad records. One of the biggest problems I have noticed in D.C. record stores is, the listening stations are horrible. Cheap components, with usually worn down needles (I get it, it's not really worth investing in a listening station) but I know that I've spent a lot of money at other stores only to bring an LP home, and it sounds trashed, the vinyl looks good, but it sounds trashed (set your tracking force and anti-skate properly kids, or you'll ruin records, if that's not something you can do on your turntable, buy a different turntable) In closing, if you want an honestly priced, friendly store, with A+ used quality, and an amazing selection of new vinyl, hit Crooked Beat. ...And it's not VINYLS...

I'm not in any sense "indie cool". I don't have a record player, I can't tell you about awesome, obscure Guided By Voices tracks that never made it onto Alien Lanes, I'm not up to date on the latest theories for why Metal Machine Music was made. It's "The Universal Record Store Problem": how do I find a record store where I can find music I like (that's somewhat more obscure than what's on todays top 40) and not get shit looks for failing to fill all of my indie quota? You lose 100 points for answering with the iTunes music store. Here's how this I suspect this works. Despite having a number of important cultural, artistic, musical movements, D.C. somehow escaped having any real bohemian district. Because of this, there's a lack of any place in D.C. to foster annoying hipster aloofness. What we get in return is Crooked Beat Records, a record store with a nice/knowledgable staff, who stock incredible albums, and don't seem to have any indie 'tude. To be fair, this store won't be for everyone. The selection is clearly condensed to cater to a certain audience. But even if you find it difficult to get excited about the new Double Dagger album (and not having to drive to Baltimore to get it), I'm sure you could have someone from the staff set you up at the vinyl listening station with something. Oh and I've been next door to Smash, and they seem like really nice people, but Crooked Beat is far superior in their collection and the fact that they don't make it your one-stop subculture shop by filling their store with thrift shop clothing. To summarize: this is the best place in DC to buy music, I'll be back many times. A++++++++++++++++ would buy again.

A lot of new records but terrible selection for used. Many artists I was looking for had nothing at all when I flipped to their section in the used records. Prices were decent but I'm not looking for new records.

Stopped into Crooked Beat for the first time and I highly doubt I'll be back...then again D.C.isn't known for their record shops...so I'm not surprised! The Good.... -people working there seemed nice -open til 9pm The Bad... -selection was pitiful! -prices are so far beyond the actual value of the borderline used garage sale type records they have for sale -new LPs were very pricey...you'd have to be anti- internet or seriously that dumb to pay $35 for the same shit selling online for $20 Overall this has to be one of the worst record shops I've ever been to in terms of a quality selection and fair prices. Another reason I rarely buy records in DC. Glad I live in Baltimore where quality shops still exist!

For a dedicated vinyl collector, this place offers a pretty decent selection of new vinyl, both reissues and new titles. Prices are fair/comparable to Internet pricing, and I like buying locally and avoiding shipping charges. Used vinyl is a bit hit or miss and is not a strength, although I understand that the store has a plan to increase the amount of vinyl stocked (decreasing used cd titles) - yeah! Last time I visited they had (new) bootlegs, Classic Records titles (at Internet pricing), and other nice punk and indie titles. Not bad for a small place in Adams Morgan.

Rad place for records! I've walked by this place tons of times but good thing I finally stopped in. I've been looking for a place that has a good selection of new vinyl and re-issues and this place definitely does. Their used vinyl section is on point too-- mostly rock and jazz/ soul with limited stock of 40s-60s and country. I was lucky enough to find some sweet original pressing Blue Note LPs that didn't break the bank but were still in good condition! Their only downside I can recount is that their selection of 45s was a bit scanty. Despite that one, tiny downside-- Crooked Beats is most definitely worth a visit.

Really great selection with mostly rock, indie rock and punk. This place has great old concert posters and fliers on the walls as well. Great spot.

Store was not open when it said it would be open. No response on phone (for obvious reasons) or on twitter. Tried to go on a Wednesday after 12pm. The sign and website say the store is open 12-9pm on Wednesday. I will attempt to revise my review when or if I ever go back.

Crooked Beat is great! They have in-store concerts. They get in great new titles whenever they come out. They do special orders for new records or will keep an eye out for a used record you may be looking for. A couple notes: 1. I love their logo! Their shirts are so cool 2. I've never picked up a used record from them that skipped or was scratched up.

This place is great. I completely agree with the caveats previous reviewers have put forth, that this is a terrible town for record shops, etc., but I've been to great record shops all over the place and a lot of them - regardless of where they are - have a lot in common with Crooked Beats. The vibe is grungy and homespun, but the selection is pretty decent, and the staff is very, very knowledgable and accomodating. Well done, Crooked Beats.

What a wonderful store. Very knowledgable staff - these guys and gals LOVE MUSIC. i stop in every time i'm in town :-) I'm mostly writing to counter Morgans very very confused "review". Crooked Beat is not Walmart or Target, which is what i think she's looking for. When you say "but there was nothing GOOD", you have to give at least ONE example. what do you consider good? this store is literally busting at the seems with GOOD: This is just the best sellers list: The Evens - S/T (DC Band featuring Amy Farina and Ian Mackaye from Fugazi) Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over the Sea Arcade Fire- -Funeral Belle & Sebastian- The Boy With The Arab Strap Cat Power - The Greatest Fugazi - The Argument Fleet Foxes - S/T Magnetic Fields- 69 Love Songs Boxset- (Now out of print on Vinyl) Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One Fugazi - Repeater The National- Boxer The Clash - London Calling Fugazi-EP Panda Bear- Person Pitch Pixies- Doolittle Radiohead- Ok Computer Over-priced? and she cites one $12 vinyl? I'm a musician and i understand working your butt off for the love of it and not getting much in return. i also understand how horrible it is to have someone write a review about something they know nothing about. you want to find some great vinyl? walk into crooked beat *once*, actually look at the stuff in the bins, and talk to the staff. you won't find a better store anywhere. depending on when you go there's a good chance you'll come face to face with actual successful local area musicians - tho something tells me that Morgan wouldn't recognize them. There's a reason they shop there. And Morgan, it's not "vinyls", the plural of vinyl is "vinyl". As a PSA, I am including a google map with directions for Morgan from Crooked Beat to Walmart: https://goo.gl/maps/6JTrX

For people who still purchase compact discs (are you out there?) this is THE best music shop in the District. I used to stop by bi-weekly when I lived in the area. The selection isn't the largest, but if obscure/non-mainstream artists (ok, "indie") is what you're looking for, CB is beat-tastic. Although within the past year or more the focus has turned to records rather than CDs so the selection is the largest, but the quality makes up for the lacking quantity. The staff are super nice, helpful and flat-out people I'd want to grab a beer w/.. while discussing music of course. See, I'm guilty of being one of those music snobs you all know and loathe and for that, I truly apologize. But for this reason alone, know CB will do you no wrong.

One of the last of its types, a good place to find the real stuff, not just represses. Joe bob says check it out

Who loves tunes? I do I do I doooooOO. Remember when we had tangible music? When album artwork mattered? When artists took pride in writing songs because people would read the credits? I miss those times, I miss them badly. I'm that guy whose bitter that things have changed for the worst. We've depleted all our musical creativity it seems and now we fall for gimmicks like... well let me not name names for fear of hurting someone's feelings, but pretty much everyone on the radio, MTV, BET, etc. is a let down to my ears. Having said that, I get a kick out of record stores, a place where I can escape from the digital world to a place where artists weren't getting their music stolen. Crooked Beat is legit, however I'm not a true vinyl guy so I don't know if my review holds any weight. My apartment is the size of a cockpit, so to have a record player and stacks of vinyl would be a nuisance for me. There's a modest soul/r&b section. Dug in the crates, found some Brothers Johnson, Barry White, Al Green and other 70's legends that white people are familiar with. But, if you're looking for something a little more soulful but not as popular, you might be disappointed. Was looking for Marlena Shaw, Phyllis Hyman, Eddie Holman, and other smaller artists but no luck. From what I hear, the rock collection is what brings them in. I'm a tad of a novice to the 70's rock scene, so I can't comment but the shelves were filled. Best thing about here, there is a record player for you to boogie on. I've definitely looked like a fool on that thing, but it took me back. It reminded me of my high school days when I'd hit up Union Square, head at the Virgin Record store, killing time at the listening station. Intrigued by an album's artwork, giving it a listen as you read the credits on the back. Sigh... I miss tangible music.

Very large selection of records. It didn't feel all dusty like a lot of stores that sell vinyls. Friendly staff and pretty good pricing.

Good place. I finally found the Otis Redding LP I had been looking for at the other record stores in the area and for a good fair but not great price. Smells overwhelmingly of cat food.

Ever since I broke out the record player, I've been making regular stops at Crooked Beats when I'm on 18th. They're probably responsible for half of my small but growing collection of LP's and I'm happy to spend a half hour or more searching through their stacks of New and Used records. You can find some decent prices on more obscure bands (I got myself a Robert Plant solo classic for 4 dollars) but if you're looking for the classics (stones, Bowie, Beatles, Marvin Gay) be prepared to shell out a little more. They have an impressive collection of the latest indie records, however, which I'm more inclined to put down a little more for. They'll let you listen to your record before you buy - they have a few machines set up and you can get a good sense of the quality of your used albums before you bring them home. The staff is friendly and generally helpful and will custom order you stuff if you're looking for something they aren't stocking. But I found Sufjan's Illinoise and a Shins album right off the bat. They also have a good selection of used CD's - if you're into that sort of thing. Generally, I'll scope this place out first (if I'm on the hunt for new music) and then head next door to Smash! - which also has a good selection of albums, but for much less (think 5 dollars instead of 15). Nice place to look around and find additions to your collection.

Incredible selection of new records; lots of indie and punk (which can be harder to find in FL). Metal was seriously lacking in the store (and most stores I checked in northern VA). The owner was very helpful and recommended a good restaurant up the street.

Great selection of indie rock/folk/alternative LPs. Really solid collection of older works across genres too (funk, classic rock, hair bands, grunge). They've formally shifted out of the CD business and focus entirely on records-- with good reason.

Finally a record store in Old Towne. Love this place. Great selection of new and used. Reasonably priced. Knowledge staff. Only complaint that I only had two hours to spend before my wife dragged me out.

So happy that there is a record store near by. Love that fact that they know what they are talking about. Awesome place.

During that post college vacuum phase, I was always surrounded by the theatre sorts. And the writer sorts. The indie music types. You know, smokers. Everyone had a real sense of irony around them, a chip on the shoulder and we'd commiserate about how utterly miserable our lives were. How I wish I'd discovered Crooked Beat back then, because I would have loved it far more than I do now! Don't get me wrong, I still think that it's a fantastic store and I fell in love with it within minutes of walking in, but it certainly appeals to a very specific demographic and that's obviously intentional. As a tiny store jam packed with vinyl records that feature everyone from Miles Davis, Coltrane to Jefferson Airplane, it truly romanticizes the idea of listening to good music. Really, really good music! Plus, if you're lucky you might find a "Rubber Soul" record - check out the groovy cover design. It might sound sacrilegious to some, but I've framed it, along with some of my other favorite covers, to add to my growing collection of pop-art. This store warrants a visit if you are even slightly musically inclined. It's a great place to pick up gifts for that hipster friend (in my case, my dad - yup, it's true) of yours, and of course, if music is your thing I can almost guarantee that you will love this place. In a city that lacks any sense of bohemia, I'm so grateful that Crooked Beat just plain exists!

The place was great for selling my used vinyl. I took a 20% discount to get cash instead of store credit, but that's fair. The place is convenient and honest.

A very cool little indie music store! The staff made some good recommendations based on my taste. I like having the ability to listen to the CDs before purchasing as well. They have a great selection of indie artists.

This is an incredibly cool little indie record store, a little basement room under a small 18th street storefront. Not a far walk from Dupont Circle metro at all. I'm a sucker for interesting atmos, and this place has an excellent record store vibe, vintage posters covering the wall above long racks of records. They have a pretty decent new/unopened record collection, I scored a double LP of The Horrors's 'Skying' for $18. They also have a decent used collection, as well as a cool rack of band tees, Ramones, Joy Division, New Order, the works. This place is just really cool and the guys behind the counter were nice. I'll definitely be back.

Visiting Washington D.C. we lucked out to find one of the great records stores in the country still doing great. What makes a great record store? A great selection of music, with well chosen LPs, and most importantly a nice staff to chat with--keep great music and great music stores alive and pay a visit to Crooked Beat!

This store is blah at best. Pretty stagnant inventory. It seems like the last few times I went in they looked to be throwing a lot of their better stuff online. Lame. I've given up on going here because they seem to not care, so why should I?

This is an excellent small music store that only opened about a year or so ago. They sell music from many independent labels as well as some mainstream artists as well. The selection is tilted towards the Pitchfork Media type. This place reminds me of some small record stores I used to frequent in San Francisco. Don't walk too quickly because you might miss it since it's on a basement level.

Cool indie CD & vinyl selections. Lots of newer stuff but also old punk and collectibles -- everything from the Ponys to Ghostface Killah to Wolfmother to the Clash to 1950s classics. I loved that they were blasting Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs today -- Such a witty album. There were also tons of labels and bands I'd never heard of. If you have time to kill, this could be a good place to discover obscure bands -- They have machines where you can play any CD or record in the store. The record player has a funny "No scratching!" sign.

Crooked Beats is a fantastic record store located in the funky neighborhood of Adam's Morgan. They carry a variety of classic, obscure, and current vinyl. It's easy to find albums by artists ranging from bluesman RL Burnside, to French yeye chanteuse Francoise Hardy, to indie darlings Neutral Milk Hotel at this hipper-than-thou establishment. I also found the staff to be highly knowledgeable, and if you don't ask for top forty crap, surprisingly friendly, as well. They even let me hold a vintage Os Mutantes record that I was interested in purchasing, answered questions for me about their latest shipment of new releases from the label Drag City, and helped me find the DVD section, where I purchased a copy of the harrowing Joy Division/Ian Curtis biopic, "Control." If you're a music snob, this is the place you want to patronize in Washington, D.C.

This is the best record store in DC in my opinion (I've been to all five that I'm aware of). They have a great selection of both new and used vinyl. The owner is friendly and helpful. The store is clean, the vinyl is in great condition and is easy to browse. I give it 5 stars as a good place to find indie records as well as classic rock on vinyl.

This is my favorite record shop in DC. Great prices and the owner is super nice and knows his stuff.