Chron Critique: Rough Trade

Zoe Casselman / The Hofstra Chronicle

Whether it’s hanging decoratively on a wall or being spun on a turntable blasting through stacked speakers, vinyl is making a comeback. Digital access seemingly shoved physical copies of music into the niche, but now sales are the highest they’ve been in years. Lying at the commercial center of New York City is Rough Trade, located right next to Rockefeller Center.

Though the shop started in the United Kingdom and is most prominent there, Rough Trade was brought to Manhattan and has established itself as one of the most notable record shops in the area, offering a relatively wide range of music to choose from.

After pulling open the heavy double doors, I was shocked by the tiny room I had entered. For a place that managed to host IndiePlaza, a large full-day free event with many mildly popular bands, I was expecting a massive warehouse or at least numerous floors of products. Then again, most record shops are small, so I did not mind its compact size. The more important judgment is what they have in stock. Rough Trade categorizes the many genres it has into mostly specific sections; separating artists who, to some, may sound similar but fall into a different scene entirely.

Despite this, Rough Trade does fail when it comes to its alternative section, which, being one of the larger areas, seemingly muddles together a large range of music into one general category.

Among this confusion, I managed to find the newest album from an up-and-coming yet small band called Hello Mary in which two of the three members, just now barely graduating high school, have over 21 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify.

While I was shocked at some of the small-time artists I managed to find, Rough Trade lacks in its merchandise overall. There was a handful of underground artists presented, but when compared to most record shops, the selection was minimal. Part of this is because Rough Trade lacks a stock of used vinyl.

There is a small section where one may buy a few used vinyls of mediocre quality with barely any discount. Many record shops I have been to include a massive range of old and used vinyl which can be bought at a fraction of the original price. In these shops, many of the vinyls are vast and varying in popularity, allowing one to discover artists they have never and would not have otherwise known. Discovering these albums and artists is one of the greatest joys of vinyl shopping with many enthusiasts spending hours flipping through the selections at the chance to dig up a rare treasure.

In its current essence, Rough Trade is more on the spectrum of a chain brand than an independent record shop. One of the first things you see when entering the store is its gimmicky photo booth, sitting in front of a massive wall of customers and celebrities who have come to take a picture and have it placed on the wall.

I am guilty of using it, because it is a fun addition, but it is very exemplary of Rough Trade being more of a brand than a simple indie record shop.

Rough Trade is also known to host numerous events and concerts in the area, such as the recent IndiePlaza, a listening party for artist Mitski’s newest album and an upcoming event for Slaughter Beach Dog. However, all this is not to discourage one from going there, as it is a great entry-level and easily accessible place for many who are just starting on their vinyl obsession to obtain a relatively good range of music, both popular and underground.