Human Head Records

Human Head Records is one of my favorite record stores in NYC, hands down. I’m a regular both in-store and on their Discogs page, and every experience has been solid. The shop itself has that classic record store vibe, the smell of old vinyl, yes, even a little moldy at times, which I personally love :) and rows of crates you can get lost in for hours. What really makes the place stand out is the team. D, who has helped me several times including today, deserves a big shout-out. He’s patient, super knowledgeable, and always has a great attitude. Today he went above and beyond being extra patient with my order, and I really appreciate that kind of service. Shops like this thrive because of people like him. The stock here is fantastic, excellent condition, fair prices, and always something new to discover. I live in the Bronx and they are absolutely worth the trip out to Brooklyn. When I can’t make it in person, I also order from their Discogs page and the shipping is always smooth. If you love vinyl, this is the kind of shop that makes collecting special. Great records, service, and always a great reason to come back.

I put off going here for years because I live near five good record stores and that was a dumb mistake. Human Head is amazing. When you walk in there’s a wall of old tyme afrobeat. There are five listening stations, all with Technics 1200s and solid headphones. The $2 and $5 disco bins are full of gold. From what I saw the store had great records lurking everywhere. What a store!

Lots of used records with good prices. I was looking for jazz records and they have a lot of them. Prices are good and staff are friendly and helpful.

I had the pleasure of working with James from Human Head Records while cleaning out my mother’s home in preparation for its sale. It’s been a challenging time for our family following the unexpected and tragic passing of my father, and sorting through decades of belongings has been emotionally overwhelming. Among the things we uncovered were about eight milk crates filled with old vinyls, 45s, and 78s. Some of the records have been sitting untouched for over 2 decades. I reached out to Human Head Records to see if they could help us determine whether any of them held value. James got back to me within 20 minutes and arranged a convenient in-home visit (we live in NYC). He stayed in touch via text that morning, confirmed our appointment, and kept me updated throughout the day on his arrival time. James was kind, respectful, and clearly passionate about what he does. He took the time to explain his valuation process to my family and was genuinely excited about some of the records we had. It was evident he knows his stuff. After going through everything, we reached a fair agreement and completed the deal right on the spot. The entire experience was easy, smooth, and unexpectedly enjoyable. I highly recommend reaching out to James and Human Head Records if you’re looking to sell or learn more about your vinyl collection. You’ll be in excellent hands! Thank you James.

One of the best record stores in Brooklyn! (And NYC too) I was in a real jam, and the guys at Human Head Records offered the best prices for my vinyl collection. I highly recommend visiting them if you're selling, and want to be treated fairly. Thanks again for the help.

Excellent store all around! Rare gems can be found every time you go! New arrivals bin is always filled with great priced stuff and their artist-specific jazz bins showcase hard to find titles not easily seen! If you only have time to go to 1 shop in NYC, this should be your stop!

The New Arrivals bins here are incredible. Great store. Reasonable prices. Godawful screaming dissonance on the speakers to make sure you buy what you need and don't stay too long.

Had a great time here. Fantastic selection of Brooklyn-style house and techno with some unique gems and wonderful crew at the store which was pleasant and helpful. One of the best shops I've visited worldwide.

Searching online for opinions on record stores and I could not hear enough good things about Human Head Records. The staff was welcoming and seemed pretty chill. I wasn't shopping for myself but I did see that they had a good variety of records and they also had reasonable pricing.

Great people and an excellent selection of tunes I have shopped on line and in person I would highly recommend

Truly outstanding in every way - this is what you want in a record store: huge selection, listening stations, knowledgeable staff, great vibe. It's in a funky neighborhood that may be off your usual path, but it is absolutely worth the effort. Can't wait to go back!

This is a great place to sell your used and unwanted vinyl records. The staff, in particular John, was honest, helpful, and very personable, and I was given a fair price for all of my old records. I highly recommend trying this place when you are finally ready to part with your old vinyl. I will be using them again when I need to sell some more of my collection.

Good records for fair price and multiple listening stations . Don't talk to me while I'm here I'm busy digging haha

After a long week I finally decided to go to Human Head after years of hoping to/not finding the time when I'm in the area. I only had an hour but I put in the work. Records are great particularly in the disco/house section where I filled my boots. Got records I really wanted and the place is clearly a neighborhood spot for people to shoot the shit. A proper record store and the prices are very, very good. I'll be back.

Great space. Incredible selection of old school joints and the prices are pretty good. Only small grip is the lack of modern hip-hop records but that's a preference of mine. Cool people and definitely worth a visit if you dig the classics.

Be wary of buying from them online. I wanted to buy two records for $119, and had a simple question: does the record have the original inner sleeve? Between May 18 and May 26 I sent 5 messages asking, and received no response from Human Head. At one point I called the store, and was told no on there could answer, and to ask again on Discogs. I was told this time someone would reply. On May 26, my order was cancelled, without my requesting it, and I was hit with my first negative feedback on Discogs after 494 orders. They've been unresponsive ever since, even as I tried to still place the order and pay them. I've ordered from them 6 times previously without issue, but repeat business means nothing to them. They are rude and petty, and went out of their way to earn a 1-star review.

Contacted them to sell my vinyl. James got back to me and set up a time to come and evaluate the collection. He kept me informed every step of the way, did what he said he was going to do when he said he would do it. Very professional and knowledgeable and just an overall nice guy. He bought the entire collection at a very fair price. Highly recommend selling to them.

This is what you look for in a record store if you're digging for a quick haul... prices are totally fair on the pricey ones, and then real large bins of $2 and $5 records. I got like 25 records, was $125, dropped to $105, and then... here's the best part... I asked for a box to ship them back to LA... and Travis, an exceptional human, just said, "oh, we can ship them for you, how about $5?"... DUDE!! Are you kidding me!?! Hell yeah! Plus he gave me a free record bag. This ain't your $50 a record snobby spot to get whatever bs reissue thing you need cuz you just started buying records last week... There are piles of records everywhere and multiple listening stations. Strongly back it.

Seem to have issues with pricing...clueless in regards to original pressings versus reissues

This place is awesome. Good prices, great people, and just all around inviting. I popped in with some friends and would definitely return. 4.5/5

Currently closed for renovation at their new location (289 Meserole), but their online shop on Discogs is still open. Best to call to make sure the shop is open before going over.

Travis, the owner of Human Head Records was considerate of my complaint of J.S. and made good on an extra payment I requested. Compensation meant a lot

I can't believe I have not written a review for Human Head. This place is my #1 among the top 3 record store in NYC (along with A-1 in East Village and Academy Annex in Greenpoint) I don't know why but they always end up having at least 50% of records that I've been looking for, and the price is NOT ridiculous. They have at least 2-3 listening station, so you never have to wait too long to try out the records. Very good $2 sections as well. But NEW ARRIVALS is always unending source of pleasant surprises. p.s. this is solely a RSD instance, but during RSDs they have 4 records for $1 sale (25 cents each). And these are not entirely UNWANTED piles of records...they have really good selection and surprisingly in good shape.

Travis is impossibly meek for being a world class sage who is best at what he does. If record stores have long since been forums for like minded people, then Human Head owns principal for setting that standard. *bring your dog and dig, dig, dig *or just peruse and find what you need *ask questions, learn and discover music *experience the perfect staff dynamic *focus... everything on those walls *records before rent *leave elated There's really no place like it left on the planet.

Excellent store. I managed record stores all around the country for 18 years and find that very few shops in 2022 know how to buy and price used vinyl. This place is messy and I wish the $5 bins were more fluidly stocked, but otherwise it's excellent. Best used place in NYC at the moment. And they're always playing great stuff.

Hole in the wall record shop (not unlike most in the city) with a cool vibe. The basic labeling was ok (as in if the area was labeled "sex pistols" there was one Sex Pistols album and 20 others that were somewhat similar) but overall pretty unorganized-didn't buy anything because every time I got to an artist or section I might be interested in it was mislabeled. Disc jockey was playing some good tunes though.

Just when you thought everything was changing, then comes along Human Head Records and the world is whole and good again. I truly believe this is New York City's Best Record Store around. The selection here is vast and extensive, covering every genre in sound. The store is laid back and inviting. You can take your time and hangout, listen and sample records and discuss music with the friendly customers and staff. This is certainly a Must Go Destination for all music lovers and wanna become music lovers. Just listening to the variety of music playing in the store makes one curious to learn about an album that you never knew of before. The store has vinyl from all price levels, even a $2 bin which is always full of great finds. Human Head also sells and repairs stereo equipment. This makes Human Head a One Stop Shop and thats so convenient to have in this city. With all this stores many positive attributes from the location, selection and the atmosphere, I believe their #1 golden touch which makes them stand out amongst the rest is the staff. Everyone here creates a feeling for the customer that you belong and they are happy to share their passion of music with you. The staff are all so friendly and helpful, extremely knowledgable in all things music and they make you excited too. I love this place and once you stop by you will as well.

Everything is laid out very neatly and easy to find. I could hear the owner conversing with customers and he sounded quite knowledgeable and friendly. Actually the whole place had a chill, neighborhood vibe. I didn't find anything that struck my fancy, but it was fun looking and I'll be back as it looks like they get new stuff quite frequently. My fiancé sells his used records here and seems quite satisfied doing business with them.

Amazing Shop! They have always been helpful. Great selection of used records, and very cheap. I could spend hours digging through their inventory. I have also brought items from discogs from them and never been disappointed.

I came today to check it out and I was very impressed! It's obviously a popular place amongst people who love vinyl as in a Thursday night the place was fairly populated! They have so many records and I found great ones in the $2 boxes!!! The albums were the likes of Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson. And honestly, I couldn't complain for about the quality for the price, some places would definitely charge you more. I loved that you can listen to every record you purchase beforehand in the back~ If I'm ever in the area again, definitely want to come back!

The absolute best. Love this place so much. Great staff, amazing rotating selection of new arrivals, and plenty of listening stations to check out your selections before you buy.

This is it: The Best Record Shop in Town. It's a bit of a hike from the train, but let's be honest: you're getting damn cheap records. You're going off the beaten track. Everything in here is quality. No zillions of grandma's old Connie Francis records. We're talking all the meat and potatoes of the classic vinyl years, with enough rarities and oddities to keep you digging. There's two listening stations in the back, which is invaluable (you're buying used, after all.) Worth the trip.

The best shop iin nyyc i triedd to found one rare record and i found it here with verry good price brothers of the underground collectivve grooves and im verry happy that i found

This store is amazing! They have such a great selection of records. The prices are amazing as well. They have organized $2 bins for every genre. I have found so many great records by digging through those bins. The employees are super friendly and allow you to use a turntable when ever you want. I highly recommend this place to anyone in the Brooklyn area. It is so good!

Quite new in NYC ( i've been there 3 days after their first anniversary) and what a killer ! Great variety, fair prices, very nice atmoshere, easy to reach. Found some really fine 4 and 6 $ records and a cool scorpions pic. The super nice owner ( yes there are record shops with cool owners/staff, but still rare as tigers) summed up my records and after thinking some seconds he discountet very generously. A perfect record-shop experience. Go there - you won't regret it !!

Numero Uno with a Skull.Tough to beat the best attitude free record shop in the NYC area.Travis is a fucking don. Everything priced to move and a never ending rotation of sick wall pieces that shred. The head boasts incredible stock with a constant FRESH supply of rare Brazilian heat. Soul,Funk,Jazz.Punk,Reggae,Rock and Metal are also fiercely represented. The staff are mostly DJ's and experts in their given genres which means you will fund copious amounts of hip hop and house floor fillers. The dollar/2 dollar bins are also filled with gems at a fraction of the cost that other local big name shops would price them at. This store has vibe and soul for decades. It's the kind of place you want to hang out at and spend all of your money and feel good about it. If you sleep on this spot your gray matter is at fault. Finally, this store will give you the best $$$$$ when you want to sell records.Trades are also a breeze. Rock ON M8

Human Head is a treasure trove. A modest space packed with a vast selection of vinyl. My hubby and I usually hunt down Jazz and Blues. Human Head has really delivered for us. Some of my favorite vinyls right now we bought here. Billie Holiday's "Lady in Satin" was my latest find. Some real gems in outstanding condition. The staff is friendly and even the music they play while you are browsing is on point. I could get lost in this little spot listening to records and overdosing on nostalgia. Thanks gents for playing Fela Kuti last week it gave me a second wind as I was digging through the new release section. I wish we had a record spot like this back home.

One of my favorite record shops in NYC. Great selection of rock'n'roll, older punk stuff, soul, jazz, more. Some good picks among the 45s, too. The discounted bins are very much worth a look -- I'm always able to find quality records and selections that are way more interesting than standard "discount bin" records. Every time I've been in here, I've found something I didn't expect to find (that is, either something farther afield of "the canonical rock'n'roll classics" than I had expected, or selections cheaper than I'd expected). Not a large space, but personally I appreciate the ability to browse a whole record store over just a couple hours. Staff is very friendly. There's also an in-house repair shop that can do good, inexpensive turntable repair work.

This is the best record spot in Brooklyn. Went in there today and got a very fair trade value for 10 records I was looking to prune from my personal collection. Walked out with 5 amazing albums in great condition, thus accomplishing my mission of bringing in a larger quantity of decent records and swapping them for less records (but of better quality and more geared towards my current tastes). The owner is super friendly and the stock of vinyl is for everyone from the hardcore digger to the novice collector. I'm moving toward 20 years of digging in and around NYC and I honestly thought I ran out of "hidden stash spots". Those places either closed for business or the word got out on the ones still around and are thus no longer the gems they used to be. Happy to know a place like Human Head Records is around to fulfill your need for all genres and eras of music on vinyl including jazz, funk, soul, rap, disco, reggae, soundtracks, comedy, $2, $4 and $6 bargains, 45's and whatever else you are willing to get a little dusty for to find. There are plenty of expensive records here but nothing is priced to gouge the customer. Simply put, some records are rarer and more sought after than others and the owner prices them accordingly. A fantastic and tough to find Alice Coltrane LP might be $40 but a great Queen album in good condition will only cost ya $5. Due to the selection and vast price range, this store brings together music lovers from all corners. What a place!

Good selection and very fair prices. Took the aubway out of Grand Central while on vacation and found it quite easily. Paid $20 for a pair of albums from The Jam which was great. The $2 bin is deep. Worth a visit.

Human Head is the perfect record store: great product, curated selection, fair prices, personable staff, and character. Crossed off some titles from my want list, discovered new gems, and got clean copies of classics. Doesn't get any better than that!

Finally a record store that goes the extra distance to have well curated collection desirable vinyl instead of 7 copies of Van Halen's "women and children first" for $4. Excellent selection of rock, jazz, Latin, hip hop 12s, Brazilian, punk and metal just to name a few. Many a summer day can be spent drinking beer from the in house keggorator and jiving with locals and youngsters. Positive vibes abound at this shop.

Since I live in L.A., I only get to visit Human Head once a year during the holidays, but I love it; easily one of my top 3 NYC record shops. The prices are reasonable, and the curation is solid. Plus they encouraged me to take a look at their Discogs page, see if there was anything I wanted, which led to me snatching a sealed, original pressing Gang Starr 12"; that made my day (well, that and my purchase of an original, mint Lydia Lunch 'Queen of Siam'). Can't wait to go back!

Visited this store on my trip to NYC. I've bought from them through an online website called discogs.com and wanted to visit them in person. Was not disappointed, great selection of 12" records. I found some treasures when I was there. I want to thank HumanHeadNYC for their hospitality!

What a great record store Even though it's way out of my way when I'm in that neck of the woods I go, (This record store makes me want to go into Brooklyn) Good prices & a great $2.00 bin You can never go wrong.. Friendly staff & great service .

I am so glad I stumbled upon this hidden gem. The selection is amazing, I had to leave because I wanted everything. I can see how someone would get carried away. The records I purchased were well maintained; good play quality. Prices are amazing, the staff was great, the dog was cool , all is well. I actually found the first record I ever laid eyes on, Parliament Live, don't judge lol. I was elated, it brought back such great childhood memories. My grandmother recently passed and I searched her house high and low for that record and I could not find it. Thanks guys you really made my day .

What a cool store. Steve helped me fix an old Texhnics record player that had been kicking around my family for years. I wanted to fix it for childish nostalgic reasons (I used to listen to Halloween sounds records on it and couldn't get enough of them). Anyway he was super cool and fixed it fast for a reasonable price, and I think I'm going to listen to my mom's old "Jesus Christ Superstar" record. What a cool shop.

At first, I was hesitant to come all the way out to Brooklyn from Manhattan but boy oh boy I am sure glad I did! This is the best record store in New York! They have a large selection of new arrivals that are sorted by day and week so it is worth coming here often. They have a selection of $6 records which I scored a boat load of rare near mint condition records from that I didn't even know existed. Heck yes! The guy working there was friendly and super helpful. The prices on everything in the store are absolute bargains. I only wish that they had a dedicated section for soundtracks instead of mixing them in with everything else.

These guys are doing it right. Very much in the style of great record stores in other cities. The selection is diverse. Unlike a lot of spots in NYC, theres TURNOVER. They also gave me a fair deal on trades. Glad they're here and so close to home. Keep it up!

Great place for classic rock and soul. Some punk and hardcore along with hip hop. Actually this place has everything with fair prices. Cool staff that lets you browse through everything and listen to used stuff without feeling judged or rushed.

NYC's best record store hands down. I've been buying records in town for close to 30 years and never have known a store with such a consistent flow of cool and often rare LPs coming in everyday. You can always find amazing stuff from any imaginable musical genre at all price points. Even the 2 dollar bin is well-curated. Everything is always priced fairly. The owners and staff are all extremely knowledgeable and helpful and together have created a unique atmosphere that draws you back in the doors again and again to hang out, listen and learn. Human Head is like a dream clubhouse for music lovers. More than just a store, it's a way of life.

The best record shop in NYC. They always have some gems - and the best part is that they understand that in order to move inventory - that it has to be priced reasonably. I walked way with Freewheelin' Bob Dylan for $8, Nevermind the Bollocks for $15, Otis Redding's Dictionary of Soul for $8, and a Springsteen Bootleg for $14. Those records could easily, easily, be marked 2x, 3x, 4x or more in some shops. There's also $4 bins, and a real nice $6 section too. I love how accessible they make the music. Go here.

So this store still kills for jazz lovers. Human Head is the best kept jazz vinyl secret in NYC and while I would like it to remain so, Travis and the guys need to make a living. Travis offers great deals. I recently purchased first pressing mono VG+++ copies of Coltrane's Soultrane, George Russell's NYC NY, Jackie McLean's One Step Beyond and others. Not cheap, but totally fair and reasonable.

This place is awesome. They've got fancy stuff on the walls (and bins), plus loads of affordable ($2, $4, $6) bins for when you want that random record, but don't need a super clean expensive copy of it (though even many of the cheaper records are in great shape). The new arrivals are replenished regularly, and they have a couple stations so you can listen to things you don't know, or see if you can tolerate the scratches on that embarrassing $2 record you will take home and hide in the far ends of your collection so nobody but you ever sees it. And they are friendly dudes! Gives the place a relaxed vibe and you often find yourself talking to other people browsing records, it's kinda like hanging at your friends' place.

My fave record store in NY. Found some great gems here, reasonably priced classic rock LPs, and a great selection of more subversive stuff. Always a rewarding trawl, and the staff are so damn helpful, I more often than not live what they are playing in store too! Gentleman of impeccable taste!

These guys get it. I love that they price their stuff to move!! It's like, wow, they understand I'm here to buy some records. AND yes, they do have some nice collectables too, that get up there in price, but what they're asking is fair. I usually come in with stuff to trade, and I've always been pleasantly surprised by what they offer to pay me for them. My favorite record shop in NYC.

Very cool variety, perhaps the most vast stock of jazz albums I've seen in quite a long time. Prices are fairly decent and correlate to the quality/rarity of the records- as is standard in most record shops- but compared to other record shops the prices are much more affordable and the quality of the records is very high! It's a little of a ways off the main drag, but it's well worth the excursion. Classics from wall to wall in all genres, you can spend a whole day in here if you wanted! Staff was helpful and friendly and the whole vibe is very comfortable and enjoyable.