I like this place starting with the name I get to explain to . . . well I'm a college professor so no one actually pays any attention to me. Comfortable lay out for a smallish store, very good selection without this fat guy feeling cramped. I'm in for the CDs, but nice vinyl options. Jazz and rock, wide range, some of everything else. Good prices, when you figure in shipping it's better than online. Plus, there's contact with human beings. Two knowledgeable sales people working when I dropped in, walking distance from the Madison Concourse or the Capitol. read more

B-Side Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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A gem of a record store!!! What a selection and very welcoming vibe. A must for music lovers.

Do these darned kids nowadays even know what a b-side is? Yes they do - and they are snapping up vinyls. This place has been here a long time and packs a lot lot of music in a tiny space. I looked over the urban and hip hop vinyl but ultimately went old school for our high schooler and grabbed some double dose of Roy Orbison. But the selection is broad and there's price points for everyone. read more

B-Side Records - Classic vinyl. - Music & DVDs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

An amazing record store that I've been going to for many years. Although the store isn't huge, the content and selection that is here is second to none. There is plenty dig through. There's no doubt that when I make a trip there, I'm going to come back with a few rarities. I never know what I'm going to find, and I'm always surprised and excited to add something to my vinyl collection. My last trip I walked away with five records I've never seen in another store, some of which I had never seen online. If I could get this store more than five stars, I would. Strong work B-Side, I'm a fan read more

A wonderful small shop. Very well organized, and beautifully stocked. Mostly new, not a lot of used. A nice selection of hip hop, electronic, and jazz. read more

B-Side Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Really good selection , great prices & no hassles by the staff. I always find GREAT music there. Definitely the best record shop in Madison Wisconsin. read more

B-Side Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I agree with a previous review that this place is for novice tourists. It's overpriced, tiny, and has a poor selection. I imagine this is all related to the State St. location. The only thing we wanted to buy here today was a rare poster on the wall and turns out the posters are not for sale. I've never seen this at a music shop in all my years visiting them. Get yourself over to MadCity Music and skip B-Sides. read more

I have recently been getting back into vinyl after thirty years away. On a trip back to Madison last week I stopped into B-Side, where I used to buy records back in the day. It hasn't changed all that much in the intervening years. The place is not large, but the selection seems intensely curated. Several records I'd been on the lookout for were there, as well as many I've enjoyed over the years. I have a feeling that if I grabbed an album at random I would probably like it, or at least appreciate its merits. In the quality of their inventory, I'm reminded of a store in Berkeley, CA: Hear Music, closed now for several years, where thoughtful write-ups by the staff accompanied a selection of recommendations in various locations around the store. If I could change anything about B-Side, it might be to add that same feature (perhaps in a very limited way in accordance with their space constraints). Their prices are comparable to other prices for new records I've been seeing online and at other record stores. Yes, you can probably get it for cheaper online (as with most other things), but I am happy to pay a little extra for a neighborhood store with staying power, a great selection, and a great vibe. Going back to B-Side showed me everything I've missed buying music mostly online for the last several years. I'm grateful the place is still there after all these years and is as good or better than ever. I wish it was in my neighborhood, and I plan to come back next time I swing through the Mad City. read more

This small shop is overpriced. They have a very limited amount of used LP's. They do have lots of New LP's, but they are very expensive. The employees don't make an effort to be friendly. I don't recommend this shop. If you are looking for a good shop in the Madison area, then check out MadCity Music. read more

This shop is superb! Excellent locally owned store with a great selection of new vinyl releases. Came here while visiting and bought some records from them. When I got home to NEVADA I found one had the wrong record inside. This was a weird manufacturer/packaging error as it was new and sealed. Well I am back a month later and told them about it and was quick to receive credit for the purchase price from them. No hassle or run around. Thanks so much for the great service and for owning the error and fixing this for me even though you obviously didn't package the record yourselves! One small thing- re some other absurd note in an old review... Who cares how they keep track of ordering their stock and in what form?! Silliness. It seems to work for them just fine, and they offer plenty of quality music for us audiophiles! read more

the epitome of supporting local businesses, the 2-3 guys who work at/own B-Sides are always there, always ready to help find things, always ready to comment on the show that you went to last night and are now buying the CD for, and always ready to do anything they can to order whatever you are looking for. Reserved and quiet, but always helpful- just the kind of service I am looking for when browsing for new music. The experience that really sold me was when I went in looking for an album that wasn't sold anywhere online and one of the guys at B-Sides said he'd try to find it and call me. 2 months later (long after I'd forgotten about the album), I received a call that the album had just arrived and was ready for me...Best Buy sure won't do that for you. read more

When I first started coming to Madison, and then when I moved here, I didn't like B-Side. I thought it was all elitist and stuff. It's a tiny tiny store packed with CDs and some records. I was totally intimidated by it and it's rock guy ness. It's only been in the last year that I've come to realize how rad that place is, especially if you're a rock snob. It's not a store for someone looking to pick up a CD by the newest MTV band, but it is great if you're looking for things that are harder to find. I don't know if they officially specialize in indie rock, but that's mostly what they have so I'd guess that they do. If you can't find what you want, they'll order it for you. They've even looked up release dates for things that I wanted, so I could know when to come back. Their world section is small, but full of delicious wonderfulness that you won't find many other places, and especially not in chain stores. They also have a section of what I think they call "classics," which is pretty much what you'll hear on a good classic rock station. Not too much Zepplin (that's a good thing), but they have plenty of that really incredible rock from the 60s and 70s that I like a lot. If you're looking for current indie rock and the things that inspired it, B-Side is the place to go. If you want hip-hop, electronic that isn't on Astralwerks, metal, or pretty much anything besides rock, some blues, some jazz, some world, and some punk, B-Side is not the place to go unless you want to expand your horizons. read more

Can be all-time best place to find new records in Madison, great selection, SUPER lengthy selection of MANY different titles in all genres and stuff you couldn't find ANYWHERE else. Great picks, great selection, great and fair pricing, make sure to stop here. Best store on State Street. read more

B-Side is a State St. staple, and a charming record store. It is quite small-- though it compensates by being packed on all sides. The people that work here are nice, but don't always seem to be too lively. One of the guys there complimented my purchase of a Yo La Tengo record, which was nice. This kind of speaks to the preferred taste of the shop, which is very much 90s indie rock nostalgia. I have no interest in CDs, but they have a seemingly large collection. The vinyl selection, on the other hand, is extremely lackluster and overpriced. There is only a couple bins of vinyl ranging from "mainstream indie" to 90s indie rock to an extremely thin selection of rap and electronic. The LPs are all 20$ at least, and don't even bother with the singles selection. They have maybe 15 45s available to be bought. If you're looking for vinyl-- this place is ill-advised. However, if you are searching for a CD, buying tickets to a show in town, and want reliable service, this place isn't half bad. read more

I stopped by for the first time on Record Store Day and was giving tons of freebies; pins, cd's, records and stickers. I haven't had much time, or money, to go record shopping in Madison but this little store definitely rocks. From the very small section of vinyl I found a ton of great records including Moondogs 'Viking of sixth avenue!' some Serge Gainsbourg and some Scott Walker among other things. If you want that new Mariah Carey then go to Best Buy, if you have an actual interest in music this place is worth checking out. read more

B-side is a sweet little indie cd shoppe. This bugger isn't corporate-owned and does not attempt to feign trendsetting ... they just are what they are. You come here when you want to dig into the genre that's not pop. A couple years ago, I was on a neo bluegrass. He knew what to point out immediately. If I still purchased CDs ... I would have returned. read more

Kinda blown away by the positive feedback this place seems to get. Not a particularly great selection (in particular, the used stock is rather lacking... the new stock actually isn't half bad). Also, this has got to be one of the most overpriced record stores I've ever been to... I've seen such shocking sights as a used copy of the first Pretenders record being sold for $18 ($18!!!), and even used Moody Blues records for like, $12. Crazy! Strictly Discs is certainly a bit overpriced, but they have the quality of stock to more or less justify their pricing. This place is even more overpriced with very little to offer. Check out MadCity Music Exchange or Strictly Discs instead. Also, Earwax is excellent for the punk / metal stuff. read more

Hands down, the best place to buy music in madison. Cool people who know music and do not try to intimidate.

B-Side is a very decent store, good for finding harder to find cds. Prices are fair, the guys that work there can be helpful, though on occasion haven't seemed the most friendly. Overall, it's still a good store and I like going there. read more

A small but packed store. If he doesn't have what you want, he will order it and mostly you will get it in a few days. I often am look for something I or my husband hear on NPR or Wort and he will track it down for me. Once he gets to know your musical taste, he is great a recommending new artist you may like, a lot better than Amazons silly link to what other people buy. read more

Every time I'm starting to lose faith in rock & roll, I stop in at B Side and find some incredible albums. Forgotten classics, standards, and modern rock, they've always got something for any taste. Employees are polite and happy to help with a request. Great record store for vinyl junkies! read more

If you are in Madison, and you still buy your music, then you need to go here. Though I don't recall seeing Tapes here, oh well they sell cool new albums on Vinyl, which is pretty damn awesome. Chances are there will be some CD or LP that will make you go DAAMMMMNN I want that! I always like to check it out at least once a year when I go up to Madison, if not just to gaze at all the stuff I wish I had money for. Or wish that I listened to music not off my laptop or iPod. Curse you connivence! You make me not listen to my CDs or LPs anymore! If I did, I would buy them here so they would stay in business because they are pretty cool. read more