This place is amazing for vinyl hunting. The downstairs shelves are packed with an surprisingly comprehensive selection. There's a lot of obscure experimental and electronic music as well as punk and indie. The location is amazing too, not far from the university on the near west side. Get a beer at Garth's to top off your digging adventure. read more

While a great selection, they have always been overpriced and the folks that work have usually been unfriendly in my experience. I grew up in Madison, went there for years, though no longer live in Madison (but visited back in December). I always preferred the B-side on State Street for the prices and moreover, the vibe. For used CDs however, you can find relatively good value at Strictly Discs. Their used vinyl is remarkably expensive, though again, a great selection. read more

When Ron was the owner, I spent more moola at this store than at any other place in Madison, loyally checking in at SD before looking at an online option. As a professional enduring decades of stress, the tiny import room (that is now the pass-through to the lower level--good change) was my spiritual (and therefore resource-dedicated) refuge, and I always walked out into the Monroe Street air feeling restored, not only by my finds but also the little exchanges with Ron about what he was piping through the speakers, how excited I was about my choices, what was coming up, etc. I'll always remember the pre-Spotify day I picked up On The Beach (shipped in from who knows where but worth every penny), and there was that unplanned purchase of a Thai Funk compilation that vastly improved my life (and, I'm sure, the lives of those around me). Ron was always busy and more knowledgeable about music than me, but he never made me feel THAT way, so I used to pitch SD as the unrivaled place to go. Then, this Friday, 8/22/25, if I had not had a $150 gift certificate (for an outing to the store with my 23 yo daughter, to build her new vinyl collection), we would have left in short order with nada. When we arrived, the new owner was at the back corner basement desk, and I was completely un-eased by his easily overheard, condescending, and generally rude responses to an employee who was apparently reporting back on some research she had completed. As an employment law specialist, his exchange with her made me cringe and immediately feel sorry for his staff. Later, when Stoner was upstairs and I asked if we could momentarily set down a heavy, $225 stack of vinyl (we had amassed to buy) on an open side counter near the the register, so we could peek around a bit more, I received no eye contact, a heavy vibe suggesting I was somehow an annoying presence, and a mumbling statement he ended with "you can set them there, I guess". When I was surprised and asked for a repeat, I got exactly the same statement from Stoner, ending with the same deeply impersonal, snarly "I guess". When I shortly thereafter commented, at checkout, that I was excited to find a $36 new release (Jac Holzman Presents Dylan's Chronicles--everyone should buy it immediately, but from somewhere else), there was zero response of any kind from Stoner. I'll go anywhere else from now on to avoid that experience. It was supposed to be a fun outing for my daughter, so I didn't mention my reaction to her when we left, but she broke the silence to right away, independently observe that the place had been very uncomfortable solely due to the owner's roaming hostility. Ron never acted like a musician / business owner snob, and now I'm sad that era has ended. I wouldn't undertake another minute to find parking around a place that acts like it's doing me a favor by taking my money. Sorry, Monroe Street biz association. Folks should opt for Madison's near east side options, like Madcity Music, for a generally more positive experience (or ANY place else). Unless I'm at Jack Rabbit Slim's, I'll pass on the attitude. read more

Great selection of used vinyl at fair prices. Also nice selection of new vinyl and CDs. Also has a worthy frequent buyer program. read more

Definitely one of the best music and vinyl stores I've been to in a while. I loved the decor and atmosphere, along with the spacious nature of the layout. Prices were spot on and completely comfortable for the high quality vinyls. They were stored well, and organized perfectly. I 100% recommend this to anyone interested. read more

Ron was excellent to deal with. Knowledgeable, punctual, and accessible, made the transaction easy. I will deal with him again, definitely. Harry read more

They are one of my go to record stores when I visit Madison, Wi. They have a big selection of albums especially rock. But the best part is their main collection is by alfabit according to style. Me being a jazz guy they have a good selection there also and I usually leave with at least 3 items. If cds are your thing, don't worry they have you covered there too. Prices start low for the bargin bin records and go up from there. But many are priced in the $6 - $20 range. And if you need to pick up some groceries Trader Joes is just across the street. read more

Worst RSD experience I've had. Not a great sign from new ownership... We waited in line for nearly 6 hours, 630-12. The weather wasn't their fault obviously, but there was no appreciation from their side for all of us braving that cold and waiting what felt like an eternity. Line moved a couple of feet every 7-10 minutes, only 1 register going. Felt very amateur, and there was no communication whatsoever. Just overall disappointing and I'm definitely not attending again next year. read more

This is a rad spot to check out in Madison. It's got a varied selection of both new and used vinyl. The staff is pretty welcoming and always helpful and have given away some free stuff to me before. They have fun little mystery grab bags that have never really produced much for me, but are nonetheless a treat. The only knock I have against them is that they're limited on space, so even though they've got varied selection, only a few artists have more than one or two albums available at any given moment. Their used audio equipment is also a touch overpriced. But other than that, you'll enjoy your experience here. read more

Strictly Discs - Outside - Music & DVDs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Ron is very thorough and efficient and quick to respond. A pleasure to do business with.

Disclaimer: I myself am not a record collector, but I felt inclined to write this review on behalf of my vinyl obsessed boyfriend (who doesn't Yelp) because his experience here was incredible. I was first struck by how well organized Strictly Discs was. Some record stores only label the most popular artists, but almost everything was labeled here, which makes for easier digging. The first floor mainly consisted of unused, contemporary pop/rock records and CDs. If there's one thing to take away from this review, DO NOT skip out on the basement!! Downstairs, there are THOUSANDS of used records: classic rock, hip hop, soul/r&b, folk, experimental, you name it. There was even a massive selection of 45s and these super cool mystery packs consisting of 5 records for only 2 bucks. For tourists like us, there was also a stash of tshirts in the basement. Let's just say, we left far from empty handed, and I am certain my boyfriend will drag be back here next time we make it down to Madison--not like I'll mind; there's nothing quite like watching a music lover in paradise. read more

What a great record store! It looks small upstairs but the basement is huge, they have tons of folk/bluegrass to look at, tons of jazz too. We went to two other record stores around Madison too while we were visiting and this one was the best. read more

I recently got a record player as a gift, which I have wanted for years, but it was always out of my budget. It's a cheap one, but it plays the records my parents had from the 70s and 80s and a couple new ones from target very nicely. I bought three brand-new records from this place and two of the three were jumping and skipping and distorted, which had never happened before. Thinking this was a problem with the record player, I played through nearly all my other albums, both sides, and they sounded perfect. I tried to go in the very next day to get them exchanged or my money back and the man there insulted my record player and told me that there wasn't issues, when there clearly was. He acted like I knew nothing about anything, even though I had watched my parents handle and play their records for years. I pointed out the wobbling and warp in the discs and the severe bubbling in the label when he was testing them out and he ignored me and told me to balance a nickel on the needle until I could afford to buy a "real" record player. I was really interested in collecting vinyl and thought I couldn't go wrong buying brand new records and shopping at a store that exclusively sells them, but the uppity attitude, poor quality vinyl, and rude, unhelpful behavior of these people makes me think twice. I don't think just because I have a small budget or basic music taste means I should be treated like shit. Horribly sad and disappointed I spent so much money on these when they do not even play right and terribly upset they treated me so poorly. read more

Very nice new and used CD and record store. Good prices, very good selection. In general CD stores have become rare, but this one has a good selection of classical and jazz, new and used. Friendly workers, and this being Madison the best way to get here is by bicycle or bus. read more

Strictly Discs - Across from Trader Joes - Music & DVDs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

One of the better record shops I've been to. Everything is well organized and fairly priced. I've bought plenty of used records and most have been accurately graded, some were better than graded and a few were a bit below, but I understand that grading is not an exact science. Great sidewalk and pop-up sales with plenty of bargains to be found. The staff is friendly and will help out when asked and won't hoover over you as you dig through the records. A great record store day with bands, brews (caffeinated and carbonated) and bacon brittle! If this store wasn't around, I'd be a lot richer, but with a lot less great records! read more

Best record store I've ever been to! There were soo many of my favorite artists at the store that I usually don't see at other record shops. Got myself $120 worth of records and it was totally worth it. Highly recommend coming here! read more

Get physical with your music! Super friendly staff, who - despite a global pandemic - still offer amazing customer service. They didn't have a glass animals album I was looking for so they made a point to order it! Also, AMAZING used collection downstairs. This is a staple small business in Madison, and you should be supporting it. Finally, they have pretty cool Covid t-shirts. read more

Try out the "mystery" packs of 5-6 vinyl discs for just a couple of bucks. The mystery packs are labeled by genre and are in great listening condition. We picked up two sets and really enjoyed all the vinyl in each. They do sell CD's too. Oh and there's a complementary beer keg in the basement. Score. read more

I was pleasantly pleased with this store-before I found out about the basement. Top floor was all new vinyl, well organized and thoughtfully curated. Managed to plug a few holes in the collection. I didn't have time to flip through the basement, so I came back the next day. I made it from Z through E before they closed, and managed to find even more records that we needed. A fantastic store, and the staff was wonderful and polite. If I ever make it back to Madison, I'll be back. read more

I do not live in Madison but I do come there every year and this is one of my favorite places to stop and shop for vintage vinyl. Places like this are hard to find and I have to admit after 30 years of collecting vinyl their prices are actually fairly reasonable considering the market. I was collecting vinyl when people were practically giving it away, but as we know that is not the case these days. I've read some of the other reviews which seem to be about customer service not being what they think it should be. As for me I have no complaints about the service. When I go and leaf through all the vinyl I have a pretty good idea of the artists I'm looking for and the price I'm willing to pay so I really don't need someone to come along side me with advice, although I welcome input. This is the only record store that I've ever seen that gives you the 13th record free based upon what you're spending on the other 12. After I have gathered all the records based on the condition that they're selling them for I do ask to have them opened so that I may personally verify them. After three decades of looking at vinyl I have my own standards compared to those who rate them at their standards. By in large I am impressed with their honest ratings which coincides with their pricing. I look forward to my next visit to Madison after this whole COVID-19 thing is over so I can pay them another visit. read more

I love to bike downtown and when I do, I always stop here on my way back home. Strictly Disks has great service, a massive selection and good prices. I greatly enjoy coming here, and 90 percent of the time, I leave with something in my hands. read more

Pass. Overpriced vinyl, limited selection of used material and staff makes you feel as if you shouldn't be there...and not in a cool way. ;) Nice location though --which, I'm sure has a lot to do with their pricing. read more

Quiet little joint with an impressive collection. CD's and vinyl abound. I stopped in for Steven Wilson's latest release, "To The Bone" on CD. One of the best albums of 2017 without a doubt. Anywho, it was right before closing and there was not a lot of time to explore. I'd definitely stop in again to explore the joint including the vinyl vault downstairs. The staff (1 guy) was helpful and friendly enough. I had called ahead asking if the album on CD was available. It was and I said I'd be in later and thanked the man who answered. I was pleased to learn he kept the album at the desk, so when I arrived and asked where I could find the disc it was at checkout ready to go. I appreciate that level of service. Thank you! read more

Honestly, the last time I went in this store was in 2003. There's a few reasons for this. One is that although the owner has always been friendly, he comes off as slightly oily and creepy. There used to be this bearded asshole who worked there that may still work there that told me that the reason no women worked there was because women don't know anything about music. But, mostly I don't go into Strictly Discs is because they never have a damn thing I am looking for. read more

A lot of people think the guy that runs this place is a total cock. I can see that. If you're not in there asking for the latest in indie rock or hip hop, this guy might sneer a bit. However, I like him. I get off playing the "Name an Obscure Band that Pitchfork Really Likes" game with him. Plus, he's always given me great recommendations. I've picked up special orders and hard-to-find indie stuff here and I'll keep going back, sneer-be-damned. read more

I often lament the decline of the family owned record shop. Then I think of the owner of this place and the scads of attitude he heaped on me, and I think to myself "Maybe iTunes isn't so bad after all..." Save your money for Madcity Music Exchange. Or B-side. Or light it on fire. Just don't give it to this self-important idiot. read more

I couldn't shake the feeling that the owner of Strictly Discs was the personification of Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons. It's almost an exact match, except Snooty Music Guy might actually be worse. Phew, I feel much better with that being said. Other than his attitude, his store is well stocked with rare CDs and vinyl, if you're into that sort of thing. You can listen to any record before buying, but he won't offer it - you've got to ask for it. Also, he'll order anything you're looking for, but with the internet, can you just cut out the middleman and do it yourself for less moolah? Just saying... read more

I frequent three records stores, strictly discs being the most frequented. To me they always seem rather friendly and there is indeed a women working there who happens to be extremely helpful herself. They've managed to get a hold of some pretty obscure stuff for me in the past so I tend to use them for my special ordering but the also have one of the best new vinyl selections in the area. They recently opened up their basement area for browsing so you can find tons of records down there now, previously they only brought up select stuff for sale and would let select people go down there. read more

Strictly Discs - Music & DVDs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Easily the best record store in Madison. It's hard to find a shop that fairly prices while also holding a strong standard for their selections. I've always found something new here, and found staff willing to help me discern my selection. The spot is amazing, and the selection across genres and age of LP is astounding. Follow their Instagram for great updates of new arrivals! read more

It's a small, tight store. They have a decent selection, but nothing overwhelming. I like to go in and browse on the off-chance I might find something rare--and occasionally I do. The location isn't the most convenient. Parking in that neighborhood sucks. Be prepared to walk at least a block or two to get to the store. I never like the music they're playing whenever I've gone in, but I find that to be true about all music shops. Usually whatever hipster-ass-hipster is working wants you to know that he/she is far more avant-garde about music than you, thus he/she needs to bust out the most obscure, cacophonous jazz record you've never heard...and never will want to hear. read more

So here are 5 reasons you shouldn't go to Strictly Discs. 1. You love going to crappy record stores and digging through 500 bad albums to find 1 not quite so bad album à la Sugar Shack Records. 2. You hate when you find those hard to find original first pressings you've been looking for for ages. 3. You don't own a record player. Though I'm pretty sure there's a place across the street that sells them, so you should go there first. 4. You prefer 8-track 5. You were mauled by bear and you're dead, you probably shouldn't be reading this if that's the case. If you can only go to one record store in Madison Strictly Discs is it. There are several decent places for vinyl in town but this one puts all the others to shame. read more

My favorite music store in Madison, or anywhere else I've lived. Friendly staff, great selection, and an amazing ability to find anything you can think of within a few business days. What more could you ask for from your friendly neighborhood record shop? read more

I was in the store and I asked if I could look up an album on the computer before I bought it. I had recently done this at another store. Instead of nicely telling me that they don't allow customers to use the computers, the employee gave me a horrible offended disgusted look. I wanted to look up a rating on allmusic, and he looked at me like I asked to have sexual relations with his dog. Nice selection, but too much goddamn attitude. I'm a major collector and I'm taking my business to B-side and Madcity. read more

I'm not sure if I just hit Strictly Discs during a bumper crop or what, but they had tons of AMAZINGLY rare records on the shelves! I got original New Jazz pressings of Eric Dolphy's "Out There" and Mal Waldron's "The Quest" plus a couple of sweet Blue Notes and an assortment of 70s small label albums. One nag - the listening station isn't in the best shape. read more

The owners in my experience are top notch. Incredibly hard working and passionate about their business. It was the best store in town when all the stock was upstairs. In the last decade, they have opened up their basement for used vinyl and are now among the best inventories of anywhere in the country. If not the world. Ron does such a great job of buying high quality pressings from some of the hardest to find records. So much of what I see at Strictly Discs, I have seen nowhere else. Been in Austin Texas for the last 8 years, I can say with certainty not one place in town holds a candle to this incredible shop. Thanks y'all for what you do. read more

The basement is a used vinyl laced dream! Crazy the amount they have in there. The selection is outstanding both new and used. Give yourself some time to peruse the bins, you will never know what you will find. I always head to the New Arrival crates first and always find an interesting title or two (or seven) that I may have forgotten about. Pricing is mostly fair and their grading is typically spot on and just about every used piece of vinyl I have purchased is marked with a price. Their buy 12 get one free (new and used) is a good deal as well, just sign up and they track it for you in their database. The Staff is friendly and cordial (I think other reviewers give them a bad rap) offering suggestions to new (and old) music that in truth I never have or never might have heard of. One of the more fun things they do is the occasional crate digs where they team up with local businesses and bring in crates of a certain type of genre to those business' and have a sale. One last fall was one leaning heavy on the Punk side at a local clothing store and near Christmas they had a Christmas Album themed Crate Dig at a new local bar (gave my wife an opportunity to sit and have a drink while I dug). Kind of a cool idea. Without a doubt the best music shop in Madison, bar none. read more

They have a large selection of music. That is the only good thing about this place. I used to frequent this place but now I've stopped due to the fact that I'm treated like crap when I'm just browsing. The prices are not listed on the vinyl, you've to ask how much it is and they look it up on-line how much it is selling for and finally decide how much to rip you off. The vinyl grading system is on the Poor side. read more

I'm addicted to Strictly Discs. Partially because of it's close location to my place of employment (who doesn't love the distraction of looking through vinyl in the middle of the creative block?) and partially because they have a great selection of vinyl. I usually find what I'm looking for, and if I don't, they can get it fast. I've also been really happy with employee recommendations--there's nothing better than finding music you didn't know you'd love. read more

This was the final stop for record shops on our Madison, Wisconsin vinyl picking tour. Luckily, after only scoring three records the whole day at the other Madison record shops we visited, this last stop was by far the best. I didn't know what to make of Strictly Discs at first, because the ground-level shop is full of new CDs and new vinyl. Actually, they have a really nice selection of new stuff. My girlfriend went into the basement while I scoured the new selections. She was down there for a long time. I kept thinking that it wasn't going to be worth checking out some basement of $1 records, but was I in for a surprise! The basement is the hidden gem here. There is so much awesome used vinyl, like a sea of well-kept (all sleeved, priced and graded) vinyl in an underground labyrinth containing little wooden bridges leading to hidden corners and treasure troves of fresh-bought vinyl from thousands of private collections. However, in this underground lair of magical proportions, everything is incredibly organized. The guys that work down there are toiling away with their work of labeling, sleeving, and filing all the incoming records. Yet, they are incredibly helpful if asked a question. It feels like a fairy-tale universe and I expected well-coiffed little creatures to pop out from the wooden beams and start a conversation about David Bowie or something. Ok, yeah that's a bit much, but it really is fantastic! After staying underground until the closing hour, we emerged to the ground-level portion of the store with a nice bounty. While I wish he had left the pricing/grading stickers on the vinyl (I like to have those for my own reference), the guy checking us out was very friendly and we had an enjoyable conversation about some of our journeys through Madison that day. It looks like we left on a high note! If you are going to visit one record store in Madison, Wisconsin, this is the one. read more

The main strength of this place is the deep selection. Between their constantly changing used inventory and their impressive flow of new records, I almost always find something here worth having. The problems are two. 1) The used records in the basement are mostly unmarked. Browsers are forced to bring records to the staff person, who when checking online for current prices suddenly seems more like a greedy dealer in vintage goods than a chill record store clerk. So you have to decide what records you are seriously interested in, then take them to the staff, and then sit there and make decisions how much you can or want to spend, then awkwardly wonder what to do with the records you've decided to leave. I prefer stores that price their goods once and then let them sit in the bins waiting to be discovered, rather than this up-to-the-second market rate. Too much of a hustle. This process makes the store as much about the money as the music. And 2), as noted by others, the owner of the store is particularly pushy. The very first time in the store he asked if I were looking for something specific. Once I told him yes, I'm looking for a certain Don Pullen record. He says, oh we don't have that but we have this, and this, and this is really great and rare... Well, thank you but I didn't ask for those. Just say you don't have what I'm looking for, and ask if I am I looking for anything else. Another time I had four used records by one artist priced and then decided to take two of them. First he says I missed out on two other records by the same artist, that they were just snatched the day before. Do I need to be told that? It's in the nature of shopping for used records--we're always missing out, every second of every day. Then this guy has the balls to ask me why I'm not taking all four--"Is there a reason you're not taking all of them?" Well, it's actually none of his business. He doesn't know my collection, my budget, and my priorities. Whatta schmuck. Go to MadCity. Selection not as deep but still good and zero attitude. read more