The Sound Garden: Baltimore’s Best Independent Record Store

On the quaint cobblestone streets of historic Fells Point, you can find The Sound Garden. This Baltimore record store is tucked away amongst a strip of many charming local shops and restaurants right around the corner from the Inner Harbor.

The store is hard to miss, with its elaborate decor illuminated in the windows, notably, a large artistic display of colorful vinyl records. Not only this, but music can be heard even from the outside, and the door is always kept open, appearing very inviting to customers.

When one walks in, they are invited by a fervent and friendly atmosphere. Albums, flags, and photos of artists cover almost every inch of the walls. Employees are easily approachable and always happy to talk to customers and help them find what they are looking for.

The Sound Garden has been serving Baltimoreans since 1993 and has received several accolades locally and nationally. It was voted as the second-best record store in the U.S. by Rolling Stone in 2014.

The selection is vast, with a large inventory of thousands of new and used vinyl records, and over one hundred thousand CDs, and DVDs. The store prides itself on the variety of both the popular, and obscure titles it carries. With so many options, it would be hard for anyone to leave empty-handed.

The pop section is packed, but in addition to popular artists, you can find almost any genre that suits your tastes: punk, rock, R&B, hip hop, folk, country, blues, reggae, world, modern classical, indie, jazz, experimental, industrial, metal, and beloved soundtracks too.

All genres are well stocked and there are plenty of options to choose from. The store even has a specific “local” vinyl section, where fans can easily locate their favorite artists in the DC, Maryland, Virginia (DMV) area.

For those on a budget, there is a selection of used long-playing vinyl records for just $3, and a blowout bin where one can find some eclectic albums on sale.

The Sound Garden is ahead of the curve with its stock, as new albums are available shortly after release dates, and signed and exclusive variant copies of records are often available for purchase as well. The new release sections are substantially filled and can be viewed conveniently on display almost as soon as one walks into the store. To name a few available now, Dayglow’s self-titled album, Katy Perry’s, 143, and Rex Orange County’s, The Alexander Technique were all released this September, and have already hit the shelves.

It's not hard to tell the store values its customers and the Baltimore community with its concert ticket and merchandise giveaways and many other in-store events. There are often great opportunities for fans and artists alike to connect with one another.

The store hosts album listening parties, live music, album signings, and artist photo ops. Some popular artists they have hosted in the past include Post Malone, The Regrettes, The 1975, Beach House, and many more.

In terms of the large DVD collection, they have a wide selection of horror films, cult classics, animated films, contemporary films, and TV shows. Besides DVDs and music, the store also has an array of books, posters, video games, t-shirts, stickers, record player care products, and audio accessories as well.

When shopping for the art that is important to you, an independent local store that cares about its customers is the way to go, and The Sound Garden is one of the best-stocked record stores in Baltimore. With its unbeatable atmosphere, it is the perfect place for any lover of media. It’s not difficult to spend hours in the relaxed environment, wandering, and browsing the store's seemingly infinite selection.