Tower Records in Shibuya is well worth a visit for those keen for a trip down memory lane, or those looking to pick up the latest J-pop CD. According to historians, Russell Solomon opened the first Tower Records store in 1960, on Broadway, in Sacramento, California. At the end of the day, what-or who-is this place best for? The Tower Records staff consists mostly of university part-timers, though they are used to tourists and most speak some English. The eighth floor is a dedicated art gallery called 8pace Hachika that shows music-focused exhibitions.ĭid you meet anyone on staff? Did they make an impression? Prominent touring artists often play intimate shows on the small fourth-floor stage, as Massive Attack and The Shins did in late 2017. The second floor sports a casual cafe and surprisingly robust English language books section. ![]() Most of the massive store's nine floors are dedicated to CDs and divided by genre. As well as all of your favourite records - from talented pets and superhuman achievements to big stuff and extreme. Browse our online collection of record titles for awe-inspiring handpicked videos and photos in our curated galleries. To be clear, the decline and ultimate collapse of Tower Records was not Heikkinen’s faultfar from it. Welcome to the home of records, where you can explore mind-blowing feats and record-breaking wonders. Every sign, rack, and counter has those particular shades of yellow and red.Įxcellent! What can we find here, or what should we look for? In Empire Records, the predatory record chain was called Music Town, whose red-on-yellow logo was lifted from Tower’s. Just as in the Tower Records of yesteryear, new releases are wheeled out at midnight, and listening stations are sprinkled throughout the stacks. As one of the biggest CD retailers in the world today, there's no better place to experience this largely outmoded world of retail than Tower Records.įrom an American point of view, visiting Tower Records in Shibuya is an excessively nostalgic experience. Forbes found in 2014 that 85% of music sales in Japan comes from CDs, a figure largely resulting from strict digital licensing in the country. Built in 1995, it would later become the flagship store for Tower Records Japan, which became independent in 2002, a full four years before the American company liquidated. The nine-story Tower Records in Shibuya is a behemoth.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |