B-Side Records
514 State St.
A Timeless Downtown Staple
Carving Out a Spot
On October 9, 1982, B-Side Records opened its doors just one block from here at 436 State Street. At the time, downtown already had several record shops, including major chain stores. This was before compact discs were introduced to the market, so B-Side's inventory consisted exclusively of vinyl records and cassette tapes. The store quickly found its niche by catering to dedicated collectors searching for uncommon music, while also ensuring it was stocked with all the latest new releases and popular hit titles.
Standing the Test of Time
In the four decades that followed, B-Side Records navigated a sea of change. The store weathered the transition to CDs, the late-90s rise of internet file-sharing, the 2008 recession, the dominance of music streaming, and the recent pandemic. In 2022, after 40 years of business, the store moved one block to this bigger and better location. Today, B-Side is the last remaining record store in downtown Madison because, against all predictions, people of all ages are collecting records, tapes, and CDs again.
