Record Stores

In honor of tomorrow's inaugural Record Store Day, a national promotion-cum-celebration of independent music outlets, The New York Times' Ben Sisario offers this sad lament: "Now added to the endangered species list in New York City, along with independent booksellers and shoe repair: the neighborhood record store." Along with Mr. Sisario's article, the Times helpfully ran a map of New York record stores, which can be used like a Birder's Guide to this dying breed.

But unlike Earth Day, that other awareness-raising holiday celebrated next week, which inspires publications to roll out obligatory tributes and calls-to-arms in honor of a once thriving, now dying icon (that would be the Earth, thank you very much), the Times is anything but a once-a-year designated mourner when it comes to record stores. In fact, for years, the decline of record stores has been a serious and growing concern for the paper, and something of a pet cause.  read more »