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LP doesn't stand for Lindsay and Paris, Lesbian Power or Linkin Park. And record stores aren't that section at Target or Best Buy that displays CDs. If you're thinking, "Of course not," then you probably own one of the 1.88 million LPs sold in 2008—89 percent more than those sold in 2007.
And you probably have already mapped out your visits to sources of new and used vinyl on April 18, when more than 1,000 independent record stores across the country, including 13 in Maryland, celebrate the second annual Record Store Day.
For those of us not in the know, we've compiled Baltimore's top five record stores hosting concerts, selling exclusive limited-release material and giving away tons of products on April 18. Not just cashing in on vinyl's resurgence among hipsters, these places cater to real music fans who appreciate sound quality, album artwork and rare pressings. They'll suggest an artist you haven't discovered or order a copy of an obscure favorite for you. Thanks to these guys, your record collection can contain more than just Rainbow Brite's "Paint a Rainbow in Your Heart" and the Fresh Prince's "Parents Just Don't Understand."
Read on to discover Baltimore's record stores.
