The 5 best independent record stores in Brussels

This den of retro music near the Manneken Pis statue takes you back to the golden age of vinyl records in arty sleeves. The owners have squirrelled away a disparate stock of 1960s rock, moody French chanson, film scores, disco, electro, indie rock and rare stuff you will find nowhere else. A second branch in Saint-Gilles puts the focus on reggae, classical and world music.

Belgium’s biggest record company, Pias, has supported a long list of musicians including Nick Cave and Editors. It runs a small independent record store based in a striking art deco building once occupied by a socialist newspaper. Occasional concerts and album releases are held in the basement.

Are you hunting for classic French chanson or the definitive guide to Italian Prog? Here is the place. In this eclectic secondhand store, you can find Jeff Potter’s Cooking for Geeks alongside lps from the Eighties and video games.

Here is an eclectic little shop in the cool Saint-Géry quarter, where local djs and vinyl junkies hunt among the stock for rare recordings.

Music fans were thrilled when this record shop reopened in 2013. Now located opposite Ancienne Belgique, Caroline is back in business selling rare pop, indie and techno, as well as French chanson. It can also provide tickets for major concerts and festivals across the country.