- The video series celebrating the culture and heritage of the UK’s independent record stores returns for a fourth season on 31st January.
- Behind the Counter uncovers what is behind the nation’s love of physical records as vinyl sales outsell CDs in the UK for the first time in three decades.
- Twelve-part series runs weekly ahead of Record Store Day on 22nd April 2023
26 Jan 2023 10am: We are pleased to announce the return of Behind the Counter for a fourth season. The 12-part video series, which had more than two million viewers across season three, celebrates the unique culture and heritage of independent record stores across the UK.
A collaboration between Record Store Day, Classic Album Sundays and Bowers & Wilkins, Behind the Counter, takes you on a tour of some of the UK’s best-loved independent record shops, showcasing the passion of the owners who are “embedded in the local community” (Steve - Winyl, Manningtree) and dedicated to introducing music fans to their next favourite artists and albums.
From Glasgow to Southampton, Isle of Wight to Belfast, music fans are introduced to a new record shop every week whose stories are told through individual episodes released on Tuesdays at 10am on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & Twitter. Accompanying videos will also be available via Bowers & Wilkins, exploring the record store’s take on why good sound is important to the vinyl listening experience.
Independent record shops have enjoyed an unprecedented resurgence in recent years as the vinyl revival continues unabated around the globe.
“I don’t think a community exists unless it’s got a record shop in it,” says Ian Smith, the owner of Glasgow’s Music From the Big Blue, which features in the series.
“If you’ve got a bookshop, record shop, a pub and a decent restaurant you should be relatively happy.”
The latest season of Behind the Counter follows a report from The Digital Entertainment & Retail Association (ERA) revealing that vinyl outsold CDs for the first time in 35 years in 2022.
Overall, music sales increased by a further three percent in 2022 to almost £2bn, which is the highest figure since 2003 and nearly double the level of their low point in 2013.
Ian says this boost is partly down to record stores offering a “much better connection” between fans and the music they love.
“The reason sales are on the rise is because people who are fanatical about music understand vinyl is the best format to listen to music on.
“There’s much more pleasure to be had in holding a gatefold sleeve, reading the liner notes and just generally engaging with it.”
Across the series, Beyond the Counter visits a diverse range of stores to get a taste of why sales are continuing to rise and how the resurgence is being driven by independent record stores.
From the likes of Manningtree’s Winyl, which combines wine and records, to The Vinyl Whistle in Leeds, owned by former Premier League referee Jon Moss, the series looks to uncover the “certain type of magic” (Steve from Sister Ray, Soho) behind every door of the much-loved record stores of the UK.
Premium audio brand Bowers & Wilkins continues its support for the series as the official partner and joins in celebrating the inspirational people behind the counter working tirelessly to help fans continue “building memories with music” (Steve, Winyl, Manningtree).
Giles Pocock, Vice-President of Brand Marketing, Bowers & Wilkins, said: “We have loved watching the popularity of vinyl continue to grow. It's such an important format and we deeply value the unique role that independent record stores play in bringing these records to music fans.”
The stores featured in this series of Behind the Counter are as follows:
81 Renshaw, Liverpool
The Vinyl Whistle, Leeds
Voxbox, Edinburgh
Music From Big Blue, Glasgow
Sister Ray, Soho
Sound Records, Stroud
Vinilo Record Store, Southampton
Ventnor Exchange, Isle Of Wight
Winyl, Manningtree
Soul Brother, Putney
Starr Records, Belfast
Truck Store, Oxford