Inspired by LP Cover Lover, an amazing site containing the world’s greatest collection of record album covers from the golden age of LPs, I checked out Amoeba Music on my recent trip to San Francisco.

Occupying a 24,000 square foot former bowling alley on the eccentric Haight-Ashbury district, Amoeba Music is the world’s largest independent record and vinyl music store. The sheer size is insane. I literally had a jaw-drop moment when I saw floor to ceiling shelves chocked full of CDs, cassettes and records.

If my parents had still kept their vinyl from the ’70s I would have considered getting the players

Despite the impossible size, the store is impressively well-organized.
Just look at their cassettes collection.

And from these books you can check if your desired CDs are available.

I went with a bunch of people who weren’t planning on returning empty-handed, so we spent an entire afternoon flipping through records and grooving to the tracks on free-listening stations.

Now, onto the amazing LP Covers I’ve found!
Here you go, LP cover lovers.

Despite getting lost in the store for hours, I’ve barely touched the tip of the iceberg. There are too much awesome stuff in here.

Amoeba Music even stocks up on AudioBooks

Amoeba Music’s selection of vintage gig posters and ’70s pinup printables was just as impressive as their music collection.

Madonna’s 1987 gig at Madison Square Garden.

THE ROLLING STONES

THE BEATLES

Even Elvis Presley

We barely grazed the punk, rock and roll section and already the sun was setting.

If you’re here on a collector’s mission, do plan a list of records you’re looking for!
For non-LP-collectors like me, you’ll never know what you’ll unearth amongst the mountains of vintage and contemporary music. Art, loads of hidden jems, crazy album covers (and apparently loads of dust, true to a vintage store). This place is truly holy ground for music fanatics.

1855 Haight St
(between Shrader St & Stanyan St)
San Francisco, CA 94117