WE BUY VINYL!

If you have records to sell, email us or call us at 919-977-4704.

We're based in Raleigh but we'll come to you!

Sorry State pays top dollar for collectible vinyl, including punk, metal, classic rock, jazz, and other desirable records. Other stores will try to lowball you and give you pennies per record, but we pride ourselves on being honest, fair, and up front. Even if you don't know what you have we'll let you know the market value of your vinyl. Bring your records by the store or we're happy to come to you. Just email daniel@sorrystaterecords.com or call the store's phone number below to set up an appointment. 

If you're in or near Raleigh, North Carolina, come and visit the Sorry State Records retail store! We have everything that's listed on the web site, plus tons of used vinyl, cassettes, stereo equipment, and shirts that are not listed on the site. It's definitely worth the trip!

We are located at 317 W Morgan St, Suite 105 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Our current hours are:

Monday-Saturday: 12PM-8PM
Sunday: 12PM-7PM

The phone number at the shop is 919-977-4704.

Buying FAQ, A.K.A. What to Expect When You Sell Your Records to Sorry State

What do you buy?

We’re a small store so we have to be a little bit picky about what we buy. However, since we are picky it means we pay way better than most stores on the stuff that we do buy. In general, if your collection contains ANY of the following we’d like to take a look at it:

- punk rock (including hardcore, oi!, garage rock, and other related subgenres… punk is our favorite music and we’re always buying it!)
- heavy metal (anything from hard rock to death and black metal… we love metal!)
- new wave / indie rock / alternative / post-punk / college rock (The Smiths, Joy Division, Husker Du, the Replacements, the Cure, the Ramones, as well as more recent bands)
- acid rock / hard rock / psych rock from the 60s and 70s (Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, David Bowie, etc. Click here for a list of classic rock artists whose work we are always buying.)
- Beatles LPs
- ANY LPs made after 1990 (yes, just about anything!)
- jazz artists like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, etc.
- 60s-70s soul and funk (James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Parliament/Funkadelic, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Nina Simone, Al Green, etc.)
- blues (Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, etc.)
- we are also particularly interested in vinyl collections from people who worked in the music industry in any capacity (for a label, radio and/or television, at a record store, in warehouse/distribution, live concert promotion, artist management, etc.)

There are some things that we rarely, if ever, buy. Sometimes we might take this stuff as part of a larger collection, but in general this is what we have way too much of and/or sells poorly for us:

- 70s soft rock (Seals & Crofts, Loggins & Messina, James Taylor, etc.)
- classical (unless it’s 20th century / avant-garde composers like John Cage, Terry Riley, etc.)
- big band jazz
- crooners (Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, etc.)
- hip-hop 12” singles (please brings us your LPs, though!)
- disco
- unsold dealer stock (we don’t want the records that other dealers can’t sell… they probably won’t sell for us either!)

There are a lot of other things that we may or may not buy depending on what we currently have in stock. However, please take these lists with a grain of salt; we’re always happy to check out what you have and give you an appraisal and our honest advice.

What will you give me for my records?

For really desirable stuff that will sell well for us we pay between 30-50% of retail value. That is MUCH better than most stores, who typically pay only 10-20% of retail value, sometimes less. We pay more not only because we think it’s fair, but also because we want to build a reputation as the best place to bring your desirable and collectible vinyl.

Do you offer consignment terms?

Yes! Our consignment terms can vary depending on what we’re selling, but this is often the best option if your records are extremely valuable.

How many records will you buy at once?

We routinely buy several thousand records at a time. That said, people often bring small stacks of records into the shop to sell or trade. The best policy is to call the shop or email and tell us what you have.

How much are my Beatles records worth?

We definitely want your Beatles records, but they aren’t going to put your kids through college. Most Beatles records had tens of millions of copies pressed, and while there is consistent demand for old copies there is also a steady supply. We sell most of our Beatles records for $10-25 depending on condition, pressing, etc., so we generally pay $5-15 depending on those same factors.

When do you buy records?

Most of our employees are trained to buy, but it’s always best to call the shop at 919-977-4704 to set up an appointment.

What is the buying process like?

If you’re bringing records to the store we ask that you allow us an hour or two to examine them and formulate an offer. We’ll be happy to recommend a good lunch spot for you. When you come back we’ll make you can offer that you can feel free to accept or reject. We usually pay you in cash, but we may need to cut a check if we don’t have enough cash on hand.

If you would like to sell more than 50 or so records at a time we highly suggest you call 919-977-4704 or email daniel@sorrystaterecords.com to set up an appointment. We can either come to you and check out what you have or set up a time for you to bring the records to the shop.

Do you make housecalls?

Yes! Call 919-977-4704 or email daniel@sorrystaterecords.com to set up an appointment.

Can’t I get more money for my records if I sell them myself online?

Ask anyone who sells online and they’ll tell you that it can be deceptively expensive and time-consuming. Most people simply don’t have the spare time or the skills to create the types of online listings that will get you top dollar for your records. Furthermore, after you invest all of that time and effort cataloguing, photographing, and listing your collection you will get hit with substantial fees (often as much as 20% of the sale price) that will come directly out of your bottom line. In almost all cases, you’ll make just as much money by selling your collection to us, and the hardest thing you’ll have to do is cash the check.