We visit Birmingham's best rated record store and discover once-in-a-lifetime vinyl worth thousands

The vinyl revival of the last 20 years has provided a huge boost to record stores across the UK.

As of 2016, UK vinyl sales even exceeded streaming audio revenue for the year. Why has vinyl seen a comeback in recent years? Many claim vinyl offers a more authentic sound compared to digital, while some say searching record stores for historic vinyl is a past time music lovers can still enjoy.

But despite the revival, running a record store in 2023 isn't easy business. Streaming is still, by far, the primary way people consume music in this day and age, and many record stores have closed down over the years, including some legendary Birmingham venues. Despite the advances in technology and the many ways to stream music in 2023, many music lovers do still enjoy searching these record stores to find classic vinyls.

And there are still some brilliant ones out there to enjoy, especially in Birmingham. Recently, we had a look online to see which record stores in Birmingham have the highest ratings among customers, and found that Music is the Answer, in Yardley Wood, is the highest-rated in the city, according to Google reviews. I decided to pop in one Friday afternoon in December to find out why Birmingham's music lovers appreciate this store the most.

The store is tucked away on Highfield Road, at the end of the row of shops on the street. The shop may be small, but the four foot flashing vinyl sign makes it easy to spot, even from across the road as you leave the train station.

After walking inside, I was greeted by the owner John, who told me the store opened just after lockdown. He brought 10,000 of his records that he had at home into the store. The walls are covered in classic records, including favourites from the likes of David Bowie, John Lennon and Flock of Seagulls.

He was selling records online before he opened the store, and said he was more of a dance music fan who didn't have a huge interest in traditional rock music, although that has grown over time.

He says the store's social media presence has also helped to attract music fans far and wide. John's YouTube channel has also helped to attract people to the store from abroad to the store, including from America and Australia.

Speaking to BirminghamWorld, John said: "Before this I worked in a taxi office," he said. "The basis of my YouTube channel is I have a GoPro on my chest, go around car boot sales in Birmingham, and show people how much it can sell for. Part of that journey was then opening this record shop to grow, and it's all built up well now.

"I'm not a record enthusiast, John admitted. "For me it's that buying and selling element. But we have people who work here who are record enthusiasts, and if a special record comes in their eyes will light up."

We discover the rarest record that could be worth thousands

Some of John's employees will be gutted they weren't working on the day I walked in, because it was the day John got his hands on the 'rarest record' he has ever come across. "You've come in on the perfect day," John said to me. "This morning, a customer came in with the most expensive record I've ever had in the shop." John then went behind the counter and pulled out a sealed original 1994 copy of Green Day's Dookie album.

Dookie is the American rock group's third studio album and one of Billie Joe Armstrong and co's most popular. John says there were only 10,000 vinyls of Dookie printed when it came out in 1994, and now he has his hands on one. "It's never been opened." John said he managed to get his hands on the rare vinyl thanks to a customer who often comes into the shop who came across the record.

John says he's now aiming to sell the record for four figures, and expects many fans to be enquiring about the rare vinyl. Next year, 2024, will also mark the 30th anniversary of the album's release, potentially adding further value.

I certainly came into the store on the right day, and I suspect it's these rare finds which help to make John's store Birmingham's favourite. So after having a look at the incredible Green Day vinyl, I then asked John what is it exactly about Music is the Answer that makes it so popular?

John said: "For a record shop, it fills a gap in south Birmingham, because the closest one to here is Olton. There's two in Sheldon and Olton. Then there's The Diskery in the city centre, and a bit further south the next one is in Redditch, so I think I have a good little spot here."

"Because I don't have an attachment with the records, I'm also happy for a deal to be done. The records here are priced well - whereas you get comments from other record buyers about prices at other shops, so it all works well."

After having a look around the store and searching through a few records, I left the store thinking what stroke of luck it was to come in on the day John got the Dookie vinyl. After my visit, I can say with confidence that music fans in Birmingham should definitely pop in to the store.