If you walked down East 4th Street in Manhattan anytime between 1995 and 2016, you probably saw that iconic yellow sign. Other Music New York wasn't just a shop. It was a physical manifestation of a specific kind of obsession. For twenty-one years, it stood directly across from Tower Records, acting as a David to the corporate Goliath.
It’s weird to think about now.
In a world of algorithms, we’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a human being tell you that your taste is slightly off, but this record over here will fix it. Other Music was the heart of the indie scene when indie actually meant something independent. They didn't just sell CDs and vinyl; they curated a culture that helped launch bands like Animal Collective, The National, and Interpol.
Honestly, the shop’s influence is still felt today, even if the storefront is gone.
The Weird History of Other Music New York
Chris Vanderloo, Josh Madell, and Jeff Gibson started the place in 1995. They worked at a shop called Kim’s Video and Music—another legendary NYC staple—before deciding to strike out on their own. They didn't want to be everything to everyone. That was Tower’s job. They wanted to be the place where you found the krautrock, the Japanese psych-rock, or the minimal techno that nobody else was brave enough to stock.
The location was a flex.
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Opening right across from the massive Tower Records on Broadway was bold. It was a statement. While Tower was selling millions of copies of whatever was on the radio, Other Music was deep in the trenches of the underground. People used to joke that you went to Tower to buy what you knew, and you went to Other Music to find out what you were supposed to know.
The shop was small. Cramped, really. It felt like a library curated by your coolest, most intimidating friend. You’d walk in, and the staff would be playing something that sounded like a vacuum cleaner having a panic attack, and you’d think, "Yeah, I need this."
The Famous "Bin" System
One of the best things about Other Music New York was how they organized stuff. Most stores did "Rock" or "Pop." Boring.
Other Music had categories like "Decadent," "La Decadanse," or "Out." It forced you to shop by vibe rather than by genre. If you liked a certain mood, you’d find a record there that matched it, regardless of whether it was made in 1968 or last Tuesday. That’s how discovery should work. It’s messy. It’s non-linear. It’s human.
Why the Storefront Actually Closed (It Wasn’t Just Spotify)
In 2016, when the news broke that Other Music was closing, the indie world went into mourning. Everyone blamed streaming. "Spotify killed the record store!" was the common refrain. While that played a role, the reality was more boring and more heartbreaking.
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It was the rent.
New York City real estate is a monster that eats its children. The neighborhood had changed. The Bowery and East Village had transformed from gritty artistic hubs into playgrounds for the ultra-wealthy. When your lease is up and the numbers don't add up anymore, even a legendary status can't save you.
Plus, the way people consumed music shifted. Not just the "free" aspect, but the speed. Other Music’s weekly email newsletter was a bible for music nerds. But eventually, the internet became too fast. Blogs, then Reddit, then TikTok—the speed of discovery outpaced the physical delivery of a crate of vinyl from overseas.
Josh Madell basically said at the time that they didn't want to become a museum. They were a living, breathing business. When it stopped being a sustainable business, they did the dignified thing and pulled the plug.
The Legacy: More Than Just a Movie
If you haven't seen the documentary Other Music (2019), go find it. It’s a beautiful, painful look at the final weeks of the shop. It features people like Jason Schwartzman, Matt Berninger, and Regina Spektor talking about how much the place meant to them.
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But the legacy isn't just a film.
- The Label: Other Music launched a record label that put out incredible stuff, including the early Excepter records and reissues of lost gems.
- MoMA PS1 Warm Up: They were instrumental in the early days of the MoMA PS1 Warm Up series, bringing experimental electronic music to a massive outdoor audience.
- The Staff: The alumni of Other Music are everywhere. They run labels, they manage bands, they write for the biggest music outlets in the world. The "Other Music school of thought" is baked into the DNA of the modern music industry.
Is There a Replacement?
Not really. You have shops like Rough Trade or Academy Records, and they are great. But Other Music New York had a specific "downtown" energy that you can't manufacture. It was a product of a specific time in Manhattan when you could still afford to be weird on a major thoroughfare.
The shop also helped bridge the gap between "high art" and "street culture." You might find a $50 box set of avant-garde noise sitting next to a locally produced hip-hop mixtape. They didn't judge based on prestige; they judged based on quality.
How to Keep the Other Music Spirit Alive Today
You can't go to 15 East 4th Street and buy a record anymore. Well, you can go to the building, but you won't find the shop. However, the ethos of the place—discovery over convenience—is something we should probably fight to keep.
If you want to support what Other Music New York stood for, here is how you do it in the 2020s:
- Buy from Bandcamp on Fridays: Support artists directly. The shop was always about making sure the weirdos got paid.
- Visit local indie shops: If you’re in NYC, go to Limited to One in the East Village or Superior Elevation in Brooklyn. Physical spaces for music are disappearing; use them or lose them.
- Stop trusting the algorithm: Don't just listen to the "Discovery Weekly" playlist. Go find a weird music blog or a community radio station like WFMU.
- Dig deeper: If you like a band, look at who they toured with. Look at who produced their record. Follow the threads. That’s what the staff at Other Music would have made you do.
The shop was a gateway. Once you walked through it, the world of music got a lot bigger and a lot more interesting. We might not have the yellow sign anymore, but the records are still out there, waiting to be found by someone who gives a damn.
Actionable Steps for Music Heads
If you're looking to recreate that "Other Music" feeling of discovery, start with these specific actions:
- Track down the "Other Music" 20th Anniversary compilation: It's a great snapshot of the artists they championed.
- Subscribe to the newsletters of independent labels: Labels like Fat Possum, Matador, or Thrill Jockey still carry the torch for the kind of music the shop loved.
- Engage with physical media: Go buy a record without listening to it on Spotify first. Take a risk based on the cover art or a one-sentence description. That "blind buy" thrill was the core experience of shopping at Other Music New York.
- Support the Film: Rent or buy the documentary to see the actual faces of the people who kept this dream alive for two decades. It’s a masterclass in how to build a community around art.