Music is an important aspect of everyday life. It entertains, it comforts and it distracts. It provides a soundtrack to existence.
But it also costs a little money, and when you pay for it you want to get the best music at the best price. Here are a few local music shops that offer both good selection and good deals.
CD/Game Exchange, located at 30 E. 11th Ave. between Sweet Potato Pie and Eugene Toy and Hobby, is a hole-in-the-wall store with a wide range of budget music. Carrying everything from new releases to the buy-at-your-own-risk 50-cent rack, the store is the place to expand your audio collection without spending too much, as well as a great spot to sell off all those albums you were sorry you bought in the first place.
House of Records, run out of an old blue house at 258 E. 13th Ave., boasts one of the best vinyl record selections in town. Apart from turntable fodder, the House also offers a wide range of CDs and tapes in almost every genre, from jazz to rap, blues to rock and pop standards to electronica.
Musique Gourmet, located at 942 Olive St. behind Bradford’s Hi-Fidelity, is a great place to bolster your knowledge of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Handel and any other composer that grabs your fancy. Specializing in all forms of classical music, it’s a good spot for the more sophisticated listener.
Cat’s Meow Jazz & Blues Corner, another specialty shop, carries a wide range of jazz and blues albums in its store at 122 E. Broadway. For those into Miles Davis, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Thelonious Monk or more obscure artists, this is the place.
CD World, at West 11th Avenue and Seneca Road, is one of Eugene’s premier music shops and houses a wide range of music at decent prices. The occasional sales are always worth checking out, and the store is a good spot to pick up current releases.
Face the Music, located at 860 E. 13th Ave., across from the University Bookstore, has all the standard advantages of a college music shop. With an eclectic collection of new and used music, it’s a good place to stop by if you can’t make it too far from campus.
Mayhem Music — another shop close to campus, just north of East 13th Avenue on Alder Street — is one of Eugene’s newest music stores, having just opened this summer. The store has a limited selection.
Record Garden, formerly located on Willamette Street, has consolidated with its Springfield branch until a new Eugene location can be found. Until then, it’s worth the trip to 1414 Main St. in Springfield to check out its diverse collection of music. The store also has a great selection of good-condition vinyl records at low prices.