Newbury Comics

With brick-and-mortar record stores boarding up left and right, this local chain—launched in 1978 by a pair of MIT students—has acquired fresh polish on its cherished-institution status. But the truth is that its balanced inventory of the arcane and the mainstream has always trumped the competition. Though the flagship store in the Back Bay has the most comprehensive selection, Newbury Comics' suburban outlets smartly follow the same model of covering every genre and offering a strong supply of imports, used discs, and new vinyl. From Stravinsky to Stereolab, Neil Young to Young Jeezy, you can find it here—and may it ever be so. RUNNER-UP: In Your Ear LAST YEAR: N/A