Best of Boston

Newbury Comics is to Nick Hornby as music megastores are to Carson Daly. The trucker hat—wearing kids who staff this eclectic pop culture emporium truly know their stuff, and they’re quick to help shoppers navigate the impressive selection of CDs crammed between the movies and kitschy collectibles that crowd the aisles. With new releases often priced at $10 or less, ample shelf space set aside for local artists, and sought-after acts frequently dropping in for appearances, browsing for albums here almost beats downloading them for free on your home computer—and, as an added bonus, doesn’t create the same risk of being sued for copyright infringement.