“The word is about, there’s something evolving / Whatever may come, the world keeps revolving.” These lines, sung by the iconic Shirley Bassey in the 1997 Propeller Heads song History Repeating, ran through my head as I walked through Listen Records, the 124th Street record shop that has been in business since 2001.
Owned and operated by Kris Burwash, the shop looks like what you’d expect from a record shop — rows of vinyl on shelves and in crates, tshirts and vintage posters hung on the wall, a new record spinning on the turntable behind the till. But it’s changed a lot over the years.
When Burwash first opened shop, people still largely listened to CDs. Vinyl hadn’t yet returned in a big way, streaming was still years off, iTunes was in its infancy, and apps like Napster had a new but tenuous hold on the music market.
In the years since, streaming has boomed, vinyl has experienced a slow but dedicated resurgence, buoyed by rereleases of classic records — and now, believe it or not, cassettes are making a comeback.
“I have Chappell Roan and Taylor Swift tapes,” says Burwash . “But I also have lots by smaller artists. For local musicians, making a tape costs a lot less than a record, and it gives fans a way to support that artist.”
Through it all, Burwash has been dedicated to creating a space for music and for music lovers.
The store is an eclectic mix of new releases, re-releases and used albums in all formats — as well as all the gear listeners need to enjoy their records. Like any good record store, it’s a space you can lose hours in, digging through used records and chatting with fellow music lovers.
Burwash has come to see Listen Records as a hobby shop, not unlike comic shops. Many of the customers coming through Listen’s doors are collectors — whether they’re looking for an original pressing of an old Rush album, or a limited edition colour vinyl release from Taylor Swift.
“People are bringing in their records to trade, so even newer albums from the last five years are available used. It’s a constantly changing market.”
Despite the evolving nature of how we listen to music, and the challenges all small businesses face, Burwash loves running a record store. Just getting to talk music and hang out with people who share his passion is Burwash’s favourite part of the business. And that’s an experience shoppers can’t get from Spotify or Apple Music.
“Streaming isn’t going to be around forever,” Burwash says. Even as trends in music shift, listeners keep returning to physical media — whether it’s CDs, tapes or LPs — as a way of supporting the artists they love.
Listen Records
Westmount | 10443a 124 St, Edmonton | shop.listenrecords.net
