In Your Ear Records

In Your Ear Records in Warren, Rhode Island carries a long New England record-store lineage into a smaller East Bay setting. Chris notes that the shop's history runs through Boston, Cambridge, Providence, and now Warren, with piles of used records and CDs around every turn.

Turntable close-up.

Interview with In Your Ear Records

In Your Ear is a name with real New England record-store lineage. How does the Warren shop fit into that story?

We've had stores in Boston, Cambridge MA, as well as Providence and now Warren RI. We are done to the store in Warren which has been in its current location for about 15 years.

Warren is a small waterfront town between Providence and the East Bay beaches. Who walks in?

People from all walks of life but many are local to the East Bay.

What do Rhode Island diggers hunt for — and is there a local taste people wouldn't guess?

That's a tough one. Depending on the age, it's everything from rock to hiphop to jazz to blues and international. The sea shanty craze seems to have already passed, lol.

What's been quietly strong in the bins lately?

Classic rock will never die! Now especially on vinyl.

Stacks of 45s.

What comes through when locals sell collections — old New England houses hold deep stock?

Unfortunately, most collections hold very few secrets and contain mostly middle-of-the-road rock and easy listening from decades ago. I'd say that about 20% of what people bring in is truly sellable. And condition is always an issue.

When someone wants to sell records, what's the best way to start — and what makes a collection an easy yes?

Send a list of artists to us at inyourearorders@gmail.com. DON'T bother listing the catalog number or even the album titles if you want a quick anwer. Including all the specific information is, in most cases, a waste of time. We know what is sellable just by looking at the artist names. Although there are many albums that are always in demand (Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, etc.), in most cases the more popular the album was, the less likely that we will need it because there are so many available. Obscure titles in jazz and rock are more interesting to us. In the end, condition will always determine whether an album has value or not but that is something that can only be determined in person.

Used CDs in stock.

What condition problems do coastal air and old-house storage inflict on vinyl?

Mold and mildew are a problem wherever people live. Don't store your records in a damp basement!

First visit to In Your Ear — what should someone dig through first?

Anywhere. There is stuff piled high at every turn!

A customer, me, and Robert Cray.

Last updated: 2026-08-23

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