Rough Trade Shops

Rough Trade began trading in 1976 at 202 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill. Originally specialising in US and Jamaican imports, it soon became one of the leading outlets for the burgeoning punk scene, and subsequently a Mecca for anyone buying or selling new DIY new wave music and fanzines. In 1978, Rough Trade Records was born. The first release was Paris Marquis by Metal Urbain, soon to be followed with releases by Stiff Little Fingers, Swell Maps, The Raincoats, Cabaret Voltaire... A mixture of rapid growth and management inexperience caused the shop and label businesses to separate in 1982. As a result, the shop moved round the corner to 130 Talbot Road and the label went on to sign some band called The Smiths. In 1987, we opened a second store, together with Slam City Skates, at 16 Neals Yard, Covent Garden. International stores (Paris and Tokyo) soon followed but under the weight of global recession, closed for lunch and never re-opened. The same fate fell upon the labelRough Trade Records went out of business in the early 90s, but like a phoenix from the ashes, triumphantly returned nine years later with Geoff Travis once again at the helm. We, Rough Trade shops, celebrated our 25th Anniversary in 2001 with a series of gigs and the release of a commemorative CD compilation. The same year, we also received an award from Music Week in recognition of our unique contribution to the British Music Industry (following the likes of Richard Branson). Earlier last year, we quietly launched The Album Club a truly unique and original service that manages to distil all of our heritage, experience and expertise, to provide the finest music delivery service available. Together with this, our new store website, plus of course our two London stores, we proudly continue to deliver the definitive music shop experience.