I saw Joker last Saturday night at the Kabuki. The song "Rock N Roll #2" stuck out to me, as Joker waltzes down the steps. I looked on iTunes, and then decided to look for the album by Gary Glitter. I thought, I might as well buy the album and not just the single song off iTunes. Now, I'm over the moon with the album! Now I know where to go get a specific album if I can't find it at Target.

Amoeba used to be a great store with friendly and courteous staff. Since the competition has completely gone (Rasputin stores on Haight Street plus the Rasputin stores on Market and Powell Streets) they have gone mad with the prices and offer next to nothing for buying. I witnessed a young man who wanted to sell an original shrink wrapped "White Album" from the Beatles in mint condition - I stood next to him so I saw it myself. I know that this is worth a lot of money. The visibly disinterested "doped up" guy with dreadlocks wanted to give him only $5 for it. The guy left. I had a dozen DVD's to sell with brochure inlays, top condition - the same dopey guy wanted to give me $ 3. I took offense and told their buyer that I will never come back. I think it's offensive not to give people even the minimum of what their items are worth - mainly because they can't go to the competition any longer. On the way home I stopped by at "Green Apple Books" and got $18 for my haul - what a difference! In terms of buying anything at Amoeba: their new Blu-Ray's and 4K's are priced over the top. For example, they charge $ 48 (plus taxes) for the 4K "Wizard of Oz" when the same can be ordered on Amazon for $ 19.99. Criterion Collection titles at Amoeba are between $ 40's-50 (plus taxes) and Blu-Ray Arrow Video's run for tripple the amount Amazon or Barnes & Noble would charge. Amoeba adds 8.5% local SALES TAX plus another 3.5% "SF Healthy Tax", which does add up (sic). The best place to buy movies from is still Bull Moose: all their items are at least 50% priced below Amoeba - plus there are no funky "Employee Health Taxes" and/or Shipping Charges added. Bull Moose has free two day shipping and their staff is always friendly and accommodating. As far as Amoeba is concerned: I noticed that their store is almost empty most of the time and after 6pm one can even "roll up the floor". I know that Amoeba treats their staff very nice w. free employee parking and many other $$$$ free perks - but their staff does not appreciate that for that they treat their customers in the worst manner. I won't be back!

If you live music and nostalgia kitsch, Amoeba is your jam. Be prepared to pay through the nose for all the nostalgia, though. Very clean and well organized, but the prices were not in line with my budget. Still neat to look through!

Just steps from Golden Gate Park, this enormous store sells albums, CDs, vintage posters, books, movies, and tons of other stuff. Super funky vibes that perfectly match the Haight Ashbury neighborhood. I don't have much use for buying physical music and movies anymore, but this is still a cool place to explore. I originally went because they hosted a concert and signing with Dermot Kennedy. It was an amazing event and well run event.

A paradise for music lovers and vinyl record collectors! Amoeba Music has one of the largest collections of vinyl records, CDs, and random music paraphernalia I've ever seen. They have endless rows of items that you can spend hours browsing through. I came here hoping to expand my vinyl collection and was not disappointed and left wanting to come back ASAP. Their vinyl stock ranges from a wide array of genres: rock, classical, blues, jazz, folk, etc. They even have movie sound tracks and comedy! It's the perfect spot to broaden your musical tastes. Their stock has both used and new records and all are properly labeled. Amoeba has fantastic deals well below $5 and everything I've bought from here within that price range have been at a good quality. Do keep in mind to inspect the records you're buying for damage since they do have a no return policy. Staff here is incredibly friendly and helpful! FYI: no bags are allowed inside and you must lead them at the door.

Ok, like this is like a step into Heaven for me as Music/Video Stores were a part of my childhood. Minus 1 because most of the rare or newly remastered stuff is for sale on their website or not available. Europe and Japan are still producing CD's remastered with bonus tracks. I don't want the quiet sounding original 80s/90s CD releases (which is what they mostly have). My wish-list is hardly found there but I always find stuff I'm not looking for. A little overpriced but understandable since they have so many employees (they have to pay them). Most employees are friendly. Haight Street was my teenage hangout spot. It will always have a place in my heart. Hope this place stays so go buy some CD's, DVD's Blu-ray's, VHS, LP's, posters, t-shirts, etc.

This place is truly special. Nick is the best -- friendly and helpful. Dylan helped me find some CDs for a party I was having. He rifled through a massive number of CDs to help me find stuff that was so perfect for my party. If you're the owner, give both of these two amazing folks a raise. They deserve it.

Back in the day, I'd happily give Amoeba five stars. The store uses its former-bowling-alley size to stock most genres of music, an impressive collection of new/used movies (if you love cult films then this is the place to pick them up), some curated memorabilia to appeal to those getting up in age, and just enough quirky crap to appeal to the kids just starting to amass expendable income. The four stars comes from the music selection. It used to be that this Amoeba carried all genres, their sub-genres, and the offshoot genres of those sub-genres. There'd be genres you never knew existed; they'd carry artists you were pretty sure no record shop would bother carrying. And that's sorta-true still... but they've culled their collection within the last handful of years, ditching some genres entirely and consolidating others into a best-fit with what stayed. Still, the overall selection is pretty impressive. Prices are fair. Be prepared to hand over your bag/backpack/luggage/attaché/bindle upon entry. It's 1990s era anti-shoplifting techniques that, honestly, probably work better than the tall taddletape towers cramping the entryway. Don't worry -- the roughneck to your left as you come in will remind you.

As I walked in the door a scrawny white guy (obv an employee) yells: "Oh no, you aren't coming in - GETTT OUTTT!" Uhhh - What the the fork? My daughter and I left. Completely rattled - for doing nothing wrong. I do not recommend. This is why AMAZON is handily killing small businesses like this. Sad fact. That's all.

I spent like $54 a few months ago on some t-shirts that didn't fit right, so I returned the shirts and got credit. And then I had the credit in my wallet for a while. I decided to visit today and treat myself with the credit. I got 2 cds--Andy Stott "Passed Me By" and Xeno and Oaklander "Topiary." These CDs were recommended by the store..you know the music they play over the intercom. I also got the David Bowie candle. Also, I got Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. It was a fun time browsing and making this purchase...with my credit.

I went to amoeba looking to update my "vinyls" collection about a week ago. i asked the staff if they had the Lennon ten inch, they sure did! fantastic service great local shop! check it out even if you arent from the area

I can't believe i have never written a review for this place. I have been coming here since they opened. Their selection of Music is Amazing...New and Used. CD's and Vinyl. Great prices...if you can't find it...they can probably order it! Great movie selection too...bargain bin dvds, hard to find cult classics, blu ray... They even sell books, action figures, tshirts, posters...They even do some amazing live shows...sign up for their email newsletter to keep yourself posted... They also buy your used dvd's and CD's...they don't give you much for it..but thats just the way the business is going today... If you are a music lover, movie fan or a tourist on the way through the Haight stop here...it's really the most glorious spot in SF!!!

Went in for the first time couple days ago place is pretty big and all the dvds were in order easy to find.very cheaply priced my biggest steal was the Harry Potter movie collection 1$ each untouched no scratch love this place! Great friendly nice helpful staff! Definitely coming back

Mecca.... seriously this place has everything.... for starters the shear size of this shop (actually it's too big to be called a shop, more of a warehouse) is quite impressive. They have an immense selection of music and such a deep title pool in every genre you are assured to find something if not more somethings than you'd like. I left with titles from Lightning Hopkins, Howling Wolf, R.E.M., The Stone Roses, the Charlatans and Ride. They also have a full selection of used CD's as well. My big advice is "look up"... On the walls you will find the more exclusive titles in everything from early edition Velvet Underground to first press Iron Maiden to early (maybe the 1st press from 1959) LP Miles Davis "Some kind of blue". Literally there is something for everyone. I asked at the information booth about a few artists that I always search for only to be told I'd seen everything. Then standing in line I looked up only to see a 7" that wasn't listed in the system. So again, make sure you look up! They also have a new arrival bin at the ends of some sections so don't miss those as the gems not picked over may be sitting there. Pricing on the used vinyl was a bit higher than in most places, but the titles I purchased are often difficult to assess as there is very little available and it sells really quickly. Overall, if I lived near this place I'd be broke but I'd have one hell of a collection!

OK, so my mp3 player currently has somewhere in the neighborhood of 46,000 songs on it. But I also own the vast majority of those albums in physical form. I prefer the tangible. As often as I use my Amazon Prime account, & believe me, it's often, I like seeing books I've read in a case, DVDs & Blu Rays, LPs & CDs, all sorted & within reach. That's what we've seen erode over the years as chains like Tower, HMV & Virgin Megastore have all but vanished. It's now up to the indies & the longstanding favorites that nobly refuse to die off. I'm not from SF, but I've visited twice & first heard of this chain after receiving a promo CD of a live show Paul McCartney performed in the LA location, so I figured I'd add it to my list of stops while in the area & I'm so glad I did. If you remember the days of old school record stores with massive inventories, knowledgeable staff & reasonable prices, you'll be just as pleased with this Amoeba location as you would if you prefer the variety that mixes all of the above with random crap that you're wondering why it's there. Great store!

A nation treasure, the San Francisco Amoeba Music shop! If you want the nostalgia of records, tapes and CDs you want check it out! Right in the mix of Haight-Ashbury district you can take time to thumb through there thousand and thousands of music selections. It's picking up tunes isn't your mood , there is plenty of posters and music regalia for your likings. Please check out Amoeba Music in Berkeley, San Francisco and Los Angeles if you just want to get lost in the music you live and yearning to find. You can't find this experience anywhere but here. If you're lucky you can get to see the many music artists that visit Amoeba throughout the year, I was lucky enough to meet Scissors Sisters at the Los Angeles location. If you are a music lover, go lchexknoit Amoeba Music!!

Amoeba Records, the stuff of legends! So glad I finally got to visit this iconic record store during my trip to San Francisco. This lovely shop located in the Haight Ashbury district is a must for any music fan. Their selection is huge. They have have records, new and used, cds (for those who still buy them), and walls plastered in one of kind, original print Grateful Dead posters. The prices for newer records can be up there, but if you have time to go crate-digging, you'll find plenty of bargains. My boyfriend and I were I were browsing and the music they were playing in the store caught both our attention. I asked one of the employees what it was and she was so sweet and showed me right to the section where the album was. Thanks Amoeba, for warm fuzzy feeling, and the new found love for Moses Sumney :)

Here's that store where they filmed a bunch of What's in My Bags. Amoeba SF is right where it needs to be on Haight strip. I feel like I've been to one before but it wasn't all that familiar compared to this location. Maybe I've seen one too many What's in My Bags on YouTube, but I was right at home. Check-in your belongings so you aren't tempted to steal then you're off to your finds. Had I any space or time to listen to my crates of vinyl at home, I probably would've gone digging myself--but it's very spacious for where it's at, they have a lot of content and it's very organized.

What can I say that hasn't already been said. I'll try anyhow. When I lived in San Francisco a decade ago and was too broke to eat out or go to bars I used to come here and just live in their DVD section. I bought movies I hadn't heard of or where hard to find and they were always fairly priced and in good condition (when used). Of course, say nothing of their music selection which is simply out of this world. I was recently back here the other week and wandered in after a ten year absence. I was so pleased to see that nothing has changed (which I sure as hell can't say about Haight in general, geesh... if you thought the tourist kitsch was bad I'm sure you'll love the new designer jeans stores). I went in on a lark with the vague idea that I could maybe buy some retro italian movie soundtrack albums (don't ask, I'm having a moment) and while unfortunately they didn't (at this one moment) have the particular obscure composer I was looking for, they did have a whole section of others and I managed to leave with a $10 vinyl of Nino Rota that while less rare still really pleased me. Never change please Amoeba, you're keeping San Francisco alive.

Music stores have been such a big part of my life that I've spent a long time reconciliating their downfall. Yes, I know there is a whole host of reasons for this, but still... But in retrospect, it's a case of the really passionate surviving - look at who's failed - primarily chain stores such as Musicland, Wherehouse, and Sam Goody. The good independents have mostly survived. Yes, they've had to change their business plan a bit, and move on from simply selling artist's albums to including merchandise, food, and probably most effective, hosting in-house concerts/book readings/etc. Amoeba is sort of a greatest hits of all the above. Yes, they still sell music, primarily CDs, but also a good amount of vinyl and even some cassettes. You can pay full price if you choose to (in which case you're a fool), but one can also find a surprisingly large amount of quality discounted CDs, all the way down to a single buck (and generally there's a buy 3 get 1 free offer going on). One (read, "me") can spend an inordinate amount of time here, so I have to usually plan something else to ensure this doesn't happen! Staff is generally enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and what is always a litmus test for me, so are the other customers. You don't hear too many morons going "record stores are so passe", and there are no 1998 retreads asking for the latest Mariah Carey album. I do wish the store had a restroom, though I can understand why they do not. All in all, this is the good kind of nostalgia.