An American original, Tower Records was founded by Russ Solomon in 1960.

The idea of Tower developed from a business he founded as a teenager to re-sell 78-rpm jukebox records in his father’s Sacramento drug store, and it evolved into a record megastore that would change the way we connect with music in the predigital era. From the ‘60s through the ‘90s Tower was the reigning music retailer, an oasis at the intersection of music, art, and culture known for its volume and backed by its deeply knowledgeable, audiophile staff. An iconic mecca for music discovery, Tower’s strong visual codes and community philosophy ignited a sense of identity across generations with the mantra: “No Music No Life”. At its peak, Tower grew to more than 200 locations in 20 states and 18 countries, and more than 1 billion annual sales. A global brand with a clear and compelling vision.

Tower Records applied a fresh and innovative attitude towards management, with a ‘local-first’ approach that allowed the stores to run with an independent spirit and thus with a finger on the pulse of the musical and cultural zeitgeist. Upon entering a Tower Records store, visitors were greeted by knowledgeable aficionados and tall stacks of the latest albums near the front door. Long aisles contained thousands of titles in every imaginable music genre created. The store stayed open late and became evening hangouts for thousands of music fans, who would stop in and buy a few items as part of their nights out: The Towers on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and Broadway in New York’s Greenwich Village were landmarks in their own right. The shops made devotees of the stars. Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl were regular visitors, and Tower’s most famous patron was Elton John.

Tower continues to define the blueprint for what a music experience should be, bridging innovation, tradition & experimentation. A space for unique individuals with a passion for sound to connect, discover, and consume music. The original source for curation and expertise.