'I visited HMV's new London Oxford Street spot having never bought a physical record before'

For most music lovers, it has long been a rite of passage to buy their first record in a store but I bought my first on my iPod Touch. It was Rihanna's second studio album, A Girl Like Me, with Katy Perry's sophomore release, One Of The Boys, following soon after.

Having streamed music online throughout my teen years and into adulthood, I've always been curious about starting a physical collection of my favourite records. Not knowing where to start has held me back.

Stepping into HMV's new Oxford Street store, I was overwhelmed by choice. With 8,000 different vinyl albums and 12,000 CDs stocked on its shelves, you could easily lose a few hours browsing its extensive music collection.

My eyes were naturally drawn to a wall showcasing Taylor Swift's complete discography.

The famous shopping street welcomed HMV back on Friday (November 24) as its flagship store once again opened its doors after a four-year hiatus. Oxford Street first hosted the very first store in 1921.

Having become a go-to high street spot for records for music fans over the years, the century-old music chain's new Oxford Street shop is now much more than its record collection. 

The multi-floor spot welcomes customers on its pop culture floor, which has posters, merchandise, and more, and also has escalators to its top entertainment floor, which has films, books, and games.

Exploring HMV's newly opened London spot has certainly made me want to start a vinyl collection of my own, meaning I've had to make a few adjustments to my Christmas wish list!