Pop Music

What Pop Music does

Pop Music is a Toronto, Canada-based independent vinyl record retailer founded in 2017 that sells physical music media and related merchandise directly to consumers. The company operates an omnichannel model comprising an e-commerce storefront (pop-music.ca) built on the Lightspeed platform and a brick-and-mortar retail location in Toronto, with fulfillment options including free shipping, same-day local delivery, and in-store pickup. Its catalog spans new and exclusive vinyl records across all major genres (Rock/Pop, Punk, Metal, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Electronic, Country/Folk, Jazz/Blues, Reggae, World, Soundtracks, Classical, Holiday), alongside Record Store Day exclusives and pre-orders.

Beyond records, the product portfolio extends into adjacent categories: turntables and speakers for vinyl playback, branded apparel (unisex and women's t-shirts, hoodies), general merchandise (headwear, socks, tote bags), vinyl care accessories (brushes/cleaners, sleeves, dividers), and digital gift cards. Pricing is denominated in Canadian dollars with a USD toggle for international buyers, with standard vinyl at C$19.99–C$50.00, exclusive/colored variants at C$30.00–C$89.99, and premium box sets reaching C$329.99. The company employs approximately 9 people.

Pop Music's go-to-market strategy is anchored on scarcity-driven demand from limited-edition colored vinyl pressings and Record Store Day allocations, supported by a content blog ("Pop Life"), email marketing via customer accounts, and annual in-store event participation. It serves primarily Canadian vinyl collectors and music enthusiasts, with a secondary segment of turntable/hi-fi buyers building playback setups. The business is privately held with no disclosed funding, parent entity, subsidiaries, awards, patents, or named partnerships.

Name

Pop Music

Legal name

Pop Music

Website

https://pop-music.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pop Music is an independent Toronto-based vinyl record retailer founded in 2017, operating a Lightspeed-powered e-commerce store (pop-music.ca) alongside a physical retail location. It sells vinyl across all genres, plus turntables, branded apparel, and vinyl care accessories, primarily to Canadian music collectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vinyl Record Retail

NAICS

Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)

SIC

Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)

akta.pro primary industry

Turntables & Vinyl Audio Equipment Retail (CRACAEAH)

Keywords

• Vinyl record retail
• Music merchandise
• Turntable audio equipment
• Record Store Day
• Vinyl accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vinyl Records Sales: One-time transaction sales of new and pre-owned vinyl records across all genres including Rock/Pop, Punk, Metal, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Electronic, Jazz/Blues, Classical, and Soundtracks. Offers exclusive colored vinyl editions and Record Store Day releases.
2. Hardware Sales: Sales of turntables, speakers, and audio equipment for vinyl playback.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of branded merchandise including t-shirts (unisex and women's), hoodies, headwear, socks, and tote bags.
4. Vinyl Care Products: Sales of vinyl maintenance products including brushes/cleaners, sleeves, and dividers.
5. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold to customers for future purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pop Music is a Toronto-based vinyl record retailer that sells new and pre-owned physical vinyl records across virtually all major genres, alongside turntables and speakers, branded apparel and accessories, vinyl care products, and gift cards. The business combines an e-commerce storefront with a brick-and-mortar retail location, emphasizing exclusive colored vinyl editions, Record Store Day releases, and pre-orders for upcoming titles. Pricing is in CAD with a USD option, and orders are fulfilled via free shipping, same-day delivery, and in-store pickup within Canada.

Product overview

Pop Music is a Canadian vinyl record store based in Toronto specializing in physical music media and merchandise. The company operates as a traditional e-commerce storefront offering vinyl records across diverse genres including Rock/Pop, Punk, Metal, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Electronic, Country/Folk, Jazz/Blues, Reggae, World, Soundtracks, Classical, and Holiday categories. Beyond records, the product portfolio includes branded apparel (t-shirts, hoodies), turntables and speakers, vinyl care products, merchandise items, and gift cards. The store features specialty offerings such as Record Store Day exclusive releases, pre-orders for upcoming titles, and an overstock sale section. The company is powered by Lightspeed e-commerce platform and sells in both USD and CAD currencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vinyl Records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Indigo: Canadian retail chain offering music, books, and lifestyle products through physical stores and online. Comparable in Canadian market presence and multi-channel retail approach, though vinyl is a secondary category for them.
• Amazon: Largest online retailer offering a massive vinyl catalog with competitive pricing and rapid fulfillment. Sets the structural price benchmark Pop Music must differentiate against via curation, exclusives, and physical experience.
• Urban Outfitters: Lifestyle retailer carrying a significant vinyl and music merchandise offering targeted at a similar demographic. Overlaps with Pop Music on apparel and exclusive vinyl editions but as part of a broader fashion/lifestyle portfolio.
• Best Buy: Major consumer electronics and audio equipment retailer competing with Pop Music's turntable and speaker offering. Represents the larger-scale competitive set for the hardware portion of Pop Music's product mix.
• HMV: Major record and entertainment retail chain with broad entertainment offering spanning music, movies, and games across multiple geographies. Sets competitive baseline for vinyl selection and pricing in the broader market.
• Sunrise Records: Canadian record retail chain with a strong physical-store presence across Canada. Comparable to Pop Music's Canadian market focus and vinyl-centered offering, but at substantially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Sonic Boom: Specialty record retailer with locations in Seattle and Toronto, offering curated vinyl across genres plus merchandise. Highly comparable in product mix, physical/online dual-channel model, and indie positioning.
• Rough Trade: Independent record store chain operating in the UK and US, with a curated vinyl selection, merchandise, and in-store events. Highly comparable to Pop Music's model of combining physical retail with vinyl-focused curation and exclusive releases.
• Rotate This: Toronto-based independent record store operating since 1985, directly competing with Pop Music in the same city with a similar vinyl-focused, genre-spanning offering. Most direct local comparable.
• Amoeba Music: Iconic independent record retailer with multiple California locations offering curated vinyl, CDs, and music merchandise. Closely comparable to Pop Music in specialty retail positioning, genre-spanning catalog, and physical store experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pop-music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pop Music