Amsterdam is a city that keeps music at its core. Its scene is built on underground talent—local and international—creating a DIY ecosystem you don’t really find anywhere else. There’s always been something unique about the sound here: somehow, it has managed to hold onto what makes the scene special, whilst simultaneously driving it forward into new, deeper places. Beyond mere evening plans and bars, we’ve rounded up the very best of what Amsterdam has to offer.
Here is a music head’s guide to Amsterdam.
Table Of Contents
Record Shops
Amsterdam’s record shops reflect the city’s vibrant flow of homegrown talent and international artists, meaning the vinyl on offer is truly exceptional—and often rare—compared to other cities. Of course, finding that record you so desperately need can feel a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack, but here are the top spots to start digging.
Rush Hour
Perhaps one of the most well-known record shops in Amsterdam, Rush Hour has a reputation well-earned. Having organised parties since 1998, bringing in legendary DJs like Moodymann and Kerri Chandler, Rush Hour has both grown into an iconic label and store. The shop’s selection bridges past, present, and future—chosen for authenticity, never trends.
📍 Location: Spuistraat 110, 1012 VA
Redlight Records
Tucked into the heart of Amsterdam’s city centre, Redlight Records has shelves stacked with jazz, funk, disco, wave, and plenty more. It’s a spot for finding those offbeat records and rare oddities you won’t see elsewhere. If you’ve got old vinyl lying around, they’ll take them off your hands and put them back in circulation.
📍 Location: Oudekerksplein 26, Amsterdam, 1012GZ
Concerto Record Shop
Founded in 1955, Concerto has grown into an Amsterdam music mainstay, stretching across five linked buildings on Utrechtsestraat. Rows and rows of new and used vinyl, CDs, and books—every genre is there for digging. There’s always something happening: live sets, artist signings, listening parties, or community evenings. Not a glossy tourist stop—Concerto is a true hub for connecting with the Dutch music scene.
📍 Location: Utrechtsestraat 54- 60, 1017 VP Amsterdam, Netherlands
Classical Music Plans
Amsterdam was once defined by glamour—think white linens and sparkling chandeliers—and so was its classical music scene. The venues of today were concert halls of Amsterdam’s storied past, fit for royalty then and now. Classical music in Amsterdam stays alive in all the glamour and splendor it began with.
Concertgebouw
The beautiful Concertgebouw sits in the heart of Museumplein having opened its doors to the public in 1888. Hosting everything from local orchestras to those on tour, and world-famous vocalists like Tino Martin, Concertgebouw offers a traditional approach to listening to classical music but in a completely perfect way.
📍 Location: Concertgebouwplein 10, 1071 BB
Candlelight concerts
Yes, Candlelight again. But hear us out. These concerts in Amsterdam have changed and evolved to listen to the desires of the crowd. A chance to experience soundtracks from films and series, Coldplay, and more, reimagined by a talented string quartet. And, what’s more, these special concerts are hosted in beautiful spaces like Koninklijk Theater Tuschinski which dazzles with Art Deco elegance, and Posthoornkerk which impresses with Neo-Gothic beauty and acoustics.
📍 Location: Subject to venue choice
Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ
Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a leading classical music concert venue in Amsterdam, famed for hosting terrace concerts with panoramic river views. Hosting everything from concertos with the North Holland Youth Orchestra, the enormous Cello Biennale, concerts dedicated to Schoenberg, and more innovative events. With forward-thinking programming, Muziekgebouw remains a cultural hub for all ages.
📍 Location: Piet Heinkade 1, 1019 BR
Clubs
Clubbing in Amsterdam is whatever you want it to be. Late, early, pop, techno, house, outside, inside, underground, rooftop, you name it, it’s here. The choice is often overwhelming, so here we have rounded up three clubs which continue to bring in rave reviews and continue to push to do things differently.
Shelter
Hidden away in Noord, in the basement of A’DAM Tower, Shelter is a hub for experimentation. The club was curated as home away from home for veteran clubbers and enthusiastic newcomers alike. From crowd pleasing house music to techno nights, the space is often transformed from a groove into deeper, darker places.
📍 Location: A’DAM Tower, Overhoeksplein 3, 1031 KS
Club Paradiso and Parallel
Club Paradiso located in Leidseplein has been a music venue since 1968, whilst Parallel is their newer club open in Noord. Both spaces regularly host club concepts like Bassline Nights, East Collective XXL, Latin District, Tribes and more. Club Paradiso hosts its nights in the church which has stood in central Amsterdam since 1880, while Parallel in Noord is a more modern, forward-looking establishment. In both spaces the programs are carefully curated to match the venue itself and seek to drive Amsterdam’s club night future forward.
📍 Location: Weteringschans 6-8, 1017 SG, Buiksloterweg 5C, 1031
Radion
Located inside a former dental centre, Radion is a a club with a 24 hour license. Radion boasts nonstop nightlife, hosting cutting edge parties and diverse cultural events showcasing both Dutch and international talent. The space is open-minded, reflected in music, staff, and the crowd. Where else can you party till 3pm the next day?
📍 Location: Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA
Live music venues
Just like the architecture of Amsterdam with all its quirks and charm, its spaces for seeing up-and-coming artists and old-timers echo the same unconventional spirit. From aging theatres, to riverside gigs, and a bar which feels like a scene from a 70s film, these live music venues are essential stops on a music head’s tour of Amsterdam.
Tolhuistuin
A lush garden in Noord offers an intimate outdoor space to take in live music. The genre? Always diverse. From rustic folk and experimental pop, to indie rock and soul, the space is for curious audiences and up-and-coming artists.
📍 Location: IJpromenade 2, 1031 KT
De Nieuwe Anita
De Nieuwe Anita in Amsterdam offers an eclectic setting for live music, with performances of soul, indie, acoustic guitar shows, and more experimental stuff. The bar itself is decorated like a 70s art deco style home. Comfy armchairs, chintzy lampshades, and mismatched furnishing, its cosy and familiar in a way that live music venues usually aren’t.
📍 Location: Frederik Hendrikstraat 111, 1052 HN
The Jazz Room at Het Zonnehuis
The Jazz Room in Het Zonnehuis is a journey back in time to when jazz’s origins. Bathed in atmospheric lighting and a thoughtfully curated setlist, talented musicians indulge in improvisations, solos, and timeless classics. With its magnificently preserved art deco interior, Het Zonnehuis is the ideal backdrop for this jazz night’s nostalgic journey to the heart of New Orleans.
📍 Location: Het Zonnehuis – Zonneplein 30, 1033 EK