FAQs

About Cue the Record

Cue the Record is a NYc-based organization rooted in the belief that music is living history. We dig into the stories, artists, and eras behind the records — then bring those worlds to life through immersive high-fidelity listening sessions, experiences, and carefully curated sounds. Our mission is to nurture spaces for people to gather, listen deeply, and connect through the power of analog sound.
Hi-fi describes audio that aims to faithfully reproduce a sound source — whether that's a live performance, a studio recording, or an acoustic instrument. The goal is accuracy: what comes out of the speakers (or headphones) should sound as close as possible to what went in. Hi-fi systems typically involve quality source components (a turntable, streamer, or CD player), an amplifier, and speakers, with each link in the chain chosen to preserve and reveal detail rather than mask it.
Our programming centers on Listening Sessions — bringing together DJs, musicians, storytellers, record collectors, and community members to explore the albums and records that have shaped them, diving into origins, context, culture, and the stories behind the sound. Some go deep on a single album; others trace a wider thread across a genre, scene, or idea.
From time to time, our programming expands to include film screenings, panel discussions, artist talks, and other community gatherings, all growing out of the same spirit of curiosity and connection.

We aim to host listening sessions at least twice a month. Occasionally we'll program more depending on our team's capacity.
All upcoming programs can be found at www.cuetherecord.org/programs. We also share updates with our newsletter subscribers and post programming announcements across our social media accounts.
We typically don't release additional tickets once a session sells out, as we want to keep the space comfortable and the experience intentional for everyone in the room. Every now and then we may add a second date for a selected album, but that's rare.
If tickets do become available, we'll provide a waitlist option.
Absolutely! While our events are ticketed to help with programming costs, we believe you shouldn't have to pay to be part of community. If cost is ever a barrier, reach out to us at contact@cuetherecord.org — we're happy to offer both discounted and complimentary tickets. No explanation needed.
Our standard album listening sessions run roughly three hours, but each program can vary. We recommend checking the specific event listing for details.

The Record Store is Cue the Record's pop-up record store, sourced by Mustafa Ali-Smith. You'll typically find soul, jazz, funk, R&B, and hip hop. Records are available for sale during all programs.
Our library is a curated and growing collection of books, periodicals, and reference materials spanning music culture, audio, art, and design — available to browse during our events and programs.