Music Discovery
RARE GROOVE
Rare groove is a British term for obscure soul, funk, and jazz — records that were commercially unsuccessful on release but are now prized by collectors and producers. The UK rare groove scene of the 1980s, led by DJs like Gilles Peterson and Norman Jay, essentially invented the modern concept of crate digging.
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What is rare groove?▾
Rare groove is a British term that emerged in the late 1980s for obscure soul, funk, and jazz records from the late 1960s–1970s that were rarely heard but valued for their sound. The term was popularised by UK radio DJs and record shops. These records were pressed in small quantities and had limited distribution, making them obscure and collectible.
What makes a record "rare groove" quality?▾
Three qualities: a deep, live rhythm section with natural recording; sparse arrangements that leave space for sampling; and obscurity — records that fewer producers have heard and sampled. The ideal rare groove record has a drum break, a bassline, a horn section, and was pressed in under 10,000 copies on a label outside the major distribution system.
How do I find rare groove records online?▾
Discogs is the primary database for rare groove. Filter by genre (Funk/Soul), style (Soul or Funk), country (US, UK, or rare finds from France, Italy, Brazil), and year range (1965–1982). Sort by want list size to find what collectors value, or sort randomly using CrateDrop to discover records that even experienced diggers haven't flipped yet.