The VH Trade Site Forums Archives

[jstarr2000]

This truly disgusts me as a music fan who grew up buying music at my local record store. Most of the bands we all like would have never been heard if it wasn't for our local music stores and staffs. I expect sh*t like this from The Eagles(who I like alright, but will do anything for a buck). I also understand why Journey would(they probably had no other outlets), but AC/DC with a high profile release on one of the most successful labels in music history? Here's the article and you can also see how Wal-Mart plans to cut their inventory:

Ubiquitous American retailer Wal-Mart got a fair amount of press for its status as "one of the few remaining chain stores selling music" today, with stories in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal about its upcoming music strategy. But the WSJ gets the scoop: Wal-Mart's next store-exclusive release will be the upcoming album by AC/DC, which is slated to hit stores in the fall. Unlike the two other classic-rock stalwarts who had chart-topping exclusives with the Bentonville behemoth, the Eagles and Journey, AC/DC's album will come out on a major label (Columbia). The Journal notes that "Columbia's decision to sell a major new release at only one chain has the potential to alienate retailers left out," although those alienated retailers can at this point be counted on one person's digits. And how is Wal-Mart going to celebrate its music mogul status? By demanding lower wholesale prices and cutting floor space even more!

From the Journal:

Wal-Mart's current talks with the four major music companies have their roots in 2007's post-Thanksgiving shopping season. Wal-Mart at the time cut CD prices aggressively and saw a strong bump in sales. As a result, the chain approached music companies in February and asked them to commit to deep, across-the-board price cuts, to as low as $5, and to no more than $12, per disc.

The labels — owned by Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group, EMI Group Ltd., Warner Music Group Corp. and Sony BMG, a joint venture of Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG — balked, arguing that reducing prices so sharply would undercut the value of their product everywhere. The two sides began discussing other changes they could make.

Among the options under consideration are reductions in inventory, aimed at weeding out poor-selling titles. Wal-Mart has indicated to some music executives such cuts would be extensive, while others have been told they would likely be minimal.

Wal-Mart's senior vice president for entertainment, Gary Severson, says that in the next six months, "you'll see us clarifying our offering, whether through price or assortment." He adds that the extent of any planned cuts "depends on the store."

However, one thing that will not be cut are the special editions of albums, also known as "the ways some less reputable artist try to pad their SoundScan tallies." (Surely you know of at least one artist who offered different bonus tracks to different chains, thus throwing down the gauntlet for "real fans" to buy as many as five copies of an album. Whether this strategy will work in the face of a cratering economy, of course, remains to be seen.) From the Times:

Exclusive album deals have been happening for some time with that goal in mind. Wal-Mart and Best Buy, the two largest physical retailers of music, often get special editions of albums, with exclusive songs or video footage. In 2005, Wal-Mart made a deal to become the exclusive distributor of Garth Brooks albums, including a new collection of outtakes. But the Eagles and Journey are the first two major acts that have released albums of new material that are available at only one retailer. And although record labels tread carefully around such deals, for fear of upsetting rival stores, bands need not be so sensitive.

[Ford Fairlane]

I find it strange that Wal-Mart was one of the main outlets pushing "family friendly" music by only selling censored versions of CD's a few years back (and maybe still, for all I know), and AC/DC has so many sexual innuendos in their songs sssh

It's funny how things that were once being burned at the stake by the PMRC are now perfectly acceptable :rolleyes:

[liquid_steel_az]

Ford Fairlane wrote: I find it strange that Wal-Mart was one of the main outlets pushing "family friendly" music by only selling censored versions of CD's a few years back (and maybe still, for all I know), and AC/DC has so many sexual innuendos in their songs sssh

It's funny how things that were once being burned at the stake by the PMRC are now perfectly acceptable :rolleyes:

Money Talks!......(pun intended)... :yell: :yell: :D

[blu]

I freakin' hate wal-mart. This is shitty. I don't by any electronic media at wal-mart if I can avoid it (dvd's, music, games). I find it hilarious that you can't by a cd that has "fuck" on it but you can walk around the corner and by a dvd that has nudity, violence, and language. Insane.

[guitard]

Ford Fairlane wrote: I find it strange that Wal-Mart was one of the main outlets pushing "family friendly" music by only selling censored versions of CD's a few years back (and maybe still, for all I know), and AC/DC has so many sexual innuendos in their songs
I agree about AC/DC's lyrics...but they don't have anything on most modern rap music CDs.

[Iron Mike]

Ac/Dc's music is not full of bad language, I'm fine w/the swearing, but I bought the Motley Crue double live cd from the '05-06 tour @ Wal-Mart two years ago and promptly traded it in because it was a clean version. I don't like clean versions, censorship sucks.

Wal-Mart just sucks!

So, if Walmart is going to be the only U.S. store w/the new Ac/dc cd, does that mean it's a cd free of bad language? I don't want censored music!!

[liquid_steel_az]

Iron Mike wrote: ..I don't like clean versions, censorship sucks.

Wal-Mart just sucks!

So, if Walmart is going to be the only U.S. store w/the new Ac/dc cd, does that mean it's a cd free of bad language? I don't want censored music!!

Agreed 100 percent!!

Bring on the tour, and bring on the bootlegs!!!!! :dance:

I just wonder if Brian Johnson has any voice left..... :confused:

[Ford Fairlane]

Iron Mike wrote: Wal-Mart just sucks!

I hate going in a Wal-Mart. They have 40 cash registers at the front of the store, and there's only ever 2 open with lines running down into the aisles. Why waste the money on the hardware if they're not going to use it?

[frankm]

Isn't Journey's new album available just at Wal-Mart?

I don't love WalMart but I don't hate it either ... for me it is like ... "Whatever".

[Chris C]

I find it odd that AC/DC (like Kid Rock) are holding out against iTunes and being able to download music there, but will allow their music to be cut up to be sold at Walmart. I can't follow the logic. I know many people still want to "buy the whole album" but I like the fact that when there are a lot of crappy songs on a CD I can just download a few tunes. The selling exclusively at Walmart can work for the Eagles, but I don' see it working for AC/DC. I agree with FrankM, I don't love/hate Walmart. Our heroes of yesterday continue to boggle my mind when it comes to the decisions that they have recently made.

[ron]

Chris C wrote: I find it odd that AC/DC (like Kid Rock) are holding out against iTunes and being able to download music there, but will allow their music to be cut up to be sold at Walmart. I can't follow the logic.
If I was a band, I wouldn't want my music on iTunes either. Gug, lossy audio, how horrible.
Chris C wrote: Our heroes of yesterday continue to boggle my mind when it comes to the decisions that they have recently made.
Wal-Mart pays big bucks for that exclusivity window.

[Breaking The Law]

I used to work for the music supplier that handled Wal-mart as an account, and they are pricks to deal with. You'd bring in a promotion and if the store manager didn't want it, he didn't have to put it out on the floor.

They have been responsible for so many Mom & Pop stores closing it's not funny.

But, they have low prices and in today's economy, that's what people want. I hate to say it, but I'll be there the day it's released. But I won't like it.

[Chris C]

So to perpetuate this conversation, I hear one of the DJ's on Sirius Buzzsaw saying how much respect he has for AC/Dc for not allowing their music to be sold on Itunes (yet) and he felt that it was noble. Then he proceded to slam Metallica for selling out to Itunes. I still think selling the cd at Walmart exclusively is a bigger sell out move, am I wrong about this?

[ron]

Chris C wrote: Then he proceded to slam Metallica for selling out to Itunes. I still think selling the cd at Walmart exclusively is a bigger sell out move, am I wrong about this?
Music on iTunes = compressed crap.
Music at WalMart = uncompressed glory.

[suebndave]

I'm not sure how either one is "selling out." Both ways are what works now. They want to sell music, what's wrong with that? I don't work for free, why should I expect them to?