UH OH, VERY INTERESTING,WHATS YOUR THOUGHTS ?
July 28, 2011
By (independent retailers)
In response to Jay-Z and Kanye West’s decision to offer exclusive sales programs to iTunes and Best Buy for their forthcoming “Watch the Throne” LP, a number of independent retailers have written an open letter to the duo protesting the plan, calling it a “short-sighted strategy.
Dear Jay-Z and Kanye West,
Independent record stores serve our communities. Our passion is music, and we convey this to the millions of customers who come to our stores. That’s what we do.
Four years ago independent music stores across the country banded together to create Record Store Day. Our goal was to counter the negative media coverage about the supposed demise of record stores brought on by the closing of the Tower stores and to respond to the music business practices that fans deemed to be manipulative and onerous.
We reached out to the artist community to see if they would join us, and the response was overwhelming, with words of support coming in from Paul McCartney, Erykah Badu, Tom Waits, Chuck D, the Foo Fighters and countless others. Working with their label partners, many of these musicians created limited edition works of art, including vinyl and CDs made especially for music-specialty retail. Hundreds of these artists took the opportunity to perform, DJ, and interact with their fans in our record stores. Here in the U.S., Record Store Day lifted the entire music business by 8% and contributed to the growth in music sales. Record Store Day is now one of the biggest music events in history, with millions of people participating worldwide. We also continue to work throughout the year with labels, artists and managers and run regular promotions via physical independent retail and recordstoreday.com.
We are responding to the bad news that your new album will not be available to independent record stores until after iTunes gets a window of exclusivity. We also learned that the deluxe version (which is what the true music fans who shop our stores will want, by an overwhelming majority) will only be available at Best Buy exclusively for a period of time. We believe this is a short-sighted strategy, and that your decisions will be doing great damage to over 1,700 independent record stores — stores that have supported you and your music for years.
We know that you are busy, and that you put most of your energies into creating great music, but we are writing to you in the hope that you will hear us and take the time to rectify this matter. As representatives of the independent record store music community, we are asking you to allow record stores and music fans equal access to your new album.
With the utmost respect,
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Dedry Jones, The Music Experience Mike Dreese, Newbury Comics Judy Negley, Independent Records Rachelle Friedman, J&R Music World Mike Batt, Silver Platters John Kunz, Waterloo Records Tobago Benito, DBS Sounds Brian Faber, Zia Records Karen Pearson, Amoeba Music Bryan Burkert, The Sound Garden Paul Epstein, Twist and Shout Mike Wise, Monster Rob Roth, Vintage Vinyl Karl Groeger, Looney Tunes Joe Nardone, Jr., Gallery of Sound Jonathan Fernandez, Rasputin Music Mike Fratt, Homers Dilyn Radakovitz, Dimple Records Lisa Teger-Zhen, Uncle Sam’s Music Dustin Hansen, Graywhale Entertainment Bill Kennedy, BK Music Jim Bland and Bob Schick, Plan Nine Steve Wilson, Kiefs Tom King, Central Square Records Alayna Hill Alderman, Richard Storms, Record Archive Nancy Salzer, Salzer’s Records Rick Ziegler, Indy CD Laura, Finders Records Deon Borchard, Nic Fritze, The Long Ear Chuck Oken, Rhino /Mad Platter Allan Miller, John Bevis, Disc Exchange Charlotte Kubat, Magnolia Thunderpussy |
Chris Avino, Rainbow Records Rich Koch, Off the Record Skip Hermans, Skip’s Record and CD World Jason Patton, Oz Music Quinn Bishop, Cactus Records John Timmons, ear X tacy Lou Russell, Lou’s Records Roger Weiss, Streetlight Records Terry Currier, Music Millenium Andrew Chinnici, Lakeshore Record Exchange Michael Bunnell, The Record Exchange Mike White, Boo Boo Records Steve Baron, CD Central Eric Levin, Criminal Records Pat O’connor, Culture Clash Dan Plunkett, End Of An Ear Paula Kret, Exile On Main St Chris Penn, Good Records Doyle Davis, Grimey’s Travis Searle, Guestroom Records Jim Mcguinn, Hot Poop Isaac Slusarenko, Jackpot Records Jason Nickey & Heath Byers, Landlocked Music Todd Robinson, Luna Music Darren & Jim Blase, Shake It Anna & Chris Brozek, Slowtrain Kimber Lanning, Stinkweeds Tom “Papa” Ray, Vintage Vinyl Jack Dennis and Christopher Ashely, Earshot Lisa Tiger-Zhen, Uncle Sams Dave Zero, Mad City Music Exchange Sarah Hefte, Everyday Music Mike Madrigale, Mr. Suit Records |
Lance Price, CD Source Bruce Carlock, Cats Music Thomas “Toonz” Predovich, Vinyl Solution Records Neal Becton, Som Records Marc Lasky, Music Box Ryan Shoemaker, Galaxy CDs John Thominet, Rainbow Records Rick Linie, Creative Leisure Chris, Young Ones Morrison Agen, Neat Neat Neat Records and Music Peter Gianakopoulos, The Old School Records Reid Robinson, Co-Op Records, Moline Carol Copfer, Movie Trading Company, Vintage Stock John Anderson, Reverberation Vinyl Rob Kimple, Ramalama Records Randy Wagner, Radio KAOS Records Sam Lock, CD.Game Exchange Rob Bourqu, Music Matters Steve Hyland, Down In the Valley Melanie Cade, Mojo Books and Music Tony Cicalese, We Got The Beats Andy Schneidkraut, Albums on the Hill Robert Stapleton, Southwest Sound Sharon & Shirley Bechor, Rock and Soul Records Rich and Sue Graves, Budget Tapes & Records Todd Fundaro, Flipside Records Adam Hirzel, Saki Records Kelly, Patrick and Robby, Back Door Records Stacey Pepper, Vertigo Music Josh Castleberry, Toxic Beauty Records
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Noah Vinson
i agree, i think the deluxe editions SHOULD be available to ALL , i mean not EVERYONE has an itunes account.. me personally i do, lol but i love music so much id rather also have the cd in my collection.
Tracy
Independent record stores need HUGE releases like WTT to keep their doors open & feed their families. Jay and Ye can spread the wealth! They seem so far removed from their base right now….smh
nize
I think independent record stores and independent artists and labels need to join up. There are more numbers – look at the amount of music being exposed on G14. Looks like its time for everyone to choose a side. If radio had programming for more artists (not the same 24 sounds over and over again) then sales would potentially balance. However, when most of air play is just majors, then mos of sales is majors, and then a major makes exclusive arrangements … ooops they just excluded indie exclusively out of the money.
Blame it on the radio industry????/Blame it on the Artists???/Hell blame it on Obama???
None of it makes sense except for the money makers. Balance the music marketing (radio) maybe sales of other artist minimize the negatives when majors make moves like this. Choose.
Noah Vinson
i agree with Tracy i feel like this would DEF be taking money away from owners of independent record stores
Noah Vinson
I do think its a “short-sided” strategy, and its sad it had to come to this lol.
Hunit Stackz
In other words “THESE WACK ASS RAPPERS ARE NOT SELLING, WE COUNTING ON SOME REAL NIGGA SHIT TO BOUNCE BACK ! SAVE US HOV !”
Jack Freeman
Its a sticky situation. No question. I understand that people want to keep the doors of their establishment open. I get that. And people (including me) miss record stores. However, from my point of view, the only physical copies I actually buy are vinyls now. I don’t listen to cd’s in my car, I listen to my ipod, period. Thats just the way things are happening. I reside in Houston, TX, the 4th largest city in America and in my general vicinity there are 2 best buys, about 3 wal-marts, a target and not a single independent record boutique. I say all that to say that even if i Did buy physical copies I, as a fan, am not exactly willing to drive across town to pay for a copy that is being sold right down the street. I’m an artist as well, and i distribute my music solely through Itunes, bandcamp, and amazon. The reason because of this is, bc no matter where you are in the world you really don’t have an excuse to NOT support whatever artist you choose to support because the net now makes that possible. It doesn’t have to be just the aforementioned outlets, thats just what I use. The fact is that these labels have been under-shipping albums BECAUSE of the rise of digital distribution. So if Kanye and Jay-Z feel that they want to put there music in the places they know people will go to find it, then so be it. They aren’t disconnected from any of their base, because quite frankly, their base will buy it regardless, and those that don’t will bootleg it on the internet. So regardless of that store it is, the independent stores will still lose because everyone is copping digitally. The problem isn’t just Jay and Kanye simply because no matter how good the album is they don’t hold the power to keep those stores open with just one album. I see both sides, but i also see the big picture.
"Tha Watermelon Man"
I share the concerns of the “Independent Dealers”. When you imagine being bigger than Life, God has a way of humbling people. If they artist were really concerned about the “indies” they would have considered you, but “money” has blinded them into forging such a contract. Waite and Watch The Throne, you’ll see God is in his place and everyone who tries to subliminally replace him will be brought low.
Tha Watermelon Man
RuffRydersDJ
In one short answer: fear of piracy is why this will not happen.
Jessica
I can understand both sides to this matter but I am leaning on Jay-Z & Kanye’s side!! They are NOT saying that the indie stores will NEVER get the album – they are simply saying they will get it later!! In the music business there are ALOT of politics & I am sure Jay-Z & Kanye didnt make this decision SOLELY by themselves. Today it is a fact that there are MORE albums sold via the net. I can NOT tell you the last time I bought a CD. And this business is all about numbers – there is a reason why Major Independent retailers got shut down – because of the sales of CD’s decreasing. If Jay & Kanye know that iTunes is going to sale the majority of the albums then they would be dumb to waste money distributing CD’s to the independents “to be fair”… that wouldnt be fair to them!!! That would be a waste of money!! It sounds ike the Independent retailers will eventually get there copies…and maybe even when ‘Record Store Day’ rolls around Jay-Z & Kanye will go out here way and do something special for them!!
And Money Talks & it always has – it talkes EVERY language… So, people who are on these trips of hearing about the SAAAAAME artists on the Same radios… Either get ur hustle up along with your money or get satellite radio!!! There are TONS of new artists gettin shine u just gotta know where to look or listen!!
AJ
Wow really! It’s 2011, it’s called business evolution. I bet most people on this blog would also have stuck up for the analog telephone companies, the railroad, the typewriter producers and the retailer’s who sold boom boxes.
I might sound against independent retailers, I’m not. If fact you’re seeing a re-emergence of vinyl records. Some retailers here in Chicago are doing well because they innovated, re-branded and filled a niche. This is what people need to do. Don’t ever put yourself in a position where you have to rely on 2 artists to keep business coming in.