Rolling Stones New DVD Exclusive To Best Buy (no independent sales!)

[Democat]

U.S. Record Stores Get No Satisfaction from Rolling Stones

The British band snubbed U.S. record stores late last week by anointing mass market electronics chain Best Buy Co. Inc. as the only seller of its new DVD, "Four Flicks," for four months, and independent record store owners are seething.

"The more that a mass merchant like Best Buy ends up having an exclusive, the more it hurts these pure-play record stores," Benson said. "Those stores are the ones where people are really getting turned onto new stuff, not the mass merchants."

Benson said over 1,100 chain and independent record stores have closed in 2003, making it hard for consumers to stumble upon the new music that is the industry's lifeblood and future.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&e=18&u=/nm/leisure_rollingstones_dc

This is not an entertainment story, please do not move it to the lounge.

The point of this story is that independent music stores are going out of business in record numbers and it's only going to get worse. Clear Channel owns most of radio and it won't be long before a couple of companies own all of the record stores.

This is the direction that American, and the world, are going in. Everything will be controlled by a few companies who will decide what music, literature, and art the masses will have access to.

At least we have the Internet, for now.

[NashVegas]

1. FWIW

Before I started shopping on Amazon & BN, Rolling Stones albums weren't what I went into Indie record stores for, anyway.

Now, if someone like Flaming Lips were to sell only in Best Buy, that would have far more effect on the indies.

[Skip Intro]

2. How much more money could those guys possibly need or want?

The Stones, that is.

You know they got a bundle from Best Buy, or whoever owns BB, or whoever owns whoever owns BB, etc...

I understand corporate greed - it disgusts me, but I understand it.

But The Stones? Isn't it supposed to be about the music?

[zekeson]

3. The Stones are victims of their success

I think if they wanted to quit now it would be pretty hard. I wonder how many hundreds of people are employed by the 'Stones? That doesn't justify the 'Stones' and corporate greed, but it ain't been about the music for a long time.

[madrchsod]

4. who cares

these guys haven`t made a decent album in years..my god they are older than i am and they dye thier hair,well charlie don`t because he`s "cool", what a waste of money....

[gmoney]

5. Gosh, the Rolling Stones allowed one of their concerts to be TAPED?

That must be a really, really rare video! I think they've only released 240 different concert movies and TV appearances so far!

Anyone who gave two squirts already taped it off HBO...

Brings to mind a new poll/thread idea: "Rockumentaries" that aren't utterly boring and don't totally stink... it's a mighty short list. My favorite: "The Unheard Music" featuring X.