Radiohead & Eagles vs. Record Stores

Various blogs continue to marvel over the Eagles' effect on Billboard... why, again, is this interesting? I really feel like there's a different story to tell here. People talk about the dying "music industry" all the time, and when they do they usually mean the corporate record labels, who are apparently bleeding money. I've gone on record as frankly not giving a shit about the corporate labels--music, the artform, would be better served by smaller labels with clearer artistic outlooks.

But there's another casualty in the blanket term "industry": the record stores. Not just Tower and Musicland, which have already bitten the dust, not just Virgin either, but also the many mom-and-pop stores that are still alive. What's really weird, to me, is that given the state of the music industry, I actually equate the needs of both Virgin and the mom & pops. I just want to support those retailers that are first and foremost concerned with music.

That's why the Eagles thing pissed me off: that they would make such a destined-to-be-huge album exclusive to a retailer that has no actual interest in music. They deprived music retailers from making any sort of profit, apparently driving staff at Virgin and other stores to literally go to Wal-Mart and buy copies of the album so they could stock it. (I'm aware that that creates a weird disconnect to actual album sales and who's making what money). In principle, this Wal-Mart exclusive is a big middle finger to music retailers.

As I got all worked up about this, though, I realized something else: Radiohead did the exact same thing. There are huge differences in intent--I see the Eagles as being merely greedy, while Radiohead are actively trying to adapt to the changing climate--but the bottom line is that record stores were deprived of two of the biggest releases of the year, and surely they could have used the boost either release would have given them.

For now, I'm just throwing this out there. I think there is potentially a lot to say about this, including getting some feedback from actual record store owners or employees (Hypebot does have a quote from the head of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores). I welcome your two cents in the comments and/or at your own blog...

Comments

[Kenny Love]

Here's the deal again. All of the physicality of the Music industry is going to be short lived, finishing up with the distributors and retailers. With human nature being a "lazy" existence, whereby, it is constantly told to "work smarter/not harder," why should/would music fans/buyers continue to take the effort to make a "physical" trip to a store and plop down $10-$20 for a half-ass CD when they can simply sit at home and buy the one single they feel is a hit? Again, the "work smarter/not harder" syndrome in play here. Additionally, the musicians are also now "working smarter/not harder" by now being able to go directly to the music buyer/fan with their product, thus, eliminating the age-old screwover they have historically received from record labels, radio, distributors and retailers. As for retailers, there was a time when they were even told by small Mom & Pop stores that they needed to get their product to a distributor because their noses (retailers) were too high in the air to work consignment any longer. Again, it is truly an incredibly wonderful time to be an independent musician. Alternatively, the problem is musicians also have an unfortunate history of not wanting to conduct business in their careers "because I fear it may stifle my creativity." Well, as most have these previously unopened financial doors open to them, many are still clueless as to how to walk through them and take advantageous of their openness successfully. All in all, don't blame the musicians for finally taking advantage of the situation in order to save time and money in getting their product to the consumer while also being able to increase their royalties by default. As the Ohio Players' lead vocalist, Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner once sang on the song, "I Wanna Be Free,"..."it's been a long time coming."

[bdr]

"That's why the Eagles thing pissed me off: that they would make such a destined-to-be-huge album exclusive to a retailer that has no actual interest in music."

You're assuming The Eagles have an actual interest in music.

While your points on the impact of this decision are spot on, I can't help noticing how perfect The Eagles and Wal-Mart are for each other.

[scott pgwp]

Kenny -

"why should/would music fans/buyers continue to take the effort to make a "physical" trip to a store and plop down $10-$20 for a half-ass CD when they can simply sit at home and buy the one single they feel is a hit?"

To the second part of your question: I'm not posing iTunes/mp3s vs. bricks & mortar stores - in each case I'm talking about, it was a full album, and only a full album, that was available to consumers. To the first part: I don't know, to battle obesity?

I don't really have any argument against what you're saying - the general trend is to the internet and away from the stores. Maybe the only proper reaction, coming from the perspective of someone who loves the act of shopping at the record store, is "bummer."

bdr - in the spirit of Eagle-loathing, I agree with you. But in a snark-free response, I noticed in myself a kneejerk reaction against the Eagles for screwing record stores, when Radiohead's similar screwing passed right by me. Never occured to me until Henley got me all riled up. In other words, it's easy to hate on the Eagles, but they're not the only band making stores suffer.

[GABRIEL]

Man, I liked this post a lot. You're totally right that a, Radiohead is screwing retailers as much as the Eagles are and b, who'da thunk it? Mostly I liked this because I was just this morning lamenting the end of record stores. I used to work at one, in college, and I used to love shoping at them. I know there's good stuff on line and it's cheaper, but I do miss the human-connection aspect of the record store. Not that I don't have plenty of contact with people who love music, but that relationship was nice.

This is why I'm less upset (personally) by the death of Tower/Virgin/Streetside/Whatever record store chain and more upset (personally) about the recent or impending death of B-Side (in Madison), The Record Stop (in Champaign-Urbana), Amoeba (in Berkeley), and the like.

Sigh.

[mikejonze]

an interesting observation, surely. however, in radiohead's defense, you've failed to recognize the fact that they are still releasing 'in rainbows' on CD in december/january, with distribution to retail stores all over the globe.

[scott pgwp]

Mike, that's true, but in the meantime the band sold hundreds of thousands of copies. The debut week is the biggest concentrated week of sales, and the stores were deprived. At best they'll now have a solid backlist title to sell, but that's not the same thing.

[DW.]

> I see the Eagles as being merely greedy, while Radiohead are actively trying to adapt to the changing climate--

I feel the same way, although it's probably fair to say that one person's "being greedy" is another person's "adapting to the changing climate." It all boils down to trying to figure out the model that's going to best compensate you, doesn't it?

I'm really just playing devil's advocate, though, since the Eagles Wal-Mart strategy does gross me out in a way that the Radiohead doesn't. Maybe the difference is that Radiohead is actively trying to step outside the existing structures, whereas the Eagles are just exploiting them. But even that is probably debatable.

[scott pgwp]

"Maybe the difference is that Radiohead is actively trying to step outside the existing structures, whereas the Eagles are just exploiting them."

DW, that's kinda what I meant, too. Either way the record stores get the shaft, so from that perspective you can't really celebrate Radiohead's move. But from the larger perspective of "the industry" and all that that encompasses, Radiohead do seem to be grappling with real issues.

I read somewhere that Henley supposedly made the deal with Wal-Mart so he could get "access" to their CEO in order to steer Wal-Mart toward better environmental practices. Good luck with that, Henley. Hey, at least Radiohead didn't produce all that plastic...