AC\DC recently revealled that thier new album will only be available at Wal-Mart in north America. What a joke!!! It's sad that in a music industry that is strugling the rock juggernauts make a disision like this. Small record stores, or even stores that deal only in music are a great way to get a start as local band or independant band. By going stricktly with Wal-Mart they are killing there own craft. Big departement stores carry a small selection in large quantities. Leaving no room for the less mainstream genres. The music stores who have always supported all kinds of music are losing money due to downloads. And to make things worse a big seller like AC\DC turns thier back on them. Maybe Angus, Malcolm and the boys can remember a time when they were called "Hard Rock" and a bad influence on the younger generation. If music was only sold at large departement stores in the 80's AC\DC would have never even existed in the eyes of the world. I am very disapointed. I thought rock was supposed to stick it to the man, not pad his pockets. Comments please.
Ac\dc disapoint me
I don't get that, either. Lots of big bands are going the Wal-Mart way. Are they doing it for the money? Do they suddenly espouse ultra-Christian values? Is Wal-Mart holding member of their family hostage?
These bands make enough money--they don't need to make a deal with the devil. I'm stumped. 
Well, this is actually joke #2...
In 2007, AC/DC granted Verizon Wireless exclusive rights to their backlog of music. Okay, I understand not everyone wanting to jump on the Apple iTunes bandwagon, but... In making this deal, individual song downloads were not available - full album only for $12.99. This took out using cell phones for music downloads, including Verizon's own phones because the album files were too big.
I'm not surprised at this type of marketing, and though also disappointed in their making a "deal with the devil" (not a fan of WalMart), it will be happening more and more. Journey and the Eagles made similar deals last year. Again, not a Journey fan but I do like the Eagles.
"Maybe Angus, Malcolm and the boys can remember a time when they were called "Hard Rock" and a bad influence on the younger generation."
Angus, Malcolm and the boys are now in their 50s and money is money - business is business. "Sticking it to the man" in the 70s has been replaced by retirement funds, college funds for the kids, houses at the shore and having enough money to use as wallpaper in every room. Young and defiant ends up being for the young and defiant. AC/DC is neither of those things anymore. Don't get me wrong - still love AC/DC - but when someone like WalMart flashes wads of cash, few are going to say, "Oh sorry, I can't accept that wheelbarrow full of greenbacks because I live for rock & roll". Sooner or later, the gravy train is hard to resist.
"Oh sorry, I can't accept that wheelbarrow full of greenbacks because I live for rock & roll".
A very good point made Isadora. I guess I just wish someone would bring to thier attention that they are stepping on the toes of young band that not unlike they once were. Here comes our world of unintelligent, mass produced, cookie cutter music for all.
I agree - but even the young bands that are what AC/DC used to be are few and far between. I honestly gave up listening to the radio because everything that's played is generic. (Damn, I'm beginning to sound like my mother... ) Rarely is there a gem that slaps you in the face and says "I'm great stuff".
Now, if Tom Petty sells his soul to the devil (WalMart), I'm really going to be disappointed. His "Last DJ" CD took a lot of heat but he could afford (financially) to do as he pleased. In an era where most radio stations no longer have album/CD libraries at their disposal, everyone gets what the record companies decide everyone should hear. Yes, it's always been that way. Companies paid stations to cover a song so many times in an hour. But now, the stations get "canned" music and there is no choice - it's all on tape or CD and they just break in for commercials.
Isa wants to own her own radio station with a real album and CD library. Must check out the used record store. Who cares if the song has pops and scratches in it - means someone liked it enough to play it over and over and over and... 
Radio has never been a good window into the real music. As a young teenager I got really into tape trading. This when you make a tape of some of your favorite tunes.(mostly less than well known stuff) You drop it in a basket at a used music store and grab someone else's mix tape. I loved finding gems here and there. Most of these places are no longer in business now thanx to the devil! What are some other good ways of getting some exposure to underground or local talent without getting lost in piles of internet garbage.
Let's face it, the era of the record stores is gone. Sure some still hang on, and maybe the ones that are really specialised still stand a chance, but the record store we knew 15 years ago no longer excists. If I take a look at my own little country, I see all the good stores close, and others thinking about it. Of course this is kind of sad, but I can also understand people downloading and or shopping much cheaper on the internet. I hate to say it (as I spend many hours in recordstores), but they are kind of obsolete.
Think about it: Why did you go to recordstore?
Most of the times simply to buy a record you know you wanted: You can simply order it at amazon or something similar.
You wanted advise? There are a million of blogs telling you want is new and happening? Lot's of sites are available for specialised genres. (it would take a lot of staff members to cover all of those)
You want to listen to music you think you like, or heared maybe one time? Check myspace, the bandwebsite, download.
Also: the drop in prices the recent years, makes people feel that they paid way too much on CD's in the years before. As record sales are down, stores only buy CD's very conservative, so you end up with every store selling the same shit. Them selling dvd's, computer games, action figures etc, doesn't really make them a record store anymore, anyway.
The music industry needs a revolution, cutting out record companies and there prefab, instant formulas for popmusic terror.
Quoting GBouchard
Radio has never been a good window into the real music. As a young teenager I got really into tape trading. This when you make a tape of some of your favorite tunes.(mostly less than well known stuff) You drop it in a basket at a used music store and grab someone else's mix tape. I loved finding gems here and there. Most of these places are no longer in business now thanx to the devil!
perform, perform, perform, perform and perform. That's was, is and will be the best way to make it in the business.
that and myspace. you can feel it is part of the internet garbage, but it's a pretty easy tool to a) keep in contact with fans, and b) finding and getting in contact with like-minded bands/artists.
This brings up an interesting question: When will pop music up and die? I mean, Disco bit the dust, so at what point in time will that thump-thump-repeat-repeat, empty, vapid nonsense become passé? Ever?
You hit the nail right on the head Herr Bert!
It's sad that our children wont enjoy music in it's free form as we did. I should quit playing guitar and learn how to lipsing and dance at the same time. Maybe then i'll understand the otherside of this discussion. I'd sure be an ugly Brittany Spears though!!!! YIKES!