We all know that times are tough for record labels thanks to declining CD sales and the slowness and/or refusal to adapt to online file-sharing. Consequently, you would expect that music executives would try to cling on to any kind of business they could possibly get.
Which is why EMI has taken the innovative (and surprising step) of refusing to sell music to mom and pop stores. The reason for this flash of inspiration? To help reduce costs and encourage customers to buy music at one-stops rather than independent retailers (even though the likes of Wal-Mart are stocking catalog less and less).
One can’t help but feel this is another vindictive move against stores that have the cheek to sell albums promoted and marketed by musicians themselves (see the Kill the Record Labels DVD release), who have got better things to do than suffocate under a major label’s control.