Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Future of Record Stores...

Interesting post from Matador Records that seemed apropos given the long Spotify discussion a few posts ago:

http://www.matadorrecords.com/matablog/2011/11/01/indie-record-stores-closing-and-opening/

"Record stores are becoming less commercial entities and more cultural ones".

Also, vinyl sales at highest in 6 years: http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a346371/adele-radiohead-cause-vinyl-sales-to-increase-by-40-percent.html

dc

4 comments:

Bill Zink said...

Whole lot of ripples around hear about the closing of Ear-X-Tacy. I personally got a little annoyed when they started doing benefit shows for a for-profit entity. Also a little annoyed that everyone gets all weepy about Ear-X, but doesn't translate that into support for other local businesses like Underground Sounds (who, frankly, had a better business plan than Ear-X - that is, don't get so big that you can't survive lean times) and Wild and Woolly Video.

That Matador blog is excellent and to the point. It's not that record stores are dead, just that the big "rock emporiums" (like Ear-X) are not sustainable in this culture.

Bill Zink said...

"around here" . . . very goofy Freudian slip/typo.

DC said...

Re: Rock Emporiums, I thought they were talking about Tower Records (also not sustainable)... good stuff, though

Bill Zink said...

Ear-X wasn't as big as Tower, but it was bigger than your average mall record store, or bigger than the chains of stand alone stores (like Coconuts) that thrived in the 70's and 80's. It was about five times the size of the Karma Records I worked at in Bloomington, for those who remember that.

Here's another perspective on the indy record market in reference to Ear-X:

http://insiderlouisville.com/news/2011/11/02/better-days-better-business-acumen-outlasts-ear-x-tacy-publicity-machine/

I didn't shop much at Better Days, because Ear-x had more of the outside stuff I wanted. I did occasionally pick up a used blues disc at Better Days, and I think this article is as on point as the Matador blog.