More square pegs in round holes

[Randy Walker]

"You can't have your CD in a major store without it being on a major label." untrue

if you have or are able to connect to the right resources, distribution is at anyones grasp. the key is most retailers (best buy, walmart being the biggest) are only interested in greatest hits packages or top selling titles (brittany, bieber).

[Josiah]

Maybe... maybe in THEORY... BUT...

I would put good money that you can't walk into a Walmart and find a CD not produced on a major label.


Just like, in theory, anyone can get major station radio play. In reality, you aren't getting close to major radio play without a major label and representation.





"things you can't download" "things you can put in your hand and are tangible"

Music, in and of itself is quickly loosing it's hold on being a tangible product. You have to move with the market and be creative in order to create things people want to buy, that they can't get for free elsewhere.

[Randy Walker]

you obviously don't possess the ability to 'retain' what you read, nor do you have any real world knowledge and experience in the industry.

move along, these are not the droids you are looking for

[Josiah]

you obviously don't possess the ability to 'retain' what you read, nor do you have any real world knowledge and experience in the industry.

You obviously don't possess the ability to counter an argument without insults. That's called being a child.


Go find a CD in Walmart, SamGoodie, etc.. that's not on a major label. Take a picture with your phone. Post it on here.

[Randy Walker]

"the key is most retailers (best buy, walmart being the biggest) are only interested in greatest hits packages or top selling titles (brittany, bieber)." there's your picture. shall i underline or highlight this for you??

[Josiah]

"the key is most retailers (best buy, walmart being the biggest) are only interested in greatest hits packages or top selling titles (brittany, bieber)." there's your picture. shall i underline or highlight this for you??

I'm not going to play red herring games with you. You are agreeing with me and attempting to disagree with that same answer. I'm not sure how one could have a greatest hits or be "top selling" without being on some major label.

Do agree you can't sell your album at major retailers without a major label or not?



There are no independent "greatest hits" or "top selling titles" in major stores. Period. You can't find one, they don't exist.

The statement you can get major distribution without major representation would only come from some one who truly doesn't have industry experience. Proof is in the pudding Randy, you won't find any independent artist in walmart, bestbuy, etc...
Should also be noted the majority of cd's in BestBuy, Walmart, etc are NOT compilation albums and/or "best selling" depending on how you define that. But they all are major label.

[Kurtis]

[Josiah]

Dead horses feed dogs and McDonalds customers.

[kinkymook]

Everybody go practice now.
Btw-Kurtis, you're killin me!

[circh bustom]

When I worked at an independent CD shop a few years ago, one of my part-time co-workers was the morning DJ on the biggest rock station in our area. Knowing I was Kiss fan, she told me of an incident at the station involving Paul Stanley. Paul had just put out an album. It was on a very small division of a major label. He personally called the radio station and left a message on the voicemail. He wanted to inquire about getting his single played on the station. Not even heavy rotation, but a few times a week. She laughed. Said the station wasn't even going to call him back. Paul Stanley has sold more records than all of us put together and a medium sized market station wouldn't even take his call. Everyone at the station, owned a Kiss record at one time or another. It's even more difficult if they have never heard of you. There is no written rule that says stations are not allowed to play songs, it's just pretty much unspoken. Same with stores.
I worked for Strawberries Music in New Jersey. Medium sized chain. Across a decent number of states. Nothing was independent. Not one CD or Cassette was not affiliated with a major label somehow. Nothing, anywhere, said that the discs HAD to come from a major label, but it was definitely understood.
Maybe not all stores and stations are like this. I somewhat doubt it though. The radio station incident was in '05 or '06, and I worked for Strawberries in '92-'93 so the chains MAY be different now. If the big stores are only interested in huge sellers and greatest hits, that is probably their way of getting all the independents the idea that it's not ok to just start mailing your CD to the stores corporate offices in hopes of getting shelf space.