The music retail industry has received another nail in the coffin with the impending closure of New York's Virgin Megastore in Times Square, or has it?
The Times Square Virgin Megastore was a jewel in the music retailer crown. It's impending demise following on from the closure of the Sunset Blvd store along with the Tower Records and HMV chains implies another step closer to death for the music retail industry. But maybe that is not the case.The strength in retail is very quickly swinging back to the independent retailers. The owner/operated music stores are gathering momentum once again while the major chains are quickly suffocating from their own fast food mentality.
Stores like Amoeba in Los Angeles, Rasputins in San Francisco, Waterloo in Austin and even Songland in Canberra, Australia, for that matter, all have one thing in common. They put the customer ahead the sale.
The independent stores offer something the chains gave up long ago - product knowledge. You can generally trust the recommendations of the person behind the counter at the independent store.
The big chains are all about high turnover, not repeat customers. The independent stores know the music and can advise the customer.
The major labels and impersonal chain stores are together collapsing under the weight of their own excesses, but it is interesting to see the swing back to independent retail. The power is moving back to the restaurant and away from the fast food chain.
That is good for the independent artists as well. On this week's independent retailer chart for NSW/ACT, Russell Morris is expected to have a Top 100 album with his new 'Jumpstart Diary' because of attention to detail and recommendations primarily from just one retailer, Songland Records in Canberra.
"In a musical world where too many weak albums are taking the spotlight away from the genuine great ones, Songland, like most independent stores, is doing the job of ensuring music fans are being continually introduced to "the real thing", Songland owner Brian 'Frog' Harris says.
Although he is soon to be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, it is noted that an artist like Russell has had to operate outside the Australia Recording Industry to release his new album.
It is also noted that radio pretty much totally ignores classic artists who are still contributing new music to the fans. "I'd recommend that radio stations and the appropriate television shows take a note of this because there's a big groundswell happening the media hasn't discovered yet," Frog says.
In recent weeks, Graeham Goble also released his 'Let It Rain' album. Goble is one of Australia's most successful songwriters. As the key songwriter in Little River Band, his songs 'Reminiscing', 'The Other Guy', 'Take It Easy On Me' and 'Lady' are some of the most played songs ever on American radio. Yet, even someone like Graeham Goble has also resorted to going it alone for his new album.
Tower Records may have disappeared. HMV was quickly forgotten. Virgin is decaying. It is good to see the independent retailer is still offering service with a smile.
