Pearl Jam has granted the rights to the release of their next album `Backspacer` to Target in the USA as well as the independent stores.
Instead of making the new album widely available to all stores, Pearl Jam will follow the strategy set by the Eagles and later AC/DC and Guns n Roses to release their album through a single chain but expand the offering to include the smaller stores as well.The strategy is high risk. It was a disaster for albums by Guns n Roses and Christina Aguilera but a huge success for AC/DC and the Eagles. Adding the indies will help spread the word.
While exclusive bricks and mortar rights for the chains will go to Target, Pearl Jam will also sell the album directly from their tenclub.com website and the independents.
No expense is being spared on the marketing. A television advertisement for the album was shot last week under the direction of Cameron Crowe.
Pearl Jam will debut a song from the album this week on Conan O’Brien’s new tonight show.
