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The Future Of Indy Music Stores

Cims_2 Across the music industry we almost seem to enjoy talking about the inevitble demise of music retail.  But while it’s true that digitial distribution may make music retaiL obsolete and too many music stores are so out of touch with their customers they don’t deserve to stay in business, you have to admit it would be sad if you could never look forward to a rainy Sunday shifting through the CD bins at a cool store around the corner from your apartment.

Well fortunately there is still hope thanks to a few indy retailers that work at being in touch with their customers.  The Coalition Of Independent Music Stores is one of several groups of retailers banding together to share info and build collective clout.  CIMS founder Don VanCleave publishes a weekly chart from the stores and often offers unique insights into the changing world of indy music retail.  In his last newsleetr of the hear Don offers a surprisingly optimnistic view of the futrue and answers a pesimistic assemement in this week’s Rolling Stone:

Rollingstone "In the current Rolling Stone (12-30), there is an article by Steve Knopper entitled "CD Sales Collapse" in huge letters. I talked to Steve for this article but my news was not reported. Our stores are killing it this Christmas. When I reported that a few weeks ago, one major distribution President asked me how that is happening when Soundscan is telling him that the indie sector is way down.

Well, first of all, we have been ultra aggressive this year about finding things that bands own themselves and sell on the road. We bring in big quantity on those titles and do enough marketing so that the customer thinks it is a giant new release. For us, it IS a giant new release. And, we don’t bother getting these titles Soundscanned because who cares? We are not playing radio games or getting people paid by the scans so why bother. Some recent pieces we bought directly from bands that are selling like hotcakes are Daniel Lanois’ release "Rockets" and the Radiohead DVD "The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time". We are also recording and releasing instore performances with great success. Our most recent, "Rilo Kiley Live at Fingerprints" is doing amazing business. Stores feature titles like these (non-distributed and out of the mainstream) in all of their email marketing and in the stores. Our thinking is that it sure helps to have something cool and generally unavailable to compete with $7.99 U2 CDs at the Beast.

Newburycomics Secondly, Mike Dreese at Newbury Comics caused wide panic in the indie store community over five years ago by telling us we would be out of business by now if we didn’t diversify our offerings. Most good indie stores took that advice to heart. Many of our members spend as much time at lifestyle trade shows buying cool things that music fans want as they do at SXSW or NARM. Many indies also share success trends with each other on a regular basis. The biggest diversification item is obviously the DVD, musical and theatrical. Many of our owners are aggressively buying DVDs that are not in the mainstream in addition to the big releases that are everywhere."

CIMS LETTER CONTINUED…

"Another reason that indie might be doing so good is the incredible advantage that email blasts offer to our marketing options. You should go right now to www.cimsmusic.com. Down the left column, you will see all of our stores listed. If you have the time, click on Park Avenue, Twist and Shout, Waterloo, Record Exchange, Vintage Vinyl and earX-tacy. Sign up for these stores newsletters. Most of our accounts have email blasts, but these guys in particular are taking customer interaction to a whole new level.

Then again, our guys could be doing so well this year because many chain stores have just closed leaving fewer players in the marketplace. The remaining stores are pathetically understocked and as boring as ever. Whatever the answer is, indie retail is working very hard through coalitions to come up with smarter survival tactics. The amount of direct communications between indie stores and the various coalitions are at an all time high. Expect the indie store community to make even bigger and bolder moves in the coming year to remain not only relevant to their customers and the bands that want to reach their customers, but to make sure the sick side of the business does not hold us back."

Coalition of Independent Music Stores’ Top 200 For Week Ending 12-19-04

Label Pos Artist|Title

INT 1 U2|HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC

HEIN 2 PINK MARTINI|HANG ON LITTLE TO

WAR 3 GREEN DAY|AMERICAN IDIOT

CNCO 4 CHARLES*RAY|GENIUS LOVES COMPA

WAR 5 YOUNG*NEIL|GREATEST HITS

ROUN 6 KRAUSS*ALISON &|LONELY RUNS BO

INT 6 TUPAC|LOYAL TO THE GAME

INT 8 EMINEM|ENCORE

WAR 9 JAY-Z/LINKIN PA|COLLISION COUR

NWLR 10 WATERS*JOHN|JOHN WATERS CHRIST

INT 11 STEFANI*GWEN|LOVE.ANGEL.MUSIC.

ANIT 12 SMITH*ELLIOTT|FROM A BASEMENT

GEFN 13 NIRVANA|WITH THE LIGHTS OUT

AMAA 14 VARIOUS ARTISTS|THIS IS AMERIC

DEF 15 LUDACRIS|RED LIGHT DISTRICT

EPIC 16 LOS LONELY BOYS|LOS LONELY BOY

ROUN 17 PEYROUX*MADELEI|CARELESS LOVE

GEFN 18 SNOOP DOGG|R&G (RHYTHM)

ATLG 19 RAY|SOUNDTRACK

ISL 20 KILLERS|HOT FUSS

ANIT 21 WAITS*TOM|REAL GONE

RCA 22 LAMONTAGNE*RAY|TROUBLE

MERG 23 ARCADE FIRE|FUNERAL

WAR 24 WILSON*BRIAN|SMILE

EPIC 25 MODEST MOUSE|GOOD NEWS FOR PEO

VRGN 26 HARPER*BEN & BL|THERE WILL BE

TVT 27 LIL JON & THE E|CRUNK JUICE

EPIC 28 GARDEN STATE|SOUNDTRACK

WAR 28 BARENAKED LADIE|BARENAKED FOR

RCA 30 VELVET REVOLVER|CONTRABAND

LHWY 31 NELSON*WILLIE|IT ALWAYS WILL B

BNTE 32 JONES*NORAH|FEELS LIKE HOME

EPIC 33 FRANZ FERDINAND|FRANZ FERDINAN

WAR 34 RICE*DAMIEN|O

LAF 34 USHER|CONFESSIONS

EMEO 36 CHAPMAN*BETH NI|HYMNS

CAP 37 LENNON*JOHN|ACOUSTIC

WAR 37 ISAAK*CHRIS|CHRIS ISAAK CHRIST

SUBP 39 POSTAL SERVICE|GIVE UP

FAN 40 GUARALDI*VINCE |CHARLIE BROWN

WAR 41 CLAPTON*ERIC|SESSIONS FOR ROBE

EEG 42 HANDSOME BOY MO|WHITE PEOPLE

OCTJ 43 MAROON 5|SONGS ABOUT JANE

COL 44 NAS|STREET’S DISCIPLE

J 45 STEWART*ROD|STARDUST…GRT AME

OLE 45 INTERPOL|ANTICS

COL 47 DESTINY’S CHILD|DESTINY FULFIL

LAVA 48 TRANS-SIBERIAN |LOST CHRISTMAS

ANIT 49 CASE*NEKO|TIGERS HAVE SPOKEN

CAP 50 BEATLES|VOL. 1-CAPITOL ALBUMS

DEF 51 ASHANTI|CONCRETE ROSE

HEIN 52 PINK MARTINI|SYMPATHIQUE

WAR 53 HARRIS*EMMYLOU|LIGHT OF THE ST

UNIV 54 SCISSOR SISTERS|SCISSOR SISTER

ATOR 55 GRIFFIN*PATTY|IMPOSSIBLE DREAM

EPIC 55 PEARL JAM|REARVIEWMIRROR-GREAT

SCRV 57 STONE*JOSS|MIND BODY & SOUL

DRMW 58 JIMMY EAT WORLD|FUTURES

WAR 59 SIMON & GARFUNK|OLD FRIENDS LI

TOU 60 PINBACK|SUMMER IN ABADDON

OLE 61 PAVEMENT|CROOKED RAIN CROOKED

INT 62 KEANE|HOPES & FEARS

RLWD 63 BLIND BOYS OF A|GO TELL IT ON

VAN 64 SMITH*MINDY|ONE MOMENT MORE

ARTR 65 VARIOUS|ENJOY EVERY SANDWICH:

WAR 66 KNOPFLER*MARK|SHANGRI-LA

DEF 67 CAM’RON|PURPLE HAZE

RCA 68 CITIZEN COPE|CLARENCE GREENWOO

UNIV 69 NELLY|SUIT

COL 69 XZIBIT|WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUC

SUBP 71 IRON & WINE|OUR ENDLESS NUMBER

WAR 72 WILCO|GHOST IS BORN

EPI 72 BLACK KEYS|RUBBER FACTORY

J 74 MARIO|TURNING POINT

WAR 74 MY CHEMICAL ROM|THREE CHEERS F

VRGN 74 PERFECT CIRCLE|EMOTIVE

INT 77 LYNN*LORETTA|VAN LEAR ROSE

ANIT 77 CAVE*NICK & THE|ABATTOIR BLUES

WAR 79 LANG*K.D.|HYMNS OF THE 49TH PA

SUBP 80 SHINS|OH INVERTED WORLD

WAMA 81 MULBERRY LANE|VERY MERRY MULBE

WAR 81 SINATRA*FRANK|FRANK SINATRA CH

MCAN 83 STRAIT*GEORGE|50 NUMBER ONES

ARI 84 MCLACHLAN*SARAH|AFTERGLOW LIVE

GEFN 85 MOS DEF|NEW DANGER

MERN 86 TWAIN*SHANIA|GREATEST HITS

SUBP 87 SHINS|CHUTES TOO NARROW

VERV 88 CULLUM*JAMIE|TWENTYSOMETHING

PHIL 89 BOCELLI*ANDREA|ANDREA

ASWE 90 VHS OR BETA|NIGHT ON FIRE

COL 91 CAKE|PRESSURE CHIEF

AAM 91 QUEEN LATIFAH|DANA OWENS ALBUM

RCA 93 CLARKSON*KELLY|BREAKAWAY

WAR 93 GROBAN*JOSH|LIVE AT THE GREEK

BRBU 93 RILO KILEY|MORE ADVENTUROUS

DRMW 96 WAINWRIGHT*RUFU|WANT TWO

NETR 97 OLD CROW MEDICI|O.C.M.S.

TBRE 98 SOCIAL DISTORTI|SEX LOVE & ROC

LAVA 98 TRANS-SIBERIAN |CHRISTMAS EVE

AMG 98 MANNHEIM STEAMR|CHRISTMAS CELE

DUAL 101 ROBISON*CHARLIE|GOOD TIMES

EPIC 101 KORN|VOL. 1-GREATEST HITS

ATLG 103 T.I.|URBAN LEGEND

EEG 103 CURE|THREE IMAGINARY BOYS

RCA 105 LAVIGNE*AVRIL|UNDER MY SKIN

COL 105 MAYER*JOHN|HEAVIER THINGS

BNTE 107 JONES*NORAH|COME AWAY WITH ME

CAP 107 PINK FLOYD|DARK SIDE OF THE MO

EEG 107 BJORK|MEDULLA

NWWT 110 DRIVE BY TRUCKE|DIRTY SOUTH

LHWY 111 COSTELLO*ELVIS|DELIVERY MAN

UNIV 111 LE TIGRE|THIS ISLAND

UNCB 113 LOHAN*LINDSAY|SPEAK

EEG 113 JET|GET BORN

AAM 113 SNOW PATROL|FINAL STRAW

RCA 116 AIKEN*CLAY|MERRY CHRISTMAS WIT

WAR 117 GROBAN*JOSH|CLOSER

ORMU 118 POR VIDA: TRIBU|POR VIDA: TRIB

WAR 118 R.E.M.|AROUND THE SUN

WNDU 120 EVANESCENCE|ANYWHERE BUT HOME

WNDU 121 CREED|GREATEST HITS

WAR 121 MUSE|ABSOLUTION

AAM 121 BLACK EYED PEAS|ELEPHUNK

COL 121 COHEN*LEONARD|DEAR HEATHER

VAN 125 SCHNEIDER*BOB|I’M GOOD NOW

SXDG 126 GILBERTO*BEBEL|BEBEL GILBERTO

LHWY 127 NELSON*WILLIE|OUTLAWS & ANGELS

LAVA 127 SIMPLE PLAN|STILL NOT GETTING

ATOR 129 DOUGHTY*MIKE|SKITTISH/ROCKITY

VRS 129 JETHRO TULL|CHRISTMAS ALBUM

HOL 129 LIFE AQUATIC|SOUNDTRACK

CURB 129 MCGRAW*TIM|LIVE LIKE YOU WERE

UNIV 133 RAMMSTEIN|REISE REISE

VERV 133 KRALL*DIANA|GIRL IN THE OTHER

EPIC 133 WILSON*GRETCHEN|HERE FOR THE P

CAP 133 VA-CHRISTMAS WI|CHRISTMAS WITH

NWWT 137 KEEN*ROBERT EAR|LIVE FROM AUST

COL 137 BOTTI*CHRIS|WHEN I FALL IN LOV

NETR 139 MAYBE THIS CHRI|MAYBE THIS CHR

WAR 139 CHAMBERS*KASEY|WAYWARD ANGEL

ISL 139 MARLEY*BOB & TH|LEGEND

DRMW 139 FOGERTY*JOHN|DEJA VU ALL OVER

UNIV 143 GREEN*PAT|LUCKY ONES

RHI 143 VARIOUS ARTISTS|LEFT OF THE DI

COL 143 DAVIS*MILES|KIND OF BLUE

RHMS 146 MF DOOM|MM..FOOD

DEF 147 CASH*JOHNNY|MAN COMES AROUND

UNSO 147 WILLIAMS*HOLLY|ONES WE NEVER K

CAP 149 BEATLES|BEATLES, THE (LIMITED

EEG 149 DAMAGEPLAN|NEW FOUND POWER

ARTR 149 EARLE*STEVE|REVOLUTION STARTS

LAF 149 CIARA|GOODIES

J 153 KEYS*ALICIA|DIARY OF ALICIA KE

UNJJ 153 JOHNSON*JACK|ON & ON

RHR 153 GILKYSON*ELIZA|LAND OF MILK &

JIVE 153 BOWLING FOR SOU|HANGOVER YOU D

INT 157 MARILYN MANSON|LEST WE FORGET-

RLS 157 MASTODON|LEVIATHAN

VIT 157 TAKING BACK SUN|WHERE YOU WANT

SNYC 160 MA*YO-YO|YO-YO MA PLAYS ENNIO

NWWT 160 EARLE*STEVE|LIVE FROM AUSTIN T

ATOR 162 JEM|FINALLY WOKEN

SCRS 162 FAINT|WET FROM BIRTH

FELL 162 DEMENT*IRIS|LIFE LINE

VERV 162 RONSTADT*LINDA|HUMMIN’ TO MYSE

SHTF 162 SHATNER*WILLIAM|HAS BEEN

J 167 FANTASIA|FREE YOURSELF

DWNV 167 KEITH*TOBY|VOL. 2-GREATEST HIT

JETS 169 LUNA|RENDEZVOUS

OLE 169 VARIOUS|MATADOR AT FIFTEEN

WAR 169 SPONGEBOB SQUAR|SOUNDTRACK

GEFN 169 GUNS N’ROSES|GREATEST HITS

DEF 173 WEST*KANYE|COLLEGE DROP OUT

CAP 173 VARIOUS|NOW 17

NWWT 173 TEDESCHI*SUSAN|LIVE FROM AUSTI

VRGN 176 PERFECT CIRCLE|AMOTION

ISL 177 MELLENCAMP*JOHN|WORDS & MUSIC

EPIC 178 CLASH|LONDON CALLING

BARS 178 DEATH CAB FOR C|TRANSATLANTICI

NWWT 180 AUSTIN CITY LIM|2003 COLLECTIO

VIT 180 STRAYLIGHT RUN|STRAYLIGHT RUN

UNEJ 182 JOHNSON*JACK|BRUSHFIRE FAIRYTA

EPIC 182 MODEST MOUSE|MOON & ANTARCTICA

INT 182 NINE INCH NAILS|DOWNWARD SPIRA

LAVA 185 TRANS-SIBERIAN |CHRISTMAS ATTI

RHI 185 CHARLES*RAY|SPIRIT OF CHRISTMA

CAP 185 BEATLES|ABBEY ROAD

WAR 185 SEAL|SEAL BEST 1991-2004

BAND 189 JONES*GEORGE|50 YEARS OF HITS

EPIC 189 CHEVELLE|THIS TYPE OF THINKING

GEFN 191 SUBLIME|40 OZ. TO FREEDOM

ATLG 191 LED ZEPPELIN|VOL. 1 & 2-EARLY

COL 193 SWITCHFOOT|BEAUTIFUL LETDOWN

WAR 193 LARRY THE CABLE|VERY LARRY CHR

WAR 193 USED|IN LOVE & DEATH

ANG 196 HANDEL*G.F.|MESSIAH-HLTS

WAR 196 LINKIN PARK|METEORA

HOL 196 DUFF*HILARY|HILARY DUFF

HOL 196 BREAKING BENJAM|WE ARE NOT ALO

RHI 200 CHARLES*RAY|VERY BEST OF RAY C

ATLG 200 DONNAS|GOLD MEDAL

COL 200 CONNICK*HARRY J|HARRY FOR THE

c) 2004 by SoundScan, Inc. All rights reserved.

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