By Al Kaufman
What with more and more chain stores getting exclusive rights to releases from Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Sugarland and the like, it is nice to see the record companies throw the independent record stores a bone once in a while.
Warner Brothers Records is doing just that with their
Loss Leaders Re-Revisted CD. It is a 10-song sampler of artists on the Warner, Reprise and Sire record labels, and includes Regina Spektor, REM, Dead Weather, Flaming Lips and Tegan & Sara, among others. The sampler is free to anyone who buys a full CD of one of the artists on the sampler, and - here's the cool part - it is only being distributed to independent music stores.
Warren Hudson, owner of Decatur CD, likes the idea: "I encourage record companies to do anything they can to put music in the hands of consumers. If they hear the sampler and come back and buy an artist that they heard on the sampler, that’s good for everybody. Now," he adds, "if they were just doing this promotion for chain stores, I’d have a different reaction."
Criminal Records owner Eric Levin is also happy: "We were very pleased to be a part of the WB sampler, along with dozens of other CD sampler and give-away opportunities that we participate in. For our customers, they are loud and clear choosing physical products for their music needs, so marketing on-line is less effective for these particular customers. It only makes sense for the labels to promote music at music specialty retailers and Warner Brothers is one of the best."
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