This week, the news came out that Universal Music Group is planning on slashing its CD list prices in an attempt to revitalize CD sales. This is a good thing for music fans, right? Unfortunately, it sounds like it was implemented about as thoughtfully as a Republican-backed prescription drug plan. In the end, who gets fucked? The little guy. Glorious Noise got permission to reprint this message from an outraged record store employee.
Don’t believe the hype. This is a pretty disgusting attempt by one of the majors to further stick it to the small retailers and the one-stop wholesalers who have helped to make these fuckers fat and rich over the years. Earlier this week, Universal Music gave our independent record coalition an early look at this “great deal.” The details are pretty offensive. They advertise a big cut in the list price and hype this great savings to consumers. In reality the actual cost to wholesalers is dropped a buck and a half or so.