Bands To Fit The Brand
from the selling-atmosphere dept
I vaguely remember posting a story just like this a while back, but I can’t find it – so it’s possible I just read a similar article and never posted it. As the music industry keeps complaining about CD sales dropping off a cliff, it seems that one area of CD sales is growing: retail store music compilations are a rapidly growing business. There are a few companies out there that go out and put together a mix of music for a retail establishment to play in the background, and then bundle that CD for sale in the store also. Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Old Navy and others swear by it. It seems to be a way to target people who aren’t really looking to buy music, but who hear a few songs they like, and like the idea of having a compilation, rather than having to go out and buy a whole album. I’d say it’s probably targeted at the “casual” music buyer.
Comments on “Bands To Fit The Brand”
Starbucks does it really well
Another place that does this is Starbucks. They also sell compilations that were put together by celebrities, such as a compilation by the Rolling Stones or Sheryl Crow.
Re: Starbucks does it really well
There was a blurb in the WSJ not long ago that this idea, floating by some low-level guy at Starbucks, is now a major profit center for them.
No Subject Given
Not store-related, but Rhino Records was essentially built as a compilation and re-release house. I’m pretty sure that they were an independent originally, though they’re now just an imprint of one of the majors.
The beauty of compilations is that rights are usually much less expensive – kind of like republication rights in written materials (why do you think Reader’s Digest works?). The downside is that chasing down the rights and permissions is a jungle.