Wal-Mart Hates Eminem (1 Viewer)

[Chris Duran]

This is from the Wal-Mart Comacs Week 18 Report
Quote:
"**Please Note the Following Infomation regarding the Eminem CD. We have chosen not to carry Eminem's new album due to be released on Tuesday, May 28th, due to some of the lyrics and content featured. While there is an edited version of the CD it does not offer the customer the same value as the Parental Advisory "Stickered" version, which contains a DVD with live concert footage and interviews, and the full complement of songs. This decision in no way represents a commentary on what artists can and cannot record or say but we have a responsibility to make decisions on the products we carry for our customers trying to keep the majority of our customers in mind."
Email concerns/questions to: [email protected] or [email protected] in our Public Relations department.
I think this is sick how a huge company can force what people will or will not buy this is uncalled for and very hypercritical, I wrote back to the PR department and encourage everyone to do the same, I mean what's next Pan & Scan DVD's only because they are keeping the majority of their customers in mind? This has to stop.

 

[Philip_G]

it's walmart.. the same company that refused to sell cheryl crow's(?) album because one line, in one song said "walmart sells guns to kids"

 

[Iain Lambert]

So, how long before they refuse to stock a DVD title because there is something about the widescreen version that is missing from the Panned to S**t one, do you think? After all, its the same principle - we want to throw a hissy because the one we like to sell isn't as shiny as the one the fans want to buy.

 

[Eric Peterson]

This is the exact reason that I haven't stepped foot inside a Wal-Mart for over 5 years. Now that I think about it, it's actually closer to 8 years. Any store that will sell firearms, but deems a piece of music to be more harmful will never see my dollars. I think that it's an absolute shame the way they control the masses, but it's noones fault but our own for shopping there and until people stop giving them money, there policies will never change.

Before some NRA member starts blasting me, I have nothing against guns, but if anyone seriously thinks that a piece of music is more harmful, then they just aren't paying attention.

I also avoid K-Mart as much as possible for they have a very similar policy. I go out of my way to shop at Target, who almost always carries the un-edited versions of CDs, however I prefer to give my media dollars to smaller independent stores.

I'll step off my soapbox now.

 

[Mike Broadman]

What's the big deal if Walmart won't sell it? There are plenty of other stores that will. Walmart carries very few titles, why get more upset over this one? Any place of business reserves the right to sell any product they choose or refrain from selling ones they do not, no matter what their hokey reasons are.

NP: Miles Davis, Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel, disc 1, which also is not sold at Walmart.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Well I know it's being selective, but I gotta give it to Wal-Mart on this one. Eminem, yikes. That junk he puts out is not even music. I can't believe that feminists and the rest of the music industry artists aren't up in arms over his BS.

 

[BrianB]

What's the big deal if Walmart won't sell it?

Walmart is one of the most influential retailers in the US, that's why. Yes, they have the right to refuse to stock any item they chose to. What annoys many people is their hypocrisy in their choices.

 

[Mike Broadman]

I can't believe that feminists and the rest of the music industry artists aren't up in arms over his BS.

They are. And shame on them.

Some may not like Eminem's lyrics, but he has the right to use them and the record company has the right to produce it. We may not like Walmart refusing to carry it, but it is their right.

It is very frightening when people push civil rights aside to promote their own agenda.

And, frankly, all this nonsense is turning me into an Eminem fan.

 

[Jeff Keene]

Mike --

You don't think it's a big deal that the biggest store in the world -- a store so big that for some people it's the only store they patronize -- gets to decide from on high who they'll censor and who they'll block?

Opinions of this particular CD are irrelevant. The fact that scares me is that Wal-mart has the power to decide what it fit for our ears. If they get away with several of these, what to stop them from blocking "unheathly political ideas" or "thinking not in line with their God" or whatever? IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH, indeed.

 

[Jeff Keene]

I typed the above before I saw your latest post.

They are. And shame on them.

Indeed not. The shame would be in rolling over and "accepting the inevitable". Corporations have a responsibility to the communities they serve. This is a clear misuse of power in my opinion.

 

[Eric Peterson]

Jeff,

That was very well stated. I couldn't agree with you more.
Everyone has the right to like or not like Eminem, and it is your right to not buy or listen to it if you choose. This is not the store's responsibility. Any store that thinks they can decide what is and what isn't good for me will never get one red cent out of my wallet. I won't so much as buy a candy bar from the vending machine in front of Walmart.

P.S. I'm not a huge eminem fan, but I do own one of his CDs and I have no intention of buying his new one.

P.P.S. I also own Miles Davis - Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to like music on both ends of the spectrum.

 

[BrianB]

Don't be so sure. Corporations have very few rights. I don't know if there are legal precedences on this issue or not, but if a court decides that a corporation is purposefully forcing consumers down a particular road, they WILL slap that company.

Mmmmm, I'd love to see some legal precedence for that & what constitutes "force". Walmart can quite happily (and legally) chose not to stock certain CDs, games, DVDs. Much to members' disgust, they could quite happily announce tomorrow they would only stock 'pan and scan' DVD titles.

 

[RogerB]

John Co said:

They are. And shame on them.

So it's OK for Eminem to say whatever he wants but anyone who disagrees with him or doesn't like what he has to say needs to keep quiet?
If you're gonna toot the freedom of speech horn you gotta be willing to let the criticism be heard.
Eminem is free to record anything he wants.
Wal-Mart is free to not carry it.
You are free to buy it elsewhere.
I am free to say that Eminem's music sucks.
Are we all feeling free now?

 

[Mike Broadman]

First of all Jeff, my comment about people being "up in arms" was in response to JohnCo about "feminists" and other people in the business, not about Walmart.

And no, it doesn't bother me that Walmart, a chain that has little to do with music in the first place, doesn't carry what will most probably be one of the most popular titles on the market. It is a business decision. If they want to lost the revenue they would gain by stocking the disc, that's their choice.

I really don't understand how it's forcing anyone to do anything. If someone can't get it at Walmart, would it really be so hard for them to go somewhere else? It's not like it's some out of print MoFi LP from Europe. It's Eminem for godsake.

Any store that thinks they can decide what is and what isn't good for me will never get one red cent out of my wallet.

No, their deciding that it isn't good for them. You can still buy it, just somewhere else.

With the Miles Davis box set, for example, whey aren't they stocking that? Is it because they feel that jazz is bad, or because people shouldn't be listening to Miles Davis? It's just that they figure that people who shop at Walmart won't want to buy that, so they stock the new Michael Bolton CD instead. It's not about politics, it's about $$$.

Now, if you choose not to buy there, that's fine, too.

NP: Bill Bruford, Gradually Going Tornado, CD, also not sold at Walmart.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Like anything else in life, vote with your feet. Support those retailers that cater to you, and ignore the rest. If a business thinks it can withstand the lack of revenue from not stocking an item they deem objectionable to the majority of their clientele, I have no problems with their choice to not stock items. I'll just shop elsewhere. There's plenty of alternatives for us to choose from, exercise that right of expression.

If you must communicate your dislike for Wal-Mart's decision, write them a letter stating your dislike, and your plan of action, mainly not doing business with them until their policies change. Don't be belligerent, just state your case respectfully, and move on. Everyone does things in their best interest, and no one should take it personally. If Wal-Mart continues on this tact, and still finds a way to stay in business, they are conducting business in a manner that suits them, and their customers, there is no need to lambast their business decision, just don't suppot them yourself if you feel this strongly on their policies.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

So it's OK for Eminem to say whatever he wants but anyone who disagrees with him or doesn't like what he has to say needs to keep quiet?
I am free to say that Eminem's music sucks.

RogerB I agree with you, but one technical point, I'm not entirely sure you could classify that stuff Eminem puts out as 'music'.

 

[RogerB]

I'm not entirely sure you could classify that stuff Eminem puts out as 'music'.

Agreed.

 

[Eric Peterson]

Mike,

I fail to see your argument that Wal-Mart not stocking a Jazz CD that will only cater to a small percentage of the public (other examples would be dump-trucks, airplanes, livestock, etc...) equivalent to them not carrying a CD that will more than likely debut at #1 on the billboard charts next week, simply because they find him objectionable. This is the exact same thing that the Nazis did and I'm not convinced that Wal-mart doesn't have more power than the Nazis.

I'm sure that I'll get blasted for carrying this to an extremist level, but I'm simply stating the way I see things. I repeat that it is not the Store's responsibility to decide what is morally acceptable for the customers. They have no objection to selling posters of a scantily clad Britney Spears which many find objectionable. They have no problem with selling guns which many people find objectionable. I could go on and on.

 

[Mike Broadman]

I fail to see your argument that Wal-Mart not stocking a Jazz CD that will only cater to a small percentage of the public (other examples would be dump-trucks, airplanes, livestock, etc...) equivalent to them not carrying a CD that will more than likely debut at #1 on the billboard charts next week, simply because they find him objectionable.

Because both are business decisions, albeit for different reasons. It is not they who necessarily find him objectionable, but their customers, or so they think. A lot of people would be upset seeing the album at a Walmart and avoid shopping there or make a big stink about it.

No matter what they do, they will be pissing people off. They feel that it's in their best financial interests to piss you off and make them happy, because there are a lot more of them than you, and they shop there more, anyway.

And, quite frankly, I'm sick of people throwing the Nazi label on something they don't like. Let's try to get a little perspective on this, shall we?

How does Walmart have so much power outside of their own business?

 

[Jeff Keene]

Mike, Patrick --

Points well taken. It is hard for me to be objective on this subject for several reasons. And I'm still mad at Wal-mart for selling me unmarked "clean versions" of a couple of CDs way back.

Oh, and I missed the entire point of the "feminists" quote. In fact, I glossed over the word feminist altogether and just saw the "music industry artists" part and assumed that they were "up in arms" about Wal-mart's decision. So my bad.