Wal-Mart Hates Eminem (1 Viewer)

[Jack Briggs]

Mike B., Jeff: Rumor had it, and Roger Ebert stated he believed it, that Warner acquiesced to the largest video chain's policy of not stocking unrated titles in its stores, and thus forced the digital censorship on EWS in order to achieve an R rating--which they said the director approved. That's the deal. The similarity I see in this discussion has to do with a retail giant being able to influence the artistic decisions of a record company or a studio. That's the tie-in: retail needs versus artistic decision-making.

Now, as far as I know--but don't quote me on this--WalMart has not invaded nor will it ever invade Poland. At least I don't think so.

 

[Carl Miller]

Walmart is the nations leading music retailer. I was surprised when I learned of this last year, but it's true.

There is a large portion of America that has no other easily accessable place to purchase music. Not everyone has internet access for geographical and economic reasons, and in the discussion it's important to remember that "buying it someplace else" isn't always a ready option.

Having said this, the Walmart shoppers who don't want Em's new CD, don't have to buy it at all. At least if Walmart stocks the thing, everyone has equal access to it. You can buy it, or not...your choice.

Under Walmarts policy, which is nothing even remotely new, equal access is taken away from one group, to satisfy the other group...because the other group would prefer you not to have access to things they don't think you should have access to, and they're willing and able to punish Walmart economically.

There is a problem with this policy, and it is in fact potentially dangerous. Those here who see nothing wrong with this policy would surely change their tune if other major music retailers were to follow Walmart's example.

As retailers become more and more consolidated, and as corporations continue to merge and absorb eachother forming mega-giant conglomerates, the potential for other retailers following suit increases...and increases even more if such a policy is allowed to go unchecked. The tendency is to say that this will never happen. And maybe it won't. But people said the same thing when Blockbuster Video destroyed the mom and pop video rental retailer and started determining policy that had a substantial effect on the video rental industry.

My opinion on how to respond to this doesn't differ from the opinions of others here..Don't patronize their store. Organize against them if it really bothers you enough to move you to action.

But I still think there is something very, very wrong with Walmarts policy, if at no other level but on principle.

 

[RogerB]

Wake me up when the downfall of Wal-Mart is imminent.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Do people really rely on Walmart as their only source of musical product? I just don't believe that. There are record stores, both big and small, all over the country.

Maybe if the record industry had some balls any potential Evil Walmart Threat would just be laughed at. It is they who are responsible for distributing and selling music, not an overgrown convenience store chain.

 

[Carl Miller]

Do people really rely on Walmart as their only source of musical product? I just don't believe that. There are record stores, both big and small, all over the country.

Yeah, some people do. I'm not taking an Evil Walmart stance here, but Walmart does have a long and sordid history of predatory tactics.

It's a company known to target areas where small business is economically vulnerable, meaning they seek to knock mom and pop on their arses, eliminate the competition and then raise prices to profitability once competition is gone.

Historically, Walmart moves in, undercuts competition from small business by cutting prices and taking losses for as long as necessary, even years, until the competition disappears. Once there, they raise prices and keep prices at their traditionally cheap, but still profitable levels.

Since they sell most staple goods, they typically have a profound effect on a wide variety of local markets including music retail, pharmacy, housewares and household goods, auto supply and hardware to name the major staple goods.

The assumption you're making Mike is that small businesses, like a CD store for example, can compete with Walmart, but in many cases they can't. The truth is that there really aren't enough allegedly obscene CD's out there for a little store to make a living off what people can't buy at Walmart. Walmart has more buying power, can sell CD's for 2-3 dollars less and has huge draw as a one stop shopping experience.

For most people, purchasing music is an immdediate gratification experience. Audiophiles will wait for the recordings they want, the general public doesn't, and at most will wait the 3 days it takes for Amazon to ship to them, at best. Throw in economic and telecommunication limitations in a fairly large part of the country where internet access isn't available or attainable, and yes, music buying options for many people is limited to Walmart...There just aren't all that many people who will buy music via mail order, though it's an option to all.

Put it all together, and this is why Walmart sells more CD's than any music retailer in America. Price, availability, options, draw, competition, etc.

There's actually a lot of info available about Walmart. Not written by people with axes to grind (though there's that stuff too), but works written by economists who've detailed the adverse economic effects Walmart has had on some areas where it does business. Not adverse to Walmart of course.

The most recent stuff written about Walmart and its effect on small and even large competition was done about 2 years ago when Walmart with a little help from a few similar deep discounters gained dominance in the toy industry by taking losses on toy sales for over 4 years, dethroning Toys R Us, and nearly sending them into oblivion.

Not coincidentally, Walmart has a few PS2 and PC games on their banned list as well. The original Grand Theft Auto and at least at one point, the newer Max Payne though it may be available there now, I don't know.

 

[Brian Bunn]

The scariest thing in all this is the fact that Eminem's CD is #1! That says a heck of a lot more about our society than Walmart exercising its right not to carry a product...by a long shot...in my opinion.
And I don't believe Walmart sells guns to pre-teens.
I'll tell ya...everything is...topsy-turvy. Man.
NP: The Flaming Lips-The Soft Bulletin

 

[DevinM]

I think a lot of you guys are overreacting. Wal-Mart has every right to choose what they will and will not carry in their stores. They dont sell dildoes at Stop n' Shop, I don't see anyone bitching about that.

That said I do think Wal-Mart's policy of only stocking censored versions of albums is ridiculous...but I make that as clear as I can to them by never buying music at their store. Ever.

Some of you are acting like a store's choice to not carry a particular item is denying you some fundamental human right. It is not. Wal-Mart has no responsibility to you, and the album (uncensored, no less) will be availiable at countless other places that you can support. Heck, you might even want to go buy it at a Mom n Pop record shop, and help them fight the "evil" that is Wal-Mart.

 

[BrianB]

The original Grand Theft Auto and at least at one point, the newer Max Payne though it may be available there now, I don't know.

The first two GTA games were "banned" by Walmart because you could kill cops in them. Not coincidentally, Walmart didn't expect to sell many of them. By the time the third one came around, with MUCH more hype, they were quite willing to stock it & other mature rated games - a policy they quietly dropped after making a big fuss about not stocking M rated games a while back.

I'd need to check, but I imagine you'll find GTA2 there now too, seeing as it's selling /very/ well for Take Two.

 

[Frank Anderson]

Carl,
Very interesting essay. Thanks

 

[Dean DeMass]

'd need to check, but I imagine you'll find GTA2 there now too, seeing as it's selling /very/ well for Take Two.

Brian,
I have seen your game at my local Wal-Marts. I have no reason to buy my music at Wal-Mart.
I actually get all of my CDs, SACDs, and DVD-Audio discs from Best Buy. My local Best Buy has a huge selection of music and they even carry the rare shit you wouldn't expect to find at a big chain like Best Buy.
As far as Eminem CDs not being sold at Wal-Mart goes. I am not sure if I agree with their policy or not, or if it is even right not to sell it. However, who the hell would buy an Eminem CD from Wal-Mart anyway? You know it will be censored. I have never seen an Uncensored CD at Wal-mart.
As far as the 4 Liverpool boys go, all I have to say is that they are not the greatest thing to ever happen to Rock and Roll and they are not even close to being the greatest band ever. How anyone can consider them the greatest after that horrible duet with Terry Bradshaw is beyond me.
This is all IMHO of course.
-Dean-

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Well maybe artists need to focus on releasing good music rather then focusing on using shock value to sell albums.

I agree with both of these posters. There's a lot more going on than just what Wal-Mart will or won't sell.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Yeah, I'm sure you do.

Here's one reason why it's doing so well: it's exactly because of the controversy. There are plenty of rappers and metal acts who are much "worse" in terms of content.

Take me for example. I hated Eminem when he first came out. "My name is, my name is, my name is..." Ugh. Then when people made such a big deal out of nothing, I started to like the guy. Now after hearing his new material and realising that it's actually good musically as well, I'll probaby end up buying his albums.
I'm already 24 and all of my rebellion is out of my system. Can you imagine a teenager discovering he can piss adults off so much by simply owning a CD? It's a great feeling. I did it, too. It's like getting a tattoo, only without the permanent skin damage (which I did, too). Parents are complaining, and kids are laughing their heads off.

Without the useless controversy, Eminem would have been swept away under the rug of pop music as just another novelty act. Now he is destined to become one of the most successful artists of all time. Good for him.

 

[Dean DeMass]

Good post Mike. I am 27 (no more Rebellion in me either)and I think Eminem has loads of talent. After several more listens to The Eminem Show, I have to say that it is better than The Marshall Mathers LP. The music, lyrics, delivery etc. have all improved.
White America
I could be one of your kids
White America
Little Eric looks just like this
White America
Erica loves my shit
I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get

-Dean-
NP: The Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks 17

 

[Brian Bunn]

Mike--Thanks...you have helped make my point.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Mike--Thanks...you have helped make my point.

Right back at ya.

 

[Eric Taylor]

Well to bring a Wal-mart point of view into this..I work for the local store here in the Electronics Department and I see day in and day out people complaining about us not carrying certain titles, or only censored titles...then I see the 8 year old kid walk in to try to buy Eminiems new album..Should a 8 year old be listening to this? A 24 year old sure..but a 8 year old? Come on...I don't think so. Sure we could press the you have to be 17 to buy this thing..but isn't that doing the same thing as not carrying or only selling the censored album? I mean look at this way...if that 8 year old came in and we said you had to be 17 to buy this album then aren't we in the long run censoring his right to listen to that title then too? Why does no one make a big fuss when they are 8 years old and want to go to see a rated R film but the movie industry says they can't see that title either? Wal-mart is a Convenience Store for the masses. They have the right to sell what they deem acceptable and sell that to whom they deem acceptable also. Wal-mart does not sell guns to underage teens..you must have a FOID card and be over the age of 18 to own a gun here in Illinois and that is the policy we follow. So is that taking the rights away of that underage kid to purchase a gun? The US Government says it's not, but do people complain about that? No. So why is Wal-mart "evil" for doing the exact same thing that the US Government does? If they deem something not appropiate for the whole family we will not carry it..period. Rap artist do use shock value to sell their albums when in all respects they don't need too. I personally don't listen to anything that has language I would not deem acceptable in a waterfront bar, but for some reason they seem to have to use it to get their point across? I just don't understand it. And it's my right not to listen to that music, just as it's the right for someone who does enjoy certain types of music to listen to that music. Which comes back to Wal-mart having the RIGHT to carry what THEY and their CUSTOMERS deem acceptable to carry.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Eric, why are 8 yr olds shopping in Walmart alone in the first place? That would be a bigger problem than the Eminem CD.

And does your logic carry over to record stores? Can't that same kid try to buy the Eminem disc from Tower? Somehow they get by.

As for rap using harsh language, that's the style. People in the streets don't say, "Gee willickers, Jimmy, how is the drug dealing going, pal?" It would be dishonest if some of the rappers didn't use harsh language. For people who curse, it's just another word, and sometimes "f***" gets a point across better than "dagnabbit."

It's like Buddy Hacket said, "If a brick falls on your foot, what are you gonna say, 'Spring is here!'? No, you're gonna say, 'Oh shit, I broke my f***king foot!'"

 

[Jack Briggs]

Mike, gosh darn it, that was funny!

 

[Mike Broadman]

NP: Eminem, The Eminem Show, CD
And it's good. Real good.

 

[matt bee]

Okay, I can't stand it any longer, I have to ask....
What is this NP thing I keep seeing at the end of people's posts?

Although I have Eminem's first two albums, I had no plans on buying this one. These discussions, however, have made me want to go and pick it up. Come to think of it, that's how I ended up with the last two as well.