How to Sell Like Hell (Or At Least Get Your Music Onto Record Store Shelves)

by Chris Florio

There is a real challenge for artists who want to get their latest disc widely distributed in retail stores. The current distribution picture - like much of the music industry - has narrowed dramatically in the last few years. There are vast numbers of small local and large national distributors that have disappeared in the last few years. However like all change, the new distribution landscape offers new opportunities to dedicated musicians who want to get their music heard.

On the national level, the overwhelming percentage of CD distribution is done by the major labels who distribute their own products and by Alliance Entertainment Corporation whose AEC One Stop division distributes the music from virtually all major and independent labels. AEC is the exclusive distributor for the Barnes and Noble chain and do non-exclusive distribution for countless other retail stores including HMV records, Amazon.com and Borders.

“In addition to purchasing products through Alliance from smaller labels, many big chains purchase major label releases through us via a cascading system,” says David Fritz, president of Alliance’s IDN division. “For example, if a retailer tries to order a quantity of an older Bruce Springsteen albums from Sony and they are not in stock, the request will cascade down to a second tier distributor and they can order it through Alliance.”

All of this does not mean that in order for a band to get on the shelves of local stores they have to be affiliated with a major label or AEC. For example, Newbury Comics which has 25 locations in New England gets CDs from a number of sources. “We buy music from the majors, from AEC and from a number of smaller distributors,” says DJ Taitelbaum, who orders for Newbury Comics. “We buy from local labels and also occasionally directly from local bands if they are generating a buzz, and we will accept discs on consignment from anyone whose CDs meet basic requirements like UPC barcodes.”

Taitelbaum offers a useful piece of advise for independents, “If you are going to put your CD in stores, it is essential to support it - when the album comes out is not the time to rest. Lots of bands put everything they have into making a CD and then they take a vacation from gigging just as it hits the stores and the discs languish in the bins. Your strongest efforts to market and get local airplay as well as to play live should come immediately following the release of the disc.”

Other retailers offer similar sentiments. Borders, for example orders it’s inventory from the major labels and Alliance through its central office in Ann Arbor, Michigan. However, each store’s management has complete control over what local inventory to stock and whether they purchase those discs or sell them on consignment. Of course this means that they are much more likely to stock local music from bands that play out all the time and get airplay and media attention.

Another option for getting distribution is to sign to or start a small independent label. The label can then arrange distribution with a larger company such as IDN (Innovative Distribution Network). “IDN exclusively distributes for 34 labels including Concord Jazz and One Way Records. We sell our products through Alliance, our parent company, but we also place products directly in stores ourselves,” says Nelson Perez, director of Operations for IDN, “Being authorized to sell through AEC is a huge advantage for a small distributor and AEC has distribution deals with many smaller or regional distributors.”

A new option for independent musicians which get their releases in AEC’s databases is The Orchard. This distribution network was co-founded in 1998 by Richard Gottehrer, multi-platinum producer (Blondie, the Go Go's), hit songwriter ("I Want Candy," "My Boyfriends Back") and co-founder of Sire Records (Madonna, Talking Heads, the Ramones). His credibility has made the Orchard a force in the industry and The Orchard is authorized to sell through AEC.

The Orchard works somewhat similarly to CD Baby in that anyone can join for a sign-up fee ($90). Distribution through the Orchard is non-exclusive. The Orchard sells your product to retailers and gives you 70% of wholesale minus their costs.

There is no point in joining The Orchard if there is no demand for your music, but joining means that if you do generate interest anywhere in the country, then any retailer can order your CD through AEC or other large distributors like Baker & Taylor, Inc.,Super D or Arrow Distributing Company. The Orchard also distributes to Apple’s itunes which has recently made a big push to get music from independent acts onto their online store. There have already been 8 million downloads on the Apple site since it’s launch just a few months ago.

As stated above, the changes in the industry have created new opportunities and The Orchard and iTunes are two examples of innovative ways to get your music to the public right now.