Garth Brooks Gives NEW Definition to the word "sellout"

from JoeUser Forums

Link

OK, I could give two shits on this one since I am about as likely to buy a Garth Brooks album as I am to contribute money knowingly to the DNC, but still (shakes head)...

According to the link, Brooks has signed an exclusive distribution deal with WalMart and Sam's Club. That's right, when Garth puts out more music, it will only be available in the censored music capitol of the world.

Now, distribution deals like this are nothing new. In fact, they're appearing to be all the rage, to my chagrin as I wouldn't mind listening to Allison Krause's new CD, but lack of proximity to a Cracker Barrel and an unwillingness to enter a debit card number on a library computer make that a statistical unlikelihood...but I digress. But I can't help but think that an artist's artistic integrity, if they had any, would suffer greatly with such an exclusive deal. And I would fear that an artist bound by such exclusive terms might be tempted to name drop on a coupla tracks. In Garth's case, it might mean that references to Stetson hats, the standard of the country music set, are verbotten, since such hats aren't available at Wally World.

But, it's his life, I guess (shrug).

7,765 views 33 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
It is his life.  I dont have a problem with it.  I dont like it, but then I dont like Wally world either.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Whatever you think of this, Garth is a decent guy and a genuinely gifted entertainer. First saw him @ a July 4th concert @ WestWorld in Scottsdale back in 1990 or 91, well before Low Places. By quirk of fate ended up working part-time with his original promoter for 9 years on an unrelated project & learned enough to know he's the real deal. I don't think he's sold out any more than any other performer, or any other person looking to hustle a buck, for that matter.

Cheers,
Daiwa
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gid: Most banks now have one-shot debit cards you can buy from visa. There's a 5 dollar charge. If someone gets the number, it's no harm. You can't even recharge them.

As for Wal-Mart, their business model is basically 'everything for everyone', but they tend to have particular classes that come there. They aren't ideological censors, they are businesspeople who have the right to sell what they want to sell. They know that in many rural communities people appreciate that they are choosy about what they sell. It benefits them.

Most deals like this aren't until the end of time anyway. Usually a store agrees to pay pennies on the dollar more for the CDs from the distributor in order to be the first one to sell them for a week or a month. I doubt seriously this will never be on Amazon.com or ITunes or any of the big chains. I bet this is for a short time only.

Anyway, who cares? This is about Liberty, Gid. Garth's records are his own to distribute. Wal-mart has the right to choose the records they sell without some imposed anti-censorship sentiment.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I wouldn't mind listening to Allison Krause's new CD, but lack of proximity to a Cracker Barrel and an unwillingness to enter a debit card number on a library computer make that a statistical unlikelihood...but I digress


Gid, there's a Cracker Barrel right down the street from me. I can get you a CD and mail it to you if you want.

I'm disappointed with Garth's decision, but I can understand why he did it. I imagine that he sees it as the place where a lot of his fans shop and feel most afiliated with....I mean, Garth Brooks and Wal-Mart are both as American as...well, Garth Brooks and Wal-Mart!

I don't like Wal-Mart's music or book selection, so I don't buy my tunes or books there.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
There a a lot of Garth Brook songs, I like, but let's face it, "Integrity" has never been his middle name. Let him rope the wind at his pleasure and see where he lands when the thunder rolls and the lightning strikes. His friends in low places will always there to pick up the pieces. ;~D
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Isn't it the case that Garth Brooks has a degree in Marketing? I don't think he's 'sold out' - rather, I suspect he's always known EXACTLY what he was doing!
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Whoops ... perhaps I'll correct my mistake before anybody else does ...
Garth Brooks doesn't have a degree in Marketing, but in Advertising. However, I don't think this undermines my argument much! Chris Gaines, anyone?
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
There a a lot of Garth Brook songs, I like, but let's face it, "Integrity" has never been his middle name. Let him rope the wind at his pleasure and see where he lands when the thunder rolls and the lightning strikes. His friends in low places will always there to pick up the pieces. ;~D


*groan*
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
When I saw the title on yahoo home page - Brooks coming to Walmart - I thought it was sad that his career had now hit the point where he was going to be performing in Walmart parking lots. How the mighty have fallen - ha ha. I lost it for Garth when he became Chris Gaines - remember that mess. Take off the wig Garth. He always wanted to be a rock star. When he couldn't make it he decided to make one up. Of course, I was never a huge fan but I do think that he has always come across as genuine and caring but I don't know if that's reality or a good PR machine.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Define sell out? I used to work at a Christian Rock radio station. DC talk was a big band back in the day....until they signed on to Virgin Records. Now, they hardly have any new music. People say the band signed so they could spread their music further. Other people, myself included...feel they signed with Virgin to make a whole lotta mula. Before, their music came from the heart. Now, their music just fulfills a deadline put in place by a contract.

Payable On Death (aka....P.O.D.) also was a big band in the Christian Rock genre. They were pretty big before they signed on to Sony Records...and then when they did...they got a lot of Secular airplay and got really big. Now, you hardly hear about em.

Bands sell out many times first by signing record contracts.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gid -

If you're talking about Lonely Runs Both Ways, it is awesome - I listen for hours at a time & never get tired of it. Go find it.

Cheers,
Daiwa
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
By quirk of fate ended up working part-time with his original promoter for 9 ye


a promotion-related project?
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
nothin garth brooks is doing with walmart comes anywhere close to the stones' 'big bang' tour (which opens today in boston).

sponsored by ameriquest ?????????

for a $100,000 contribution to ahnold's campaign fund, the governator (who claims to be beholden to noone but keeps doin this kinda stuff only not quite as bizarre) will grant you access to sit in the schwarzenegger private vip booth (in addition to being able to pitch your cause between tunes, you can possibly get in on the 'which stone is gonna wind up in the er tonite?' pool). those of us who don't have that kinda money should at least be able to round up $10k which gets ya into a private pre-concert reception and front row center seats (you may still be able to place bets but if nobody wins, your wager becomes an additional contribution)>
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
kb -

Annual aviation event. Just happened to be the promoter's other interest. Ton of work for peanut pay and a ton of fun. Really hooked me on aviation, especially military. And you are so right about the Stones - I was floored when I saw their first Ameriquest commercial. Not that they would do a commercial deal particularly, but I figured they couldn't possibly need to.

On a related note, a good friend of mine was the backstage doc for the Stones concert at Sun Devil Stadium (about 1981 or 82 IIRC) - had some interesting stories to tell. Let's just say the Stones picked a good name for themselves.

Cheers,
Daiwa
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
I gave up on Garth Brooks when he proved to be a total @#$@# about Napster back in it's heyday. Not that musicians and artists don't deserve to get paid for their work, but he was such a @#$@#$ about it, he turned me off for life.

He can make an exlusive deal with Walmart all he wants. It doesn't mean I'll ever pay a penny for his music. I tolerate hearing it on the radio, normally cursing under my breath and calling him a @#$@#$@ or something similar. Him I can at least tolerate. The Dixie Chicks can burn in hell forever, but there I digress. When I hear them, I change the station. I'd sooner listen to 20 minutes of commercials for the See Clearly Method or some such crap then hear them.

Allison Kraus is someone whose work I really admire. Beautiful voice, a pleasure to listen to. I'd be happy to visit a Cracker Barrel (if there was one in my area, they have avoided the D.C. area like the plague, though they deny being racist, and instead seem to fall back on calling it a business decision so far....) and nab the object of your desire Gid. If it wasn't illegal to share, I'd send you several tunes I expect you'd probably enjoy, but music sharing is a big no-no. Have to stick to pointing you to places like the new Napster, or Wally world, or perhaps Rhapsody or a similar service where you can hope the songs you want to hear will roll around. Not necessarily a good answer.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
That's a fair criticism, terp, but you might feel differently if your intellectual property was being passed around for free. Whether you agree with the principle or not, at least he was standing up for a principle.

Cheers,
Daiwa
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
terp -

Cracker Barrel sticks to the interstates and are primarily traveler-focused. I was back in northern VA last year & seem to recall seeing a sign or two for CB as we headed from Dumfries up to BWI. There are 3 CB's in the Phoenix area but all are on the outskirts and on freeways. They don't go "in-town" anywhere as far as I know.

And I absolutely love Allison Krauss, have forever, even before AKUS.

Cheers,
Daiwa
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
I gave up on Garth Brooks when he proved to be a total @#$@# about Napster back in it's heyday. Not that musicians and artists don't deserve to get paid for their work, but he was such a @#$@#$ about it, he turned me off for life.


I started ignoring the Record Company's line about "artists getting paid for their songs" when I learned that Britney Spears had (at the time) sold 40 million CDs and is worth $40 million. When you consider how much she has made from touring, commercials and public appearances, it is clear to me that the recording industry makes sure they are paid well before the artist ever sees a dime from the songs they record.
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top

Oh, I don't care that Garth chose to go this route...in fact, although I am not partial to his music, I have quite a bit of respect for him in the way he has stepped out of the limelight to concentrate on what he feels is important rather than serve the almighty buck.

The only thing that concerns me, though, is that when this trend begins to limit my access to music I DO enjoy (the Alison Krause example, for instance), it has the potential to be disturbing. Add to that the fact that a company with such an exclusive contract can charge whatever they want for the product, ironically INCREASING the chance that the work will be bootlegged.

Crazy world, I tells ya.

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
If I hear a song I like, then I like it, no matter who the artist is, what he/she supports or whatever. Good music is good music. I'll still listen to Garth's music, I just probably will not buy the album. Same with Dixie Chicks, Krauss, Toby Keith, Metallica, and whatever other band goes sellout (or in some cases, just says not so smart things in public). It don't change their tallent for music.
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top

Crazy world, I tells ya.

Said the Jabberwockey.  Yep!  You cant pick based upon your beliefs unless you dont want to hear all that you like.

Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top
"The only thing that concerns me, though, is that when this trend begins to limit my access to music I DO enjoy (the Alison Krause example, for instance), it has the potential to be disturbing. Add to that the fact that a company with such an exclusive contract can charge whatever they want for the product, ironically INCREASING the chance that the work will be bootlegged."


That's the free market, though. It isn't about idealism, it is about profit. The only remedy would be, say, more legislation on anti-competitive practices.

Anyway, like I said, I bet this isn't permanent. This is just a way to make more per CD for the initual surge of interest, and then it won't be exclusive anymore. There's no way Garth Brooks would allow Wal-Mart to decide when his CD isn't profitable anymre, and given their selection, they won't think so for long.
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
I agree that Garth has a right to do this if he wishes, but I don't feel overall it is a good move for consumers. All of sudden we are getting our choices taken away. Believe me it is starting small and innocent but it could easily gain steam if these moves prove successful.
Electronics Arts (EA) recently bought the rights to NFL football so only they could create games based on football using real NFL names and locations. I feel this should be illegal since it stiffles competition, it is a monopoly of sorts. There is little incentive for EA to do much except what little is necessary to sell more units each year.

It probably doesn't compare directly to Garth Brooks, but it is a deal that impacts consumers all the same. Personally I can't understand why a performer would want to limit the availability of their music. Sure most people live near a Walmart and those who don't may not live near much of anything. However if I enjoy Garth's music, why should I be forced to buy it from Walmart? In fact I have found other stores selling music cheaper than Walmart on many occaisions. Also Walmart doesn't have as deep a selection of music as many other locations.
I also wonder why they would do this when Garth isn't planning new music last I heard. Unless that is going to change in the future. So perhaps the impact isn't that high, but I just don't like the precident this is setting.
What's going to happen eventually is we'll have to go to Walmart to buy Garth Brooks, but if I want another artist that signed an exclusive at another store, guess what...... I gotta go someplace else. People will give up and say screw it, its easier to download it for free. They could pay for it that way, but again probably have to jump through more hoops. I can't believe the largest chain in the world needs exclusives to woo customers.
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top
Garth Brooks is the shit....one of the best balladeers of the last two decades or so. If he wants to sell his records exclusively at Wally World, that's his deal, lterally. Does this mean we can expect more music from the retired Mr. Brooks? I hope so. I've always liked him.
Besides....think about it. With a Wal-Mart, Super Wal-Mart or Sam's Club positioned every hundred yards or so as they are, how is this deal going to hurt his sales?
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
I lost alot of respect for Mr Brooks years ago. I am not going to buy his CD's from any store, whether they are at Walmart or not. Sara Evans is another matter...I am anxiously awaiting her next CD...