How do I get Music in Stores?

[Bero Records]

I produced a Christmas album for a local band last year and sold a couple hundred of CDs. This year, I want to try to get their album out there. Digitally, there are numerous sites and distributors that will get the music on iTunes, Amazon, etc... but how would I go about getting an album in a store such as Walmart, Target, FYE, etc? I really feel this album has something to offer and the winter season is coming up very quickly. If anyone has any ideas or experience in this, please feel free to share. Thanks!

 

[Farview]

You used to be able to work with best buy directly, but that was a long time ago. The normal way would be to get a distribution contract.

 

[cyborgmusic]

best of doing some net searching, even ask in teh store

 

[miroslav]

I really feel this album has something to offer and the winter season is coming up very quickly. If anyone has any ideas or experience in this, please feel free to share. Thanks!

There are probably thousands of artists who feel the same way about the music they are doing/promoting.
You might get a small local music store to put up some CDs....but major retail outlets....you need to get in the same line that the thousands of others are already waiting in for that big break.

Witness that this thread has had over 1000 views in one day...and only a few posts.
Everyone wants the answer.....

But here's the other thing...even if you got Wallymart to let you put the CD's on their shelves....why would anyone buy it?
Just by the packaging and artwork?
What I'm getting at as that you would need a lot of good promotion to push people toward your CD. What kind of promo have you done or are capable of doing on a nationwide, retail store level?

Not trying to rain on your parade...just saying that you're asking like the million dollar question on forum where everyone else is looking for the same kind of answer. And to keep this in the October/Halloween flavor...it's like asking a thousand blood thirsty vampires where you could get a pint.

 

[Lt. Bob]

Even Walmart doesn't put many CDs on the shelves and the only ones they do put there are by artists that they feel sure they'll sell some of.
I would say you have virtually no chance whatsoever of getting a small independent CD on their shelves.

If you do figure it out package it and make a lotta money selling it to us.

 

[Farview]

It's not that hard to do.

1. Create a buzz by hiring a promo company to you your stuff on the radio nationwide.
2. hype it up on social media
3. release it on all on line market places
4. Sell 50,000 copies on line
5. Hire entertainment attorney to procure a distribution deal
6. Now that your stuff is in stores, you need to do another big media push and get at least one more song on the radio.
The problem you will run into is that this will cost you between twenty five and one hundred thousand dollars to do. Its possible, but you still have to throw record company sized money at it to get the job done.

Most people have a hard time finding cd's from bands they have heard of in stores because the market for cd's is so small now. That is your second problem, cd's don't sell in general anymore.

 

[White Elephant]

Most people have a hard time finding cd's from bands they have heard of in stores because the market for cd's is so small now. That is your second problem, cd's don't sell in general anymore.

This guy got it right. By the time you figure out how to get it in stores, the format will be all but dead.

 

[mixgeneral]

It's not that hard to do.

1. Create a buzz by hiring a promo company to you your stuff on the radio nationwide.
2. hype it up on social media
3. release it on all on line market places
4. Sell 50,000 copies on line
5. Hire entertainment attorney to procure a distribution deal
6. Now that your stuff is in stores, you need to do another big media push and get at least one more song on the radio.
The problem you will run into is that this will cost you between twenty five and one hundred thousand dollars to do. Its possible, but you still have to throw record company sized money at it to get the job done.

Most people have a hard time finding cd's from bands they have heard of in stores because the market for cd's is so small now. That is your second problem, cd's don't sell in general anymore.

this is pretty good estimate. One thing I would add is try to get it in the stores outside of US, like Japan

 

[Massive Master]

And it's a little late -- a LOT late -- to even consider *this* holiday season for stores. The print rush is OVER in October (by the end of October, even the satellite replication houses are just about empty). The stores have it well planned out what items are going where and when for the holiday season by August.