Wal-Mart Cuts Out Music Industry Middleman, Seeks Control Of Universe

Skirting traditional distribution deals with record labels, some major artists are going straight for Wal-Mart's aching nipples. In turn, Wal-Mart exclusively sells the artist's CDs in its stores. There is no middleman. No record label. Just horrible douchebags like Keith Urban, Keith Urban's aching nipples, and Wal-Mart.

This blow to major record labels comes at a time when Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead are personally releasing their own music, oftentimes for free. (But it's time to rearrange that equation: Radiohead sold out and went scampering to iTunes; they can't have the "indie" moniker anymore.)

It's lucrative for Wal-Mart, lucrative for artists, and damning to labels. How long do they have before free, independently released music dominates the universe?

And, with today's launch of the new iPhone, does anybody care about anything else?

Anyway, the best/worst part of the New York Times article comes at its description of a Wal-Mart annual shareholders meeting where crappy artists played to an audience of suits.

During her performance, Ms. [Carrie] Underwood volunteered that a Wal-Mart had recently opened in her hometown, Checotah, Okla., and Keith Urban changed his lyrics from “Goodbye, city, I’m country-bound” to “I’m Wal-Mart-bound.”

BAAAARRRRRF.

[via: New York Times]