Check out this story from Pitchfork today about companies like Best Buy discounting indie bands and the effect felt by independent music retailers:

On January 24, Best Buy announced its latest promotion: a sale on a handful of albums from “left of the dial indie heroes,” such as the Arcade Fire, Cat Power, Danger Doom, Antony & the Johnsons, Atmosphere, New Pornographers, and Broken Social Scene– all listed at the obscenely low price of $7.99. Yes, that’s cheaper than every other store on the planet, including iTunes. In fact, it’s cheaper than distribution wholesale…

It’s no surprise, then, that Best Buy’s “Artists Outside the Mainstream” program has inspired a lightning-quick backlash from small stores and non-participating labels…According to the labels involved in “Artists Outside the Mainstream”, Best Buy never mentioned the $7.99 price plan when discussing the program…So how do artists feel about the situation? “Artists have never complained to us that their record was in a chain store or on sale at a chain store,” McCaughan told Pitchfork. “However, artists have often complained if they couldn’t find their records in a chain store.”

I have a friend in Iowa who owns an independent record store celebrating its 6th year, and it’s amazing how much stories like this resonate when you actually know someone in the business (apart from the musicians).

After all, musicians want to get paid. They want their fans to PURCHASE their music (not steal, although some artists aren’t shy about file sharing helping them out). They don’t necessarily mind if they get an end cap at Best Buy and sell out the store allotment.

However, if it weren’t for your friendly neighborhood record store, where do you turn for those undiscovered gems, limited edition albums and most importantly - long before AllMusic.com was the smartass behind the indie record store counter who has heard it all and is a living, breathing database of information at your fingertips. I’ll pay a few bucks extra for that every time.