Why oh why would Axl Rose of Guns N Roses release Chinese Democracy only at Walmart?

August 19, 2008

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Fans have = been waiting for the Guns N’ Roses album Chinese Democracy for about 14 = years, and now they may have to wait in line at Wal-Mart in order to = purchase it when it’s finally released.

According = to Billboard, Guns N’ Roses are in negotiations to release the album = exclusively through a big-box retailer, most likely Wal-Mart or Best = Buy. The Eagles (with whom G N’ R shares a management company) = distributed their latest album exclusively through Wal-Mart, which will = also be the exclusive outlet for the next AC/DC = release.

Of course, many fans with internet connections have = already heard most of the album.

Nine of its songs were = leaked back in June. The FBI paid the leaker a visit, resulting in press = coverage he thought was a bit skewed.

Despite = the leak, Wal-Mart or Best Buy would still likely benefit a great deal = from foot traffic generated by its exclusive release, especially if it = contains material not included in that version.

As = annoying as it might be for fans to brave the wilds of Wal-Mart or Best = Buy for Chinese Democracy, the strategy could make sense from the point = of view of the band too. Once an album — especially a high-profile = release like this — is released, it becomes readily available on the = world’s file sharing networks. In a “flat world” scenario such as that, = an album is worth much more in the first few days after its = release.

Now that copies of music are no longer scarce, we = expect more battles to be fought over the right to be the first store to = offer an album.