Portland, OR | ‘It’s been a real roller coaster ride for us’: Music Millennium celebrates 50 years: Music Millennium is the largest and oldest record store in the Pacific Northwest. In 1969, The Beatles released Abbey Road, the final album they recorded together before breaking up. That same year, in a small shop on East Burnside, Music Millennium opened their doors and 50 years later, they’re still selling records like Abbey Road. “It’s a little surreal, you know there’s not many record stores in the country that have made it to 50. It’s been a real roller coaster ride for us,” current owner Terry Currier said. “There’s been a lot of changes over the years.” That change has not only involved trends and technology but new owners as well. In 1979, the original owners, the MacLeod and Lissy families, sold it and within 5 years that owner almost filed to file for bankruptcy. The MacLeod family assumed a half a million-dollar debt and took the business back over. Currier bought out the MacLeod family in 1996 and has owned the store ever since.
Kingston, ON | ‘It’s about time’: Flood-damaged Kingston record store to reopen: Community rallied behind Brian’s Record Option after 2018 construction mishap. After a months-long repair and renovation project forced by a freak summer flood, a much-loved record store in Kingston, Ont., is opening its doors again. Construction work near Brian’s Record Option inadvertently flooded the Princess Street shop early last August, destroying tens of thousands of vinyl records, cassettes, CDs, posters and books. Owner Brian Lipsin wasn’t sure if he’d be able to reopen, but he said money from his insurance and community fundraisers covered the cost of the rebuild. The shop opens back up at 9:30 a.m. this Saturday. “It’s about time,” Lipson told CBC Radio’s Ontario Morning on Wednesday. “I’ve hated being in limbo for so long.”
Dayton, OH | Omega Music introduces “Skip the Bag” initiative to positively impact community: Omega Music is taking steps to become more sustainable and make a positive impact on the community. Their “Skip the Bag” initiative aims to help the environment and also support local charities. “We give customers an option to choose a bag or skip the bag. If they skip the bag, we give them a puzzle piece they can drop in one of our charity boxes,” Inventory Manager Mike Cooley said. Each puzzle piece represents the cost of the bag which is 10 cents. “At the end of the month, we total up the puzzle pieces and donate that amount to each charity,” Cooley said. Each month, Omega chooses different charities to support. “10 cents may not seem like much, but after 30 days it really adds up,” Cooley said.
Dundee, UK | ‘Phenomenal demand’ for tickets as city record store brings Foals and Idlewild to Dundee: As reported in SeeDundee, Foals will play two shows at Fat Sam’s on Sunday, May 26. And Scots rock band Idlewild will hold an acoustic session at Clark’s on Lindsay Street on Monday, May 27. The shows are being hosted by Assai Records, which is based in Broughty Ferry. The shop has attracted a string of major acts to the city in recent times with Tom Walker playing in their King Street premises in early March and Snow Patrol packing out Church in June 2018. The Foals gigs will celebrate the release of the band’s new album, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part One. It will be played in its entirety at the Dundee shows. Their late show in Dundee has already sold out following “phenomenal demand” for tickets. Idlewild’s gig at Clark’s on Lindsay Street will coincide with the launch of their new album Interview Music.
7 Music Industry Standards That Will Become Obsolete In The Next 5 Years: …Probably the most interesting shift in the music industry is in the album department. Even 5-6 years ago the formula of Single – Album – Single – Two years of tour – Repeat was wellin place and somewhat working. But now, there is no specific album cycles. Bands release music every year, or every 13 years (looking at you, Tool). The money is made by selling merch, live shows and VIP packages. The recorded music itself has lost a lot of worth in terms of making money off of it. The album itself is having some problems staying the same. With no limitations in terms of retail bands can make 2-hour long albums, or do a couple of 3-5 song EPs. When there is no physical limitations the only boundaries are set by musicians themselves. In the end we are moving towards a more diverse and interesting musical world, where even the smallest of bands can find their fans (shoutout to Astrosaur). True, this probably eliminates a possibility of a next Metallica or Led Zeppelin, but now each and everyone can find themselves a perfect band.
RIP CD: The Death Of An Ideal Listening Experience: Flatbush Zombies penned an interesting eulogy to the CD on their 3001: Laced Odyssey album. Yes, it is fair to pronounce the compact disc dead. Though they still line record store walls, the majority of modern music sales have since transitioned to streaming. For some context, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s Hoodie SZN spent weeks at the top of the charts, despite only moving 823 physical copies. In response, A Boogie forsook the CD altogether, issuing a triumphant cry of “streaming rules!” “Anybody that’s in this era now is always going to do more streaming than sales,” reflects A Boogie. “When I look at it, like, man, fu*k sales. We ain’t even got no CDs out.”
