In another mind-numbing move, EMI has decided to stop selling their music to mom & pop stores. These independent stores were not necessarily bad buyers, they’re the ones stocking EMI’s catalog as well as their new releases. So why would EMI end their relations with paying retailers? The reason, because EMI claims they have to start cutting down on their costs as well as trying to encourage costumers to buy their products at one-stops instead of independent retailers.

This is a very odd move considering that the record labels have been dealing with rough times, with the decline of CD sales and lack of adaptation to file-sharing. Perhaps this is move done out of spite for carrying the music of independent artists who choose not to sign with major labels such as EMI. At the end of the day, only EMI themselves know their true incentives. But, whether this will hurt EMI or the mom & pop shops more in the long run will remain to be seen.