Best Buy exclusive

[Dr. Blutarsky]

They had it on the counter at each register at my local BB ( Melbourne FL)

The y had the big tower between the CD Racks and the register w/ it and the Vinyl LP also. Then a few endcaps with it at the CD section. So my local BB did a good job IMO.

[SpareHead3]

Mine had a display when you entered the store.  After picking up my pre-order CDs, I went there to grab a vinyl copy.  Talked to a much younger guy there about the album.  I think he got at least the vinyl.

[w.axl.rose]

They had it on the counter at each register at my local BB ( Melbourne FL)

The y had the big tower between the CD Racks and the register w/ it and the Vinyl LP also. Then a few endcaps with it at the CD section. So my local BB did a good job IMO.

that's how it was at the best buy i went too.

[JuicySwoos]

Did anyone else notice at their BB that they were just setting up the displays minutes before the doors opened?  When I walked in they were still unpacking the album and putting on the display, boxes etc on the ground.  There werent any posters or anything up yet.  Sounds like some BB's got their shit together, and some not so much. Mine did not even have my pre-order ready.

[Tyson]

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/24/chinese-democracy-hits-best-buys-in-new-york-with-a-yawn/

I hope management is keeping a close eye on Best Buy.  I was at my local one this morning in Paramus, NJ and there were no posters or anything.  Simply a big CD stand next to the CD section and some cd's available at the register.  More needs to be done. 

[thesloth]

Curious for those in the U.S. did your BB stores have Chinese democracy drink coasters packaged with the CD like in Canada?

[GNR4L]

Curious for those in the U.S. did your BB stores have Chinese democracy drink coasters packaged with the CD like in Canada?

No, my Best Buy was really good had three signs outside on huge one in the middle and stickers on the door.  They had the display up right in the middle of the store, where everyone could see it.

[Frequent Flyer]

They had it on the counter at each register at my local BB ( Melbourne FL)

The y had the big tower between the CD Racks and the register w/ it and the Vinyl LP also. Then a few endcaps with it at the CD section. So my local BB did a good job IMO.

It was like this for me as well. Signs right in the doorway ("The most anticipated album EVER") a huge wall of them on the immediate section of CDs, huge standalone stands with the CD and Vinyl. CDs at the registers. No one is going to miss the fact that Chinese Democracy is out if they walked into that store.

But no midnight release was a real buzz kill, and what's happening at other Best Buys sounds damn near criminal. I guess this is what happens when a huge corporation buys out the rights to an album. I'm disappointed. Chinese Democracy, and Axl, deserved better.

I hope the pace picks up and we see some good promotion, because this landmark event in music history should be met with a little more fanfare.

[FunkyMonkey]

GUNS N' ROSES Co-Manager ANDY GOULD Says 'Democracy' Was Worth The Wait; Video Available - Nov. 24, 2008

The Rockerrazzi web site conducted an interview with GUNS N' ROSES co-manager Andy Gould on the eve of the long-awaited release of the band's new album, "Chinese Democracy". Watch the chat below.

"Chinese Democracy" was released in the U.S. exclusively through Best Buy. The 14-song set is available on CD, vinyl, and as a download. While singer Axl Rose has remained silent, Gould and co-manager Irving Azoff said in a statement, "The release of 'Chinese Democracy' marks a historic moment in rock n'roll. We're launching with a monumental campaign...that matches the groundbreaking sound of the album itself. GUNS N' ROSES fans have every reason to celebrate, for this is only the beginning."

Video: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=109520

[DemocracyRose]

GUNS N' ROSES Co-Manager ANDY GOULD Says 'Democracy' Was Worth The Wait; Video Available - Nov. 24, 2008

The Rockerrazzi web site conducted an interview with GUNS N' ROSES co-manager Andy Gould on the eve of the long-awaited release of the band's new album, "Chinese Democracy". Watch the chat below.

"Chinese Democracy" was released in the U.S. exclusively through Best Buy. The 14-song set is available on CD, vinyl, and as a download. While singer Axl Rose has remained silent, Gould and co-manager Irving Azoff said in a statement, "The release of 'Chinese Democracy' marks a historic moment in rock n'roll. We're launching with a monumental campaign...that matches the groundbreaking sound of the album itself. GUNS N' ROSES fans have every reason to celebrate, for this is only the beginning."

Video: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=109520

Im aware of the date but havent we heard that statement before?

[FunkyMonkey]

Billboard Exclusive: Iovine Talks Axl

November 24, 2008 10:07 AM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

When Universal Music Group pushed highly anticipated albums from U2, Dr. Dre, Eminem and 50 Cent from the fourth quarter to 2009, it seemed like a final stake in the heart of music retail this year.

But Interscope-Geffen-A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine refuses to apologize for the decision, which he says he made to ensure the projects would be the best they could be. And it's not like the company doesn't have some big album coming before year's end: All-American Rejects, Soulja Boy, Keyshia Cole and, of course, Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy," which arrived yesterday (Nov. 23) as a Best Buy exclusive.

Iovine spoke exclusively to Billboard about the release schedule, retail exclusives and what parts of his business are growing.

Yesterday was an exciting day for a lot of Guns N' Roses fans. What are your thoughts now that this record is a reality?

Axl delivered a great Guns N' Roses album. Period. He did. It took him a long time for whatever reasons. I am sure there were many different reasons. Bottom line is, he did it. It's hard to say if something is worth the wait, because how the hell do any of us know? I judge it based on what it is. Does it sound better than 99% of the rock records out there? Yes. I'm just thrilled for him.

The proliferation of retail exclusives like Guns N' Roses with Best Buy has been one of the biggest stories of the year. What are you thoughts on how this has developed?

With the confusion and how much media is spread out and how hard it is to market things to a mass audience right now, I think you'll see the labels needing marketing partners to drive this music, whether it's a song, an album or a new configuration. In this case, Best Buy gave this album a great deal of marketing that we couldn't have gotten any other way. Now we have the press on our side as well, which is extraordinary.

But what about indie retailers who throw their arms up because of deals like this? Is there a silver lining for them?

I don't know the answer to that. But when a guy works that hard on a record, you want to give it the best possible chance it has. We found a great partner in Best Buy, and Axl's new management felt it was a good idea. It looks like it's going to do really well. I mean, really, really well. Beyond anybody's expectations.

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/exclusive-iovine-talks-axl-u2-dre-eminem-1003896147.story

[DemocracyRose]

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/24/chinese-democracy-hits-best-buys-in-new-york-with-a-yawn/

Guns n? Roses fans expecting to be met with pyro, a giant inflatable Axl Rose ? or at least Chinese Democracy blaring from the sound system ? were in for a surprise when the anxiously awaited album hit Best Buy stores yesterday. At all the Manhattan outlets Rock Daily visited Sunday, you?d be hard-pressed to know it was one of the most hyped release days of the century.

Best Buy has released its share of exclusive music (notably live DVDs from the Rolling Stones and the Police), but serving as the sole distributor of Guns n? Roses Chinese Democracy, which the retailer dubbed ?the most anticipated album of all time? in its promotional materials, was a coup. Yet there were no midnight sales, and therefore no opportunities to nab video like the 1991 footage of fans lining up to buy both of the Use Your Illusion long boxes. When the doors of one downtown New York City store opened at 9 a.m., there were two customers waiting outside. Once in, it took a few minutes of searching to actually find the discs, and the promised vinyl was nowhere to be found ? and neither was a cashier, for that matter.

The Chelsea location fared better with a full stand-up display, but the kids in the store were more interested in playing ?Santeria? on Guitar Hero. That is, except for the one longhair who stared at the disc in his hands on his way out the door, as if it would disappear if he neglected it. As he left the store, he held it up to a passerby, laughed and said, ?Crazy.?

The Midtown Manhattan store had the most purchases during Rock Daily?s visit of any of the locations, including one uniformed police officer who must have gotten over Axl?s diss on ?One in a Million.? One customer flipped through every copy on the rack, either on an OCD quest for the most pristine packaging or finally coming to the conclusion of his 14-year internal struggle over whether he should buy it. He did.

With what must have been a precisely negotiated deal, it?s curious how minimally Chinese Democracy was emphasized in the Best Buy stores. In none of the four locations visited Sunday was the record playing on the house music system, and only one had any sort of stand-alone display. This isn?t to say that Chinese Democracy won?t do big numbers, especially with customers descending on the retailer en masse this week for Black Friday sales, but after a decade and a half of anticipation, Best Buy?s release of Chinese Democracy began in New York with a shrug.

[Tyson]

The promotion has been pittyful.  Plain and simple.  NO casual fans really know this is coming out and that is a shame.  If we break 500,000 this week, I'll be surprised.  I'm fucking pissed. 

[IKnowWhereIAM]

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/24/chinese-democracy-hits-best-buys-in-new-york-with-a-yawn/

I thought it was just Albany that dropped the ball...looks like it is pretty 'Universal'.

The promotion has been pittyful.  Plain and simple.  NO casual fans really know this is coming out and that is a shame.  If we break 500,000 this week, I'll be surprised.  I'm fucking pissed. 

I do believe that the reason there were no camp-outs or lines, is that every raging fan pre-ordered...unfortunately they didn't need to market to us, we would break into jail to get it - but, the avg. joe customers could have walked into BB, bought what they wanted, and left without ever seeing CD...it will be interesting to see how many copies pre-sold, how many sold opening day, and how many total are sold first 'week'.

[$$$$]

i went to my BB on the 23d and had to ask for the record.

there was no promotion anywhere, and the guy didnt even know what i was talking about when i asked for CD.

he then looked it up, went into the back and came back with a copy for me. This was mid afternoon too wtf.

[Hudson]

The BB were I bought it had it at the entrance with the Vinyl. I had to go through the Vinyls because they were all bent. There was no Axl blow up doll or GNR music playing the store. I was expecting that they would at least be playing GNR music in the store. I did not see anyone else buying the album or even looking at it. People walked right by the display without even looking at it. There was a million copies and it was already like 4 pm when I got there. I bought two CD's and a Vinyl. It was disappointing.

[JuicySwoos]

The week is still young.  I am sure some BB's are selling more of the album then other BB's.  Plus there are a billion BB locations as well, so I doubt anyone would see any sort of mad rush at one particular location.  The other factor in play is that BB is offering free shipping on the album too, so perhaps many people went that route.  We don't know how many people purchased the album online.  Then you throw in the Itunes sales, who knows how the album is selling so far. 

[w.axl.rose]

i just want to thank Best Buy for giving me a free LP   

[King Axl]

The BB were I bought it had it at the entrance with the Vinyl. I had to go through the Vinyls because they were all bent. There was no Axl blow up doll or GNR music playing the store. I was expecting that they would at least be playing GNR music in the store. I did not see anyone else buying the album or even looking at it. People walked right by the display without even looking at it. There was a million copies and it was already like 4 pm when I got there. I bought two CD's and a Vinyl. It was disappointing.

When I hit my Best Buy right at store opening on Sunday morning, I think about three people went directly over to the display and picked up a CD, including my son. I had expected mine to be at the in-store pickup desk, but they fucked up my preorder, so I had to pull my copies from the display also. In the 30 minutes or so that we were there, I'd estimate probably 15-20 copies of CD/vinyl were sold. Today, I was in a different Best Buy, and the display was full of CD's and vinyl, plus there were copies in other areas of the store. Seems the day after sales are kinda sluggish.

GN'R will probably make their next single either "Street Of Dreams" or "This I Love" in order to broaden the CD's fan base, and jump start sales if they start to slow down.

[Kitty]

Did anyone else notice at their BB that they were just setting up the displays minutes before the doors opened?

The cardboard displays weren't set up by best buy employees, they were set up by an outside merchandising rep who comes in a few times a week. Normally the same rep will do a few stores in the same day, and its a shame. Our rep showed up right before the store opened yesterday, and was surprised to find the display was almost already up (I got a little excited ) sales seemed alright at my store, we were running really low when I left yesterday afternoon, but for some reason, they shipped us very few copies(less than 150) vs most stores received 1000+.

and for the comments about the vinyls being damaged, ours were slightly too, the box they came in had no packing materials and was completely torn up when we received it, I was sad.