Dr. Dre, Monster and Best Buy buck the Digital Trend
At a time when digital music sales are fast overtaking physical as the medium of choice for consumers, and the most valuable sector of the international music market, traditional physical retailers are looking for ways to enchance the high street (US = Mall) experience. Best Buy have launched a new ‘destination’ music section instore in partnership with cable, audio and accessory manufacturer Monster and Dr. Dre (in corporate guise) called Club Beats. Whether the rap star’s endorsement of this window dressing will have any real effect on sales is dubious, but it does mean that the lugubrious dinosaur that is the US retail market has finally noticed that someone has kicked it’s tail and is trying to overcome it’s inertia. In any case, the Club Beats section will provide a lovely, distributed physical platform to launch the Dr.’s new album ‘Detox’ if and when it finally reaches shelves (release is scheduled for 2010). Just don’t spill your soda on any of the records while you’re in there…