Garth Brooks Inks Exclusive Deal With Wal-Mart

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » August 19, 2005 12:34 pm

From Billboard.com:

By Melinda Newman, L.A.

Garth Brooks has signed a multi-year, exclusive pact with Wal-Mart, making the retailer and its Sam's Clubs and Walmart.com outlets the only places where his music will be commercially available.

The deal with Brooks marks the first time an artist -- and certainly a superstar -- has aligned himself and his entire catalog with one chain. (A number of other retailers have started labels, but they were never exclusive to the retailer and most have shut down).

Speculation about a pact brewing between Brooks and Wal-Mart grew after the artist performed at a Wal-Mart shareholders meeting June 3 in Bentonville, Ark. However, until now, both sides have declined to acknowledge that they had made a deal.

Brooks tells Billboard that he's not ready to discuss details of the marriage until "we get our ducks a row," but adds that the forthcoming releases, "in everything from cost to content, will be an amazing deal for the Garth fan."

The initial deal is believed to cover only catalog since Brooks had vowed to remain retired from performing and recording new material until his youngest daughter graduates from high school in 2015. Then, he has said he'll reevaluate the marketplace and his desire to return to the music recording industry. Brooks' last studio album, 2001's "Scarecrow," has sold 2.9 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Although neither Brooks nor Wal-Mart would comment on the first arrival under the pact, industry sources say that it will be a multiple-disc box set including previously unreleased material. The set will street in late fall and will retail at around $25.

While other superstars, such as Elton John and the Rolling Stones have released exclusive box sets through Best Buy, they were DVD projects. This is the first time an artist has released an audio box set exclusively through a traditional retailer.

Such a project, because it is not available to all retailers, would not be eligible for the Billboard 200 album chart, but would appear on the Billboard Comprehensive Albums chart, which appears on Billboard.com.

Brooks' departure from Capitol Nashville, his label home since 1989, paved the way for the Wal-Mart deal. Capitol and Brooks dissolved their licensing deal in June. Brooks owns his masters, leaving him free to shop for a new deal. His catalog includes 15 projects. Capitol parent EMI can sell remaining Brooks' titles it already had in the pipeline to retailers prior to the June deal, but it can manufacture no more units.

hawaiiboy · Post by **hawaiiboy** » August 19, 2005 7:23 pm

I guess that this means they are going to try and
repackage the old albums(again) with a couple new
songs and see if the fans will buy them one more time.

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » August 21, 2005 12:59 pm

God, I hate Wal-Mart! It's the Anti-Christ!!!

Prthd119 · Post by **Prthd119** » August 21, 2005 1:25 pm

Funny. I thought Martha Stewart was the Anti-Christ.

But can see WalMart being on the list.

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » August 21, 2005 4:42 pm

hawaiiboy wrote: I guess that this means they are going to try and
repackage the old albums(again) with a couple new
songs and see if the fans will buy them one more time.

This is exactly what it means. So for someone who bought say, No Fences, when it first came out, and then maybe they bought the first boxed set for the new tracks. Now, Garth and WalMart hope that person will pay for the same album a THIRD time just to get a handful of new songs. And if the songs were worth getting in the first place, why weren't they on the original albums?

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » August 22, 2005 9:50 am

Well, lots of worthy songs don't make the proper albums for various reasons and I think it's great that some artists have chosen to make them available but given Garth's past history with Wal-Mart, this isn't about satisfying the fans, it's about achieving the highest sales figures possible.

12vmanRick · Post by **12vmanRick** » August 22, 2005 11:07 am

Gonzo wrote:God, I hate Wal-Mart! It's the Anti-Christ!!!

yep, for me Garth just guranteed that I will never own any of his new material.

pbans · Post by **pbans** » August 22, 2005 11:34 am

Gonzo wrote:God, I hate Wal-Mart! It's the Anti-Christ!!!

:::applauding:::

I have always said the same thing.....I loathe Walmart...glad I don't like Garth Brooks

PA PAR8 HED · Post by **PA PAR8 HED** » August 22, 2005 3:29 pm

Didn't Jimmy play at a Wal-Mart meeting? Will he be next???!!!!???

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » August 22, 2005 3:40 pm

pbans wrote:
Gonzo wrote:God, I hate Wal-Mart! It's the Anti-Christ!!!
:::applauding:::

I have always said the same thing.....I loathe Walmart...glad I don't like Garth Brooks

Enjoyed his stuff from 10 years ago, when he was running in front of the Country/Pop mainstream.
Now, he just blends into the whole picture.
A perfect fit for Wal-Mart....

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » August 22, 2005 7:52 pm

Jahfin wrote:Well, lots of worthy songs don't make the proper albums for various reasons and I think it's great that some artists have chosen to make them available but given Garth's past history with Wal-Mart, this isn't about satisfying the fans, it's about achieving the highest sales figures possible.

That's exactly what it's about. Garth used to be about music. Now he's about numbers.

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » August 27, 2005 1:57 pm

Question about this boxed set: will it be the first couple of albums like the last boxed set, or will this one include everyting up to Scarecrow?

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » October 5, 2005 4:09 pm

From Billboard.com:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/artic ... 1001261183

Brooks Heading Back To The Radio

By Phyllis Stark, Nashville

Anderson Merchandisers has enlisted Nashville-based Lyric Street Records to promote to radio a new project Garth Brooks is recording exclusively for Wal-Mart.

"Good Ride Cowboy," Brooks' tribute to the late Chris LeDoux, has been chosen as the first single. It will be digitally distributed to country radio stations tomorrow morning (Oct. 6).

Anderson Merchandisers CEO Charlie Anderson says the song "symbolizes the project, which is about love and honesty. It's up-beat, fun, sincere and everything you want music to be."

"To say that we are excited about working this Garth single at radio would be an understatement," said Lyric Street president Randy Goodman in a statement. "It's a testament to the Lyric Street Records staff that Anderson came to us with this opportunity and we look forward to working with our partners at radio."

Brooks has not had a new single on the radio since 2003's "Why Ain't I Running," which reached No. 24 on Billboard's Top Country Songs chart.

He recently signed a multi-year, exclusive pact with Wal-Mart, making the retailer and its Sam's Clubs and walmart.com outlets the only places where his music will be commercially available.

Although neither Brooks nor Wal-Mart has commented on the first arrival under the pact, industry sources say it will be a multiple-disc box set including previously unreleased material. The collection will be released in late fall.

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » October 5, 2005 4:23 pm

I think that this Wal-Mart move proves that Garth Brooks is an American Hero

davesnik · Post by **davesnik** » October 5, 2005 11:22 pm

PA PAR8 HED wrote:Didn't Jimmy play at a Wal-Mart meeting? Will he be next???!!!!???

I was thinking the exact same thing. When Garth first came out, I jumped on the Garth train. I was a HUGE Garth fan. Then he turned into "chris gaines" and, well, that just weirded me out to say the least. I liked the music on that album but then I would remember that that was really Garth and I turned it off.

I'm a former Garth fan who also thinks that he's in it for the money now. To me, that's not what it's all about and if I want to hear Garth, I'll pull some of his older albums out and not contribute to his pocket anymore. Just my $.02.

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » October 6, 2005 7:03 am

Lightning Bolt wrote:I think that this Wal-Mart move proves that Garth Brooks is an American Hero

Ilph · Post by **Ilph** » October 6, 2005 7:04 am

I agree that Garth is in it for the money, but something in me really wants to hear the new song stil....