HMV Collapse

[Octo_Russ]

HMV [His Master's Voice], the British music chain of stores goes into administration, i remember going into London to their flagship Oxford Street store to spend huge chunks of my wages regularly, spending up to two hours browsing at a time, those were exciting days of collecting, and now all 238 stores are to be closed down, 4000 jobs lost.

It's the end of an era, in some ways it's a shame, but i haven't been in a bricks and mortar store for ages, my buying comes from Amazon and Ebay, with music available at a fraction of the cost, so i guess i'm one of the culprits too.

So what are your thoughts?, is it inevitable that all stores will go the way of the Dodo?, do you have happy memories browsing a real physical store?, or is the Internet the obvious progression?.

[Daverz]

There hasn't been anything here in San Diego County since Tower collapsed (or if we are being generous, since Borders collapsed).  And Tower had been in decline since the mid-90s.  You would have to make a 2 hour drive to Amoeba in L.A to find any worthwhile selection.

[Mirror Image]

I never like to hear about the loss of a countrywide chain of stores because this inevitably means the loss of jobs. I don't think I've ever even heard of His Master's Voice stores before, but please forgive my ignorance as I live in the States. I do miss browsing through bins of CDs. The thrill of discovery is always such a beautiful thing, but you have to admit that you probably saw this one coming as the Internet has really hit these retails stores hard.  I've been buying online since '98 or '99 and I can honestly say that I'm very fortunate to have my current collection of CDs. Availability and cost factors a lot into the reasoning for many people. I simply can't go into a store like B&N or Borders and find what I'm looking for and if I do run across a CD I want the price being offered is too expensive, especially considering that I can check online prices from my cellphone right there on the spot. All of this said, yes, the Internet is the future in terms of media. In fact, many would argue that this future is already here.

[Cato]

Part of the problem is the "Balkanization" of tastes: too many niches of music with small audiences, who can keep the niche alive via concert-going, but for a store to carry stock for hundreds of niche markets, whose fans may be free(down)loaders who refuse to pay for something "free" online, or at the most will pay a dollar for a song...no, it is impossible to stay in business.

And how much money can a store make from classical music, which accounts for (the last I heard) well under 10% of all sales?  It is sad, but I think only very astute (and small) shops for collectors might be able to survive, and they will need to know their customers very well!

[Karl Henning]

There were HMVs in Boston & Cambridge, but they closed up years ago.

[Mirror Image]

Part of the problem is the "Balkanization" of tastes: too many niches of music with small audiences, who can keep the niche alive via concert-going, but for a store to carry stock for hundreds of niche markets, whose fans may be free(down)loaders who refuse to pay for something "free" online, or at the most will pay a dollar for a song...no, it is impossible to stay in business.

And how much money can a store make from classical music, which accounts for (the last I heard) well under 10% of all sales?  It is sad, but I think only very astute (and small) shops for collectors might be able to survive, and they will need to know their customers very well!

Another good point.

[Brahmsian]

We had (and there are still a few) in Winnipeg (HMVs).  Stopped going there years ago.  Their idea of Classical Music was Sarah Brightman and Andre Rieu and Andrea Bocelli.

Our 'local' bookstore, McNally Robinson, has quite a vast selection (and good varied selection it is!) for classical music.  The prices vary (there are bargains to be had, but there are also overpriced stuff too).  There are a few used records/CD stores that still have a not half bad selection for classical music, but record/CD stores are in decline everywhere, and it is no surprise.

I love the experience of browsing in a brick & mortar store (be it for music or for books, especially an old book store).  We still do have a precious few that manage to survive.

Times have changed. 

[KeithW]

Like many who grew up in the UK, the foundations of my collection were acquired, at least in part, from HMV stores.  When I moved to London I spent many happy hours in the Oxford Circus branch.  It had some very knowledgeable staff in the classical music department and they worked so hard to keep a strong collection.  The same could not be said for many of their branches around the country.  When I moved to Australia I was glad to find a semi-decent HMV in the city, but its classical department soon fell into the Andre Rieu/Sarah Brightman trap, and the store closed its doors a couple of years ago.

I visit London every few weeks, and occasionally visit HMV in Oxford Circus, but I haven't bought anything for a very long time, partly as the collection has diminished, and partly due to price.  As John points out, brick and mortar stores rarely are able to offer competitive prices, and it is easy to check online retailers on the spot; if I see something that isn't available in the US, I'll order from Presto or Amazon UK and take advantage of the removal of the 20% VAT.  I fear there isn't an easy solution - the overheads of physical stores can be high, and it is clear than many in the media and information distribution business (books/music/DVDs) are struggling.

I was struck by Paul Gambaccini's comments in today's Guardian coverage of the HMV demise - that it's not possible to buy physical CDs in Manhattan.  Academy Records is at least one exception.

[Sammy]

So what are your thoughts?, is it inevitable that all stores will go the way of the Dodo?, do you have happy memories browsing a real physical store?, or is the Internet the obvious progression?.

I only buy from internet sources because an adequate physical store doesn't exist any longer in Albuquerque.  For me, this situation is not a progression, just taking stock of today's economic realities.

[marvinbrown]

I too used to frequent the HMV store and believe me when they had sales they could beat the best prices offered on line.  If you go to HMV now they have marked everything down with a blue X by 25%.  I picked a few naxos CDs and many boxsets at prices less than amazon.co.uk prices.

  The HMV store in Oxford Circus is packed as "VULTURES" are "CIRCLING" and "FEASTING" off of the dying HMV "CARCASS"......so sad  !

  marvin

[vandermolen]

I am sorry about this too and also sorry that I bought a £10 HMV voucher before Christmas that I am now stuck with. I used to love browsing at the HMV store in Bond St London, which sadly closed a few years ago - I bought lots of stuff there and HMV issued many interesting releases themselves.

I am a History teacher and ironically I was teaching my class yesterday (before making a hasty departure due to the snow) and we were discussing the Depression in Britain in the 1930s. We read a source extract from a woman who, ironically, worked for HMV in London and who had not lost her job in the Depression as this was one of the few growth industries in the south of England at that time.  We had an interesting discussion comparing the situation of HMV now and then and the reasons for it.

[knight66]

I work on London, despite which it must be two years since I entered HMV. I used to go for the instant gratification 'hit' of going to a music shop and coming home with the prize, like going fishing and making a successful catch. Perversely, even if I had to wait two weeks for that chance, I did. But my buying habits have changed a lot and logic has prevailed. I can wait a week for it to be delivered by post.

For the last year I have been on Spotify and what sits at my fingertips is stupypifying. I am much less inclined now to buy anything. But...the big but....by streaming music I am learning nothing about the music, performers or the subjects around them. Maddeningly on Spotify, frequently  you have no idea who is performing. So often LP notes fed my need for knowledge and prompted me to go elsewhere to deepen It. Now, I have a vast knowledge resource at my finger tips with Google, but do I research and track libretti down? No!

HMV is the latest in a bad run of stores that have been lost to us. It feels like the depression is getting worse, but with this and several others, it is about the changes in the way we buy things.

Mike

[otare]

So the HMV stores in London have been "picked clean"? I am going to London next Tuesday, but I don't expect there will be any chances of any of them being open with any kind of stock available?

[KeithW]

So the HMV stores in London have been "picked clean"? I am going to London next Tuesday, but I don't expect there will be any chances of any of them being open with any kind of stock available?

I'm going to London next week as well.  I almost certainly won't make it to Oxford Circus before Thursday, so I guess I'll have even less of a chance if you get there on Tuesday   

The good news is that Hilco have just bought the HMV debt from the banks, and I'd imagine they will focus on restructuring the business to retain a presence on the UK's high streets.  I note that the main record companies were keen to see this turn of events.  So, the doors may not be closing just yet.  Whether they can become competitive in the long run is now the question.