Each week that Wal-Mart gets touted as a crucial component in album's sales effort, it's usually alongside a discount price. Eagles new album - two CDs for $11.88. Journey's album of two CDs and a DVD: $11. 88. Packaging of Tim McGraw's two hits compilations: $11.88.
Yet when it comes to albums they are not selling as exclusives, Wal-Mart seems to be violating its own bargain-basement principles: They might the most expensive e-tailer out there, pricing CDs $2 to $4 higher than other online outlets.
I stumbled on this while researching Solange's "Sol-Angel & the Hadley Street Dreams," which Amazon had on sale for $6.99 and iTunes was offering for $7.99. Wal-Mart has the album listed for $9.82.
Wal-Mart often plays a role in determining which album hits No. 1 but this week it was not offering the Game's "LAX" and it was selling Slipknot's "All Hope is Gone" for almost four bucks more than iTunes and Amazon, which had it for $9.99. Wal-Mart is selling the CD for $13.88.
of the 11 albums that debuted this week in the top 50, Wal-Mart was selling only one disc for a price lower than iTunes or Amazon, the Lost Trailers' "Holla Back," and at $9.72, that was a mere 18 cents cheaper than iTunes.B.B. Kings "One Kind Favor" has the biggest span: $9.99 at Amazon, $11.99 at iTunes and $13.88 at Wal-Mart. 
Click on the various sites offerings in their "sales" areas and Wal-Mart's nine hot new releases are mostly selling for between $12 and $15 with Miley Cyrus' "breakout" listed as the only one under $11.88.
iTunes is has Young Jeezy's "The Recession" at the top of its hot list selling for $9.99. Amazon appears to be going gangbusters with pre-release sales of Metallica's "Death Magnetic" at $8.99. It will be released Sept. 12.
The one disc being promoted across all three sites is Chris Tomlin's new album, which Amazon has at the lowest prices, $9.99.
As for the existing hits, it does not improve. Test case: "Mamma Mia!" soundtrack is $12.88 at Wal-Mart, nearly $3 more than Amazon and iTunes. Meanwhile, all three have the latest from the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus at just under 10 bucks.
      

Major labels and a retailer have finally found a way to keep mostly forgotten titles available: Print the CDs on demand.
A unit of Amazon, CreateSpace, is introducing its “Disc on Demand” service,  a partnership between Amazon, Sony BMG and EMI Music that will bring back hundreds of popular out-of-print jazz, blues and  rock-and-roll titles.
The new CDs are manufactured on-demand and shipped when customers place an order.
First offerings include  the "Hatari Soundtrack” by Henry Mancini, “Earthquake Weather” by Joe Strummer, “Motorcade of Generosity” by Cake and the Blue Note releases “Telepathy” by Bill Stewart, “Foreign Intrigue” by Tony Williams and “Carryin’ On” by Grant Green.
Now let's get real here: Green's 1969 album "Carryin' On," from the guitarist's boogaloo period, was released  as part of Blue Note's Rare Groove CD series in 1995.Why not release the truly OOP "Gooden's Corner" and "Nigeria"? Those titles have never been released in their original form as they only appeared as part of Mosaic's stunning "Complete Grant Green with Sonny Clark," which is no longer available, and Blue Note's "Complete Quartets" package.
In addition, labels and content providers are using Disc on Demand to release new titles on Amazon.com, including the next KCRW “Sounds Eclectic” release and the soundtrack to the ESPN program “World’s Strongest Man.”

Amazon's editors are among the first group out of the block with their top picks of the year, annointing Feist's "The Reminder" album of the year.
Fascinating, though, that a website that makes its money from albums that actually sell, the top 20 portion of the list is full of discs that have had, at best, moderate sales success."The Reminder," for example, is a breakout hit with sales of 359,000 through Nov. 18 and only two of the top 20 have topped the million-sold mark. Amazon is suddenly looking like the one retailer willing to place the praiseworthy alongside the commercial, a differentiation that is disappearing in the cyberspace chase for the quick buck.   
A further breakdown of the online retailer's top 20:
MAJOR LABEL RELEASES: 10
INDIE RELEASES:10
DEBUTS:1
MAJOR LABEL DEBUTS:1
U.K. ACTS: 6.5*
U.S. ACTS: 9.5*
ROCK: 4
RAP: 2
COUNTRY:1
R&B:0
POP: 2
DEAD GUYS: 1
ALTERNATIVE SOMETHING-OR-OTHER: 11
TOP SELLER: Kanye West's "Graduation" (No. 3) with 1.7 million units sold.
NO. 100: Neil Young's "Chrome Dreams II"
SURPRISES: Daniel Johns, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Mark Knopfler

*Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's album causes the half point

As a Luddite with every intention of purchasing Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" on vinyl, I'm taking the word of this guy at salon that amazon has created a shopping experience superior to iTunes.
Apple's site has always struck me as a place to go provided you knew exactly what you wanted to purchase. There is no sense of adventure, no way to casually wander the cyber-aisles, take chances or even get tips about music that hasn't paid for its POP. Amazon, which obvioulsy has paid-for placement as well, has always felt like a warehouse with some knowledgeable clerks. They knew that if you were ordering a wine book you might need stemware, too, not mention a Graham Parker CD to go with the Nick Lowe CD you just ordered.
Years ago, when iTunes was relatively new, I remember trying to describe the greatness of Richard Thompson at wine-saturated group at a friend's house. Amazon was great, with descriptions, reviews and 30-second bits of songs. Apple, though, was clueless as to the breadth and scope of his wonderful work.
Perhaps the most comical aspect of the competing MP3 shops is that Feist is getting the benefit of her iPod ads at amazon, where she has Wednesday's top seller.

Aware that fans of legends from the early 1980s don't go to record stores, enjoy CDs over downloads and like a bargain, Arista Records is turning to Amazon.com to pump up interest in Annie Lennox's next album, “Songs of Mass Destruction.”
On Monday, Amazon's website will be the only place to view her music video for the album's first single, "Dark Road." Video will be available for only 48 hours.
Amazon will also be taking pre-orders for the Oct. 2 release, charging $9.99 for the disc.