Cast recording in stores
Cast recording in stores
#0Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 7:55pm
OK, how many people share this particular frustration with me: I went into a Barnes and Noble today - and all the "SOUNDTRACKS" are mixed in with the musicals so it's a pain in the neck to figure out what exactly they have in terms of CDs I'd want.
Why do stores do this? The crossover market between soundtracks and cast recordings has got to be minimal at best. They separate folk and rap and soul and rock - why can't they do this with cast recordings???
Sorry for the vent...
#1re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 7:58pmBorders here in Palm Springs has seperate sections for musicals and for movie soundtracks...so I don't have to go through all the movie crap
#2re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:17pmI really don't think it's a big deal. Do you think the average store knows the difference? No, only the Broadway freaks do.
#3re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:23pmThat's the attitude that wouldn't get it changed. You're right, to most people it wouldn't matter -but what a pain in the neck to sift through thousands of recordings for the couple hundred I'm interested in.
Sarah2
Leading Actor Joined: 5/11/05
#4re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:24pmWell, I could see them seperating them if there was more interest in cast recordings, but a lot of stores don't have a very big selection of them and that's probably why. And that's true about people not knowing the difference, because even some "broadway freaks" I know call them soundtracks.
#5re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:33pmI understand in a place like Best Buy where the selection is small -- Barnes and Noble actually has a fairly decent selection -- but to FIND them takes a good half hour or more than it would if they were separated. I know whining about it on here isn't going to do anything, I was just wondering if anyone else felt the same frustration.
#6re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:37pmSome seperate, some don't. Ive been to Borders that seperate the cast recordings and some that don't. It's frustrating, because if you want to discover new things you have to wade through all the soundtracks. Tower records is good about keeping them seperate too.
Jilani
Broadway Star Joined: 6/30/05
#7re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:39pmTo avoid such frustration, I recommend ordering cast recordings online. If you use a shopping meta-site like pricegrabber.com, not only will you find what you're looking for much more easily than sifting through disorganized store racks, you'll also almost always find it at a better price. That's even if you factor in paying for shipping (though a number of sites on pricegrabber have free shipping). The only downside I can think of is the lack of instant gratification. But if you can wait a couple of days, it's totally worth it!
Sarah2
Leading Actor Joined: 5/11/05
#8re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:43pmThey are alphabetized though, so if you know what you're looking for it shouldn't be a problem. However, I could see how it would be a problem if you're just browsing or looking to try something new.
theatreboi11
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/05
#10re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:48pmI share your frustration and I disagree that people out there are just that stupid and can't understand the difference between Broadway and movies. I feel sometimes it is just easier to mix them all together because majority of people just don't care. It is much easier when they are seperated to find what you are looking (or not looking) for. I was so frustrated at the Borders by me that I spent a good half hour seperating out the musicals and moving everything down the rows lol (I only got up to J)
#11re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 8:57pmYes, its something that frustrates me too. Not enough to ruin a good day or anything, but it is a bit of a pain to spend so much time digging through tons of movie soundtracks to fish out the few cast recordings that you're looking for. Again, not the biggest deal in the world and if it is a smaller selection, its understandable but still, annoying.
#12re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 9:05pmIt's annoying, but not a big deal. I buy most of my CDs on-line anyway...
zbigner
Stand-by Joined: 12/10/03
#13re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 9:20pm
I saw the movies and cast albums in the process of being mixed at my local Barnes and Noble one day and asked if they were planning to leave them together. The cashier told me "no", that they were just moving things around. Of course, when I went back the next week, they had combined the sections.
I hate it because it makes browsing virtually impossible and browsing is the one thing I could do more efficiently in the store than online. I would typically go in with 1 or 2 shows in mind and come out with 5 because I could go through every cast album in 15 minutes and pick interesting ones.
On a later trip when they asked my to renew my B&N membership card, I told them point blank that I didn't need to renew because after spending over $1000 on CDs the year before, I would be spending very little this year, so the discount wouldn't be worth it.
I know this isn't really a big deal, but it was nice to vent.
Zack
#14re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 9:23pm
Totally agree with you! I have tower records nearby my house and it has a good supply of cast recordings, and all are seperated from soundtracks. just listent o the words
C-A-S-T R-E-C-O-R-D-I-N-G
S-O-U-N-D-T-R-A-C-T
To Kill A Mockingbird
#15re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 10:05pm
Do you mean Soundtrack? :)
It doesn't really bother me. I usually go to stores when I have something I specifically want. Since it is alphabetized so I know exactly where it is, I can get it virtually easy, and leave. Plus when I pick them up (in the city) right after their release they are usually seperated and under the "New Releases" section.
BwayLeadman
Broadway Star Joined: 9/29/04
#16re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 10:14pm
Its annoying... but you got to live with it.
At least they didnt take out the selections, like some
stores dont carry musical movies or recordings anymore.
#17re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 10:30pmWhich is why I hate Blockbuster. There are NO movie-musicals in any of them around me except Chicago and Phantom.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#18re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 10:31pmI like Barnes and Nobles only because it is the only store in my area that even sells Broadway CDs. It stinks because you have them mixed with soundtracks, but usually I'm going to B & N looking for a specific cd, and if I need any help... the guy helps me out. Anyway, I can't really complain becuase without it, I would have to get everything from amazon.com.
#19re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 10:32pmIt can get very frustrating and annoying, especially if the store is disorganized and things arne't alphabetized correctly. Some stores have a "Musicals" section, then "Movies and Soundtracks" section. That makes everything a lot easier. And when everything is under "Soundtracks", well, it just takes an extra 5 or 10 minutes (if the selection is small). I do most of my CD shopping online.
#20re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 11:36pmThis is a prime example of why chain stores suck. They obviously don't listen to what their customers want and don't know their products. Shop independent!
#21re: Cast recording in stores
Posted: 7/12/05 at 11:50pmSuzycat -- couldn't agree more, but try finding an independant CD store anywhere in Central New Jersey! The only one I know of, Princeton Record Exchange, tends to not have many cast recordings, unfortunately.
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