Once upon a time I used to hang out at music stores. Back in High School it was The Wherehouse, Sam Goody, Musicland, Tower, and so forth. Come college it was a variety of independent and used stores. But as I got older, the selections became fewer and farer between, particularly with the onslaught of the 2000's, when downloading became all the rage. Who needs to collect physical material when you can get it digitally?
Well, some people like having a hard copy around. Sometimes you just have to have the disc - it certainly makes for a better gift, as opposed to simply giving somebody an Amazon card (yawn). So it was to my utmost delight on our vacation to the British Isles that I was able to find - old style, corporate music stores! Yes, I still prefer the used/independent variety, but sometimes having a good selection of the latest is preferable (and not having to go to a place that is not really a music store, i.e. Best Buy). On this note, HMV fulfills the recipe. In addition to getting greatest hits efforts by Fall Out Boy (don't judge) and Stone Roses (ok to judge), I purchased three disc compilations of the greatest that Scotland had to offer (over the last 40 years) and the UK (basically a best of from the last three or so years). All things considered, I received a deal, and no, I didn't stoop and get any Nickelback. I will wait until I'm old before I do that. read more
