Forty independent record stores sign open letter protesting major labels

40 independent record shops in the US have joined up to co-sign an open letter against major label tactics that have seen them neglect physical sales and distribution. 

The letter, which was published by Billboard last week, was put together and addressed to the wider music industry after Sony, Universal and Warner all switched their services to a new distribution partner called Direct Shot Distributing. 

Shops say that the move has been problematic for their supply chain with far less CDs and records arriving than were ordered. It also meant that some shipments even arrived as empty boxes and some artist in-store appearances to launch records had to go ahead without sufficient stock of said records.

The labels hoped that the switch would help them to increase efficient and streamline costs going forward, but the shops affected now want the labels and the wider industry to come together to seek out an alternative option that benefits everyone. 

Earlier this year, two new record shops opened in Brooklyn.