Note: This information came to me third-hand. I make no claim as to it's origin or validity. JW.



Getting your independent CD on the shelves of large music stores is a tricky catch-22 issue. Most music stores will carry local music on consignment only. Outright purchses are usually only made through a national or regional distributor, which requires that your product be carried and promoted by a distributor. The distributors, on the other hand, are often unlikely to carry your CD unless they perceive a national demand for it. A hard circle to break into.

One way to do this is to contact distributors directly and try to get them to try out your CD. I have obtained a listing of distributors who carry independent music, and am offering it here for selective use. You might contact these distributors and offer to send a press packet and/or review copy of your product(s). Make sure your style matches theirs (last column). Please don't disclose where you got this information. If they want to know, tell them a representative from some major music store (Tower Records or Borders or something) gave you the contact information. Good Luck!

***A Cautionary Note: Make sure that you explore the business side of dealing with distributors. Some will offer to represent your music for various levels of fees. Consider carefully what they offer!***

 


VENDOR / ADDRESS / PHONE / FAX / PRODUCT-STYLE

ALBANY MUSIC / 915 BROADWAY ALBANY, NY. 12207 (800) 752-1951 (800) 753-1954 CLASSICS

ALLEGRO / 14134 N.E. AIRPORT WAY PORTLAND, OR. 97230 (503) 257-8480 (503) 257-9061 VARIOUS

ALTERNATIVE DIST. ALLIANCE / 3300 PACIFIC AVE. BURBANK, CA. 91505 (818) 977-0552 (818) 841-4470 INDIE POP

BAYSIDE DIST. / 885 RIVERSIDE PARKWAY WEST SACRAMENTO, CA. 95605 (916) 371-2800 (916) 371-1995 VARIOUS

BIG DADDY MUSIC DIST. / 71 NEWARK WAY MAPLEWOOD, NJ. 07040 (973) 761-7000 (973) 761-7576 VARIOUS

BIG EASY DIST. / 134-C HARBOR CIRCLE NEW ORLEANS, LA. 70126 (504) 241-9800 (504) 241-9866 CAJUN ZYDECO

BURNSIDE DISTRIBUTION / 137 SE 28TH STE. A PORTLAND, OR. 97214 (503) 231-0876 (503) 238-2020 VARIOUS

CAROLINE / 104 W. 29TH ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10001 (212) 886-7500 (212) 643-5565 INDIE POP

CHESKY RECORDS / 355 W. 52ND ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10019 (212) 586-7799 (212) 262-0814 CLASSICS, JAZZ

CITY HALL DISTRIBUTION / 25 TIBURON ST. SAN RAFAEL, CA. 94901 (415) 457-9080 (415) 457-0780 VARIOUS, 12"

COLLEGIUM RECORDS / P.O. BOX 31366 OMAHA, NE. 68131 (800) 367-9059 (402) 597-1254 CLASSICS

CRYSTAL RECORDS / 28818 N.E. HANCOCK RD. CAMAS, WA. 98607 (360) 834-7022 (360) 834-9680 CLASSICS

DELOS INTERNATIONAL / 1645 N. VINE ST. STE. 340 HOLLYWOOD, CA. 90028 (213) 962-2626 (213) 962-2636 CLASSICS

DISCOS AZTECA / 417 E. MAIN ST. STOCKTON, CA. 95202 (209) 462-1389 (209) 462-8390 LATIN

DISCOS SONY INT'L / 2190 N.W. 89 PLACE MIAMI, FL. 33172 (305) 592-0045 (305) 591-1508 LATIN

DIST. NORTH AMERICA (DNA) / 1280 SANTA ANITA WOODLAND, CA. 95776 (530) 661-6600 (530) 661-7877 VARIOUS

DUTCH EAST INDIA / 1036 NORTH CRESENT LOS ANGELES, CA 90046 (213) 654-4246 (213) 654-2656 ALTERNATIVE

ECLIPSE MUSIC GROUP / 100 RED SCHOOL RD. CHESTNUT RIDGE, NY.10977 (914) 426-0901 (914) 426-1255 POINT CLASS.

ELECTRIC KINGDOM DISTRIBUTION / 145 PALISADE ST. STE. 359 DOBBS FERRY, NY. 10522 (914) 693-0077 (914) 693-1950 VARIOUS

EMPIRE MUSIC GROUP, INC. / 170 W. 74TH ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10023 (212) 580-5959 (212) 874-8605 CLASSICAL, JAZZ

ESSEX ENTERTAINMENT, INC. / 95 OSER AVE. HAUPPAUGE, NY 11788 (516) 231-7171 (516) 231-8550 BUDGET CLASSICS

FLOYD'S WHOLESALE DIST. / 434 E. MAIN ST. VILLE PLATTE, LA. 70586 (318) 363-2184 (318) 368-5622 BLUES,FOLK,CAJUN

FONOVISA, INC. / 7710 HASKELL AVE. VAN NUYS, CA. 91406 (818) 782-6100 (818) 994-4532 LATIN

FTC / 8306 WILSHIRE BLVD. STE. 544 BEVERLY HILLS, CA. 90211 (213) 965-9585 (213) 933-3118 INT'L & JAZZ IMP

GOLDENROD-HORIZON DIST. / 1310 TURNER ST. LANSING, MI. 48906 (517) 484-1712 (517) 484-1771 WOMEN'S,FOLK,INT

GOTHAM DIST. / 324 HAVERFORD AVE. ARDMORE, PA. 19003 (610) 649-7650 (610) 649-0315 OLDIES SINGLES

GREAT LAKES MUSIC / 6033 HARRISON ST. MENTOR, OH. 44060 (440) 257-0413 (440) 257-6660 CLASSICS

HARMONIA MUNDI, USA / 2037 GRANVILLE AVE. LOS ANGELES, CA. 90035 (310) 478-1311 (310) 996-1389 CLASSICS

HEP CAT DISTRIBUTION / 722 W. CHAPMAN STE. D ORANGE. CA. 92868 (714) 532-2095 (714) 532-1474 ROOTS

IN SYNC LABORATORIES, INC. / 2211 BROADWAY STE. 10-E NEW YORK, NY. 10024 (212) 873-6769 (212) 787-9747 CLASSICS

INTERCONTINENTAL(Essex) /#9; 95 OSER AVE. HAUPPAUGE, NY 11788 (516) 231-7171 (516) 231-8550 VARIOUS

JDC RECORDS / 507 PIER AVE. HERMOSA BEACH, CA. 90254 (310) 937-4455 (310) 937-4456 12" DANCE

JEM MUSIC CORPORATION / 303 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10016 (212) 684-6768 (212) 684-3341 CLASSICS, ETC

K-TEL INT'L / 2605 FERNBROOK LN. N. MINNEAPOLIS, MN. 55447-4736 (612) 559-6800 (612) 559-6803 VARIOUS

KOCH INT'L SERVICE / 2 TRI-HARBOR COURT PORT WASHINGTON, NY. 11050 (516) 484-1000 (516) 484-4746 CLASSICS, VARIOUS

LADYSLIPPER, INC. / 3205 HILLSBOROUGH RD. DURHAM, NC. 27705 (919) 383-8773 (919) 383-3525 WOMEN'S, FOLK

LIAISON RECORDS / 9435 WASHINGTON BLVD. LAUREL, MD. 20723 (410) 880-6111 (301) 776-4566 12"

LYRIC DISTRIBUTORS / 9 ALBERSTON AVE. ALBERSTON, NY. 11507 (800) 325-9742 (516) 484-6561 CLASSICS

M.S. DISTRIBUTORS / 6405 MUIRFIELD DR. HANOVER PARK, IL. 60103 (630) 582-2888 (630) 582-3388 VARIOUS

MADACY DISTRIBUTION / 1865 TRANS CANADA HWY. DORVAL, PQ, CANADA H9P 1J1 (514) 683-9320 (514) 683-7848 BUDGET

MDI/MUSIC DIST., INC. / 6504 MIDWAY STE. 200 HALTOM CITY, TX. 76117 (817) 831-2982 (817) 831-3608 URBAN DANCE

MUSIC MINUS ONE / 50 EXECUTIVE BLVD. ELMSFORD, NY. 10523 (914) 592-1188 (914) 592-2751 POCKET SONGS

MUSICRAMA / 43-01 22ND ST. 6TH FLOOR LONG ISLAND CITY, NY. 11101 (718) 389-7818 (718) 383-5152 INTERNATIONAL

MUSIC VIDEO DISTRIBUTORS / PO BOX 1128 NORRISTOWN, PA. 19404 (800) 888-0486 (610) 650-9102 VARIOUS

NAVARRE / 7400 49TH AVE. NORTH NEW HOPE, MN. 55428 (800) 728-4000 (612) 533-2156 VARIOUS

NORTHCOUNTRY DISTRIBUTORS / THE CADENCE BUILDING REDWOOD, NY. 13679 (315) 287-2852 (315) 287-2860 SMALL-LABEL JAZZ

ORIGINAL CAST RECORDS / P.O. BOX 1496 GEORGETOWN, CT. 06829 (212) 799-2592 SAME SOUNDTRACKS

ORIGINAL SOUND / 7120 SUNSET BLVD. LOS ANGELES, CA. 90046 (213) 851-2500 (213) 851-8162 OLDIES

PAINTED SMILES RECORDS / 74-09 37TH AVE. STE. 420 JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY. 11372 (718) 898-6964 N/A SOUNDTRACKS

PAULSTARR WEST / 1660 LAKE DRIVE WEST CHANHASSEN, MN. 55317 (612) 361-6667 (612) 361-6936 VARIOUS

PHANTOM SOUND & VISION / 1001 BRIOSO DR. COSTA MESA, CA. 92627 (714) 631-7310 (714) 631-7470 IMPORTS

PRIORITY RECORDS (EMD) / 6430 SUNSET BLVD. HOLLYWOOD, CA. 90028 (800) 235-2300 (213) 856-0930 RAP, R & B

PROPER SALES & DISTRIBUTION / 7 WEST 22ND ST. 4TH NEW YORK, NY. 10010 (212) 675-4268 (212) 675-4690 VARIOUS

QUALITON IMPORTS, LTD. / 24-02 40TH AVE. LONG ISLAND CITY, NY. 11101 (718) 937-8518 (718) 729-3239 CLASSICS

RECORDS LTD. / 1314 S. HOBART BLVD. LOS ANGELES, CA. 90006 (213) 737-2611 (213) 737-0206 ST, TRAD. JAZZ

RELATIVITY ENTER. DIST. / 3420 OCEAN PARK BLVD. SANTA MONICA, CA. 90405 (310) 581-8200 (310) 581-8205 INDIE POP

ROTZ RECORDS / 2211 N. ELSTON AVE. CHICAGO, IL. 60614 (773) 862-6500 (773) 862-6592 INDIE POP

RYKO DIST. PARTNERS / SHETLAND PK, 3RD FL 27 SALEM, MA. 01970 (978) 825-3200 (978) 825-3290 VARIOUS

SELECT-O-HITS / 1981 FLETCHER CREEK DR. MEMPHIS, TN. 38134 (901) 388-1190 (901) 388-3002 VARIOUS POP

SIMITAR ENTERTAINMENT / 1434 DALMATIA DRIVE SAN PEDRO, CA. 90732 (310) 548-4860 (310) 732-1028 VARIOUS

STERN'S MUSIC U.S., INC. / 71 WARREN ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10007-3501 (212) 964-5455 (212) 964-5955 INTERNATIONAL

SUMTHING DISTRIBUTION / 1650 BROADWAY STE 1210 NEW YORK, NY. 10019 (212) 765-5151 (212) 765-8181 VARIOUS

TRC / 430 EAST GRAND AVE. SAN FRANSICO,CA. 94080 (650) 877-7330 (650) 877-7345 DANCE SINGLES

TVT RECORDS / 23 E. 4TH ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10003 (212) 979-6410 (212) 979-7372 TV TOONS, POP

TWINBROOK MUSIC, INC. / 227 W. 29TH ST. 5TH FL NEW YORK, NY. 10011 (212) 947-0440 (212) 947-4567 VARIOUS

UNIDISC PRODUCTIONS INT'L / 57-B HYMUS BLVD. QUEBEC, CAN. H9P 4T2 (514) 697-6000 (514) 697-6864 DANCE OLDIE 12"

VAI AUDIO / 109 WHEELER AVE. PLEASANTVILLE, NY. 10570 (800) 477-7146 (914) 769-5407 CLASSICS

WESTERN RECORD SALES / 226 LINUS PAULING DR. HERCULES, CA. 94547 (510) 741-8840 (510) 741-7060 ACCESSORIES, C/O

ZYX / 72 OTIS ST. WEST BABYLON, NY. 11704 (516) 253-0800 (516) 253-0128 IMPORT 12"