Originally Posted by Gavin B.

I was in Best Buy yesterday and I bought my first real (non-MP3) album in almost a year, Gogol Bordello's Trans-Continental Hustle. It was the only cd in the store that was worth pay $12.99 for.

I'm amazed at how quickly both Best Buy and Borders have scaled down their music sections over the past couple years. It's all the lowest common denominator pop hits and forget if you're looking for anything in electronica, reggae, blues, jazz or more esoteric pop music.

The one independent record store in my town is thriving because they no longer have competition from chain record stores and if you want anything other than the latest Lady Gaga album, you're going to end up buying it from them.