Stars Dance Selena Gomez How record labels and retail conspire To screw you, the consumer

Five weeks from now Hollywood Records releases Stars Dance by Selena Gomez.

Reportedly there's a song she and Taylor Swift either co-wrote or co-perform.

Amazon is adverting it for $11.88; eleven tracks. iTunes offers two extra tracks, Nobody Does It Like You and Music Feels Better, for only $10.99.

Target adds iTunes two additional tracks, plus Love In Me and I Like It That Way for $13.99.

Walmart offers no additional tracks. For $13.88 you get the eleven tracks, plus a DVD of previously released songs, probably what you could get from YouTube.

Record execs wonder why people are ripping and sales are down. Someday there'll be a website where all songs are 99 cents. You don't need to buy the CD. Better yet, how about a video website where people will post the songs as soon as they get the CD? Oh, that's called YouTube.

She may be 17 today but You can get into Miley Cyrus pants Friday Discounted, too As yesterday as Hilary Duff

Christmas shopping has gotten better for parents this year. Those Miley Cyrus clothes will be discounted at Walmart on Friday. Along with the flat screen TVs, computers and cameras, the Miley Cyrus collection is on sale.

Imagine the joy and sounds as your child opens her Christmas present and says, Miley Cyrus. You're kidding. She's as yesterday as Hilary Duff. Couldn't you find any Kristin Stewart or Taylor Swift?

Miley Cyrus - like everyone else - burned by Walmart

Today Miley Cyrus blogged, mileycyrus Kinda bummed. My E.P. got put on shelves wiff my clothing line and got released 3 days early on accident :( Thx 2 those who got the album :)

Come on Miley, it's Walmart. You're also going to see your lowest sales ever. You've got a seven song $5 EP selling for $8. One of those songs was already released on Lines Vines and Trying Times by the Jonas Brothers. Now you're at $1.34 per song. No bargain. If it wasn't for iTunes releasing Potty in the U.S.A., you wouldn't be #14 on the singles chart.

Feel sorry for KISS. They've got the same deal with Walmart.

As I've said over and over, in the music industry, most exclusives are cutting your own throat. Put it everywhere and see what bounces off the wall.

Brilliant marketing from Walmart

Walmart has never been known for its marketing brilliance, but Hollywood Records has.

There's a new EP by Miley Cyrus, The Time of Our Lives. Only available through WalMart due to the clothing line deal. Only problem is, it’s unavailable on Walmart’s Web site and if you call the stores they know nothing about it. Great marketing!

Just like the Christmas CD All Wrapped Up, exclusive through Target; it was unavailable too. Hollywood Records also has Bandslam videos of Amphetamine and Everything I Own up, getting great Internet buzz. Only problem, no radio play.

Disney is famous for hiring interns and young, inexperienced people for ALL their positions. Is this true at Hollywood Records, too? Think of the profits they’d make if they had people who knew what they were doing! I’m sure Walt and Roy are turning over in their graves. Hey, wait, wasn’t it Walt who created the cheap labor concept?