The Administration of HMV

Motley Crue

Now, this affects several different area's, both in business and also in other types of music - but I've always seen Rock and Metal fans as a more steadfast and loyal community of music fans then any other.

From that point of view, the closure of HMV may or may not remove something from a young music fan's experiences with the genre...I understand there are some fine Independent stores (although now a lot less due to the way things have gone) that are much better at supplying the Rock and Metal fan with the latest physical releases than HMV - but even saying that, as a music fan I grew up spending my Saturday browsing in HMV's Rock and Metal section.

When I was in Dublin this past Christmas I noticed music fans browsing Vinyl in Tower Records and Rock and Metal in HMV, just like I had, it was a sort of informal meeting place and somewhere to kill time while you waited for friends. With things like Spotify and ITunes you might be forgiven for thinking that something like HMV - which tried to be all things to all people - is the last of an era long gone, but I still think there is something to be said for that connection you had heading into the basement of Grafton St HMV and browsing the Metal section.

If I'd actually purchased something every now and again they might not be in the situation they are.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

old gregg

If you happen to live in one of the locations in Ireland where HMV existed then I suppose it had some significance. For me living in Waterford it was just another shop that I walked past occasionally when in Dublin and maybe looked into twice a year.

But, they did have the last Lamb of God album whereas the guy in the elitist Void place laughed when I asked.

seachto7

As it stands in Limerick, there is no nowhere to buy a (decent) CD now. Tesco only has top 10 and X Factor rubbish. But even the choice in HMV had diminished in the last 5 years...

lord lucan

I mentioned in another thread that I rarely buy physical music anymore but when I do it would usually be somewhere like sound cellar. They deserve the business for stocking pretty much every single rock and metal album, unlike the chain stores which stock chart rubbish with a small metal section stuck down the back. HMV in liffey valley had a tiny metal section, half arsed would be kind to it.

weisses

I think there is no market in Ireland for the more specialized cd/music stores ... due to the fragmented population

When i am back home i always go to my local store and browse through the vinyl and Cd's (elpee in Groningen) Something i never found here in Ireland which is a pitty

Anyone else lost track of time in shops like that ?

BlaasForRafa

Never bothered with HMW when in Dublin, the Sound Cellar was always the place to go for metal.

Somnus

While I'd frequently go in to browse, I don't think HMV is a big loss in terms of rock & metal cds. Between Tower Records, Sound Cellar and Into the Void you're gonna find most of what you're looking for.

And HMV was often overpriced, particularly for the metal section.

I don't think there's anything HMV really stocked that you wouldn't find in one of the other stores mentioned.

Morf

lord lucan wrote: »

I mentioned in another thread that I rarely buy physical music anymore but when I do it would usually be somewhere like sound cellar. They deserve the business for stocking pretty much every single rock and metal album, unlike the chain stores which stock chart rubbish with a small metal section stuck down the back.

I wouldn't support The Sound Cellar for several reasons. Those being the awful method of displaying the cds, the cds not having prices on them so whoever was in there on a given day could make up a price and the exorbitant prices they were charging the last time I bought something from them. My last few trips were only for tickets I think.

HMV in general were too damn expensive. Occasionally you'd see something that was ok for the price and pick it up although metal cds in my experience were expensive to begin with and stayed that way unless they had to be re-ordered and then you were looking at €28-€35 for an Immortal or Burzum cd which is ludicrous. Most of the time I'd go in with something in mind and find it either wasn't there or just too expensive.

Cill94

Morf wrote: »

I wouldn't support The Sound Cellar for several reasons. Those being the awful method of displaying the cds, the cds not having prices on them so whoever was in there on a given day could make up a price and the exorbitant prices they were charging the last time I bought something from them. My last few trips were only for tickets I think.

Keeping those CDs in a locked display case and not showing what price the albums are is LUDICROUS!!!

...they have a good selection at least. But Into The Void Records is better, in my opinion.

Joe_Dull

In Sound Cellar's defence, it's a completely homegrown enterprise. They just don't have the resources to set up fancy displays, and Tommy always knows (or at least quickly makes up) the price if you ask. Generally speaking it's 20 quid per CD in there, which I'd consider pretty pricey and the only reason I'd occasionally pick up a release from HMV which was always a few euro cheaper.

The main thing I liked about the R&M section in HMV was the unspoken camaraderie between you and the other people browsing. That and the "2 for €12" stickers, which was on a pretty decent selection of classic metal albums. I'm pretty annoyed that they're closed.

Lightbulb Sun

Dr.Poca wrote: »

While I'd frequently go in to browse, I don't think HMV is a big loss in terms of rock & metal cds. Between Tower Records, Sound Cellar and Into the Void you're gonna find most of what you're looking for.

And HMV was often overpriced, particularly for the metal section.

I don't think there's anything HMV really stocked that you wouldn't find in one of the other stores mentioned.

Easier to say when you live in Dublin. But there are many towns around the country with no good alternative to HMV. Nowhere near the range of stock for one.

Somnus

Lightbulb Sun wrote: »

Easier to say when you live in Dublin. But there are many towns around the country with no good alternative to HMV. Nowhere near the range of stock for one.

Good point! I wasn't thinking about that.

Hunchback

agree with the previous posters re the relative expense of cd's in hmv.. clearly labelled though, it just had that sense of ease and rapidity about it - prolly the opposite of what you would want if you are into hours of dusty perusing.. its not without its merits though (convenience that is)

RayCon

Joe_Dull wrote: »

The "2 for €12" stickers, which was on a pretty decent selection of classic metal albums. I'm pretty annoyed that they're closed.

+1 ... actually the 2 for €12 was pretty good for picking up classic albums , not just Rock / Metal ...

SubBusted

They were too expensive. If you already owned the classic metal/punk CDs the other ones in HMV were €15 to €25.

Kess73

Mr.S wrote: »

Gift vouchers to be accepted in HMV UK from tomorrow, buyer seemly likely to be found. Will they forget about Ireland?

Game have expressed an interest in buying a number of the HMV stores in the UK. Given that Game have already pulled their own brand from Ireland I doubt if they would have much interest in any of the Irish stores.

Also the UK HMV stores have been trading as they were/are in administration. The Irish stores had gone past that point and the receivers were called in, hence the complete shutdown.

Motley Crue

Mr.S wrote: »

Gift vouchers to be accepted in HMV UK from tomorrow, buyer seemly likely to be found. Will they forget about Ireland?

The buyer of HMV UK's debt is Hilco, a company which bought HMV Canada in 2011 (good news for people in HMV at the moment considering HMV Canada is still trading right now)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21141209

From the article

HMV's estimated debt was about £176m, but Hilco is believed to have paid much less than this to acquire it because the retail chain is in administration.

It would appear that they have to purchase the debt first before they can secure anything else. The administrators are still in complete control and have now decided - as has been said previously - to start accepting gift vouchers.

Am Chile

Motley Crue wrote: »

Now, this affects several different area's, both in business and also in other types of music - but I've always seen Rock and Metal fans as a more steadfast and loyal community of music fans then any other.

From that point of view, the closure of HMV may or may not remove something from a young music fan's experiences with the genre...I understand there are some fine Independent stores (although now a lot less due to the way things have gone) that are much better at supplying the Rock and Metal fan with the latest physical releases than HMV - but even saying that, as a music fan I grew up spending my Saturday browsing in HMV's Rock and Metal section.

When I was in Dublin this past Christmas I noticed music fans browsing Vinyl in Tower Records and Rock and Metal in HMV, just like I had, it was a sort of informal meeting place and somewhere to kill time while you waited for friends. With things like Spotify and ITunes you might be forgiven for thinking that something like HMV - which tried to be all things to all people - is the last of an era long gone, but I still think there is something to be said for that connection you had heading into the basement of Grafton St HMV and browsing the Metal section.

If I'd actually purchased something every now and again they might not be in the situation they are.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

The closure of Hmv is a bad thing for rock/metal fans, there is only one music store (Golden discs ) in my town, as everyone would already know their music cd stock is all mainstream, there used to a good Independent music store in my local town which had a good rock/metal selection which is closed a few years now, whenever I would be in Dublin Id always go into Hmv and browse through the rock/metal section for any albums I might need to add onto my collection-with Hmv gone its a bad thing, Tower records although have some of the rock/metal genre in their stock they were never as good as Hmv in my view plus they re overpriced, I was in Hmv in cork around the christmas period last two albums I bought were Papa Roach ( The Connection ) and In Flames ( Sounds of a Playground Fading ) they will be then last albums I buy for a long time I was just never a fan of the whole downloading.

Kess73

Am Chile wrote: »

The closure of Hmv is a bad thing for rock/metal fans, there is only one music store (Golden discs ) in my town, as everyone would already know their music cd stock is all mainstream, there used to a good Independent music store in my local town which had a good rock/metal selection which is closed a few years now, whenever I would be in Dublin Id always go into Hmv and browse through the rock/metal section for any albums I might need to add onto my collection-with Hmv gone its a bad thing, Tower records although have some of the rock/metal genre in their stock they were never as good as Hmv in my view plus they re overpriced, I was in Hmv in cork around the christmas period last two albums I bought were Papa Roach ( The Connection ) and In Flames ( Sounds of a Playground Fading ) they will be then last albums I buy for a long time I was just never a fan of the whole downloading.

Limerick city now has no music shop in the city, and none in any of the shopping centres outside the town.

Think the nearest bricks and mortar music shop is the Golden Discs in Clonmel.

For those of us with a credit card etc., then it is still easy to get CDs etc online, but for younger kids the option of buying CDs online may not be available and as such the ability to go into a physical store and browse will be a great loss.

Used to love browsing through music shops as a kid (and as an adult), and it is kind of sad that experience may be gone for many kids now, and even sadder than many kids who preference may have been towards physical media may now not have a chance to further develop their passion.

SubBusted

Young people aren't into music these days. They prefer video games and don't listen to full albums anymore. When was the last time a new rock group got into the charts? When was the last time you saw someone in the street wearing a t-shirt of a new band? The only place outside Dublin to buy CDs of quality music are the charity shops.

Somnus

SubBusted wrote: »

Young people aren't into music these days. They prefer video games and don't listen to full albums anymore. When was the last time a new rock group got into the charts? When was the last time you saw someone in the street wearing a t-shirt of a new band? The only place outside Dublin to buy CDs of quality music are the charity shops.

I wouldn't particularly agree with you. I think it's more just how peoples consumption of music has changed. Of course younger music fans are gonna be downloading more, that's what they've grown up with.

I don't think whether there's new bands in the charts or not matters.

Riddle101

I had a long talk with my friends about HMV closing tonight. We're all agreed that it's more to do with the digitization of music. What people failed to see is that downloading of music or DVDs, wasn't about who was losing money as in the bands/record companies/production companies. But more, that it was the little people. The music stores or stores that sold cd and dvds. Digitization has cost people their jobs, and destroyed retailers like HMV, Game and soon I think Tower Records.

I never liked downloading. Always bought the full album or dvd. Just seemed wrong to me.

Am Chile

Riddle101 wrote: »

I had a long talk with my friends about HMV closing tonight. We're all agreed that it's more to do with the digitization of music. What people failed to see is that downloading of music or DVDs, wasn't about who was losing money as in the bands/record companies/production companies. But more, that it was the little people. The music stores or stores that sold cd and dvds. Digitization has cost people their jobs, and destroyed retailers like HMV, Game and soon I think Tower Records.

I never liked downloading. Always bought the full album or dvd. Just seemed wrong to me.

Plus one-Digitization and Internet technological upgrade changes were destined to have an effect on things sooner or later, a lot of people have the view why go shopping for something when it can be downloaded from I tunes or better still Illegally download an album or film without paying a cent-my hometown in the last few years three music/record stores have closed down, only 1 left now (Golden Discs )- two video/dvd rental stores closed down also-its just a matter of time before Tower Records/Golden Discs/Xtra Vision all go under one by one-Id always prefer to buy an actual album for the album cover with the album artwork rather then download it-I haven,t being in Dublin since November, does anyone know since Hmv has gone under have Tower Records decreased their stock prices or maintained their stock prices since Hmv has gone ? If Tower Records still have their rip off prices its a bad business decision given other stores are closing.

D.Q

Whatever about HMV as a decent source for physical copy of albums etc, I'm in no way surprised or particularly upset about it's closure.

As an example, i was browsing through the store recently enough and saw that they were selling Metallica's Load album for €22.99. Considering most people are aware of the fact they can illegally download the same album for free, in less time than it would take to queue in HMV, is it any surprise they didnt survive in the modern market.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Coburger

Does anyone know what HMV in Grafton st will do with their current stock?
I wonder if they'll open for a day or two and get rid of it all at bargain prices.

As far as HMV being expensive, I'm quite surprised that they closed down and not Tower Records - now there is a shop with pricey stuff (good selction though).

I used to enjoy going to Sound Cellar years and years ago but I found them just too pricey.

These shops just can't compete with downloading and buying stuff on the internet. Is there anything you could buy in HMV that was cheaper than Amazon?

Gonzo

The closure of HMV has quite an effect in many places. For starters it gave people a place to simply browse, hangout and spend some time to themselves on a lunch break. HMV always had some very good offers from time to time. It was also the only place one could actually find a decent selection of blu-rays. HMV also had the best prices on games, now there is only Gamestop left charging what they can get away with.

With Game gone and now HMV, the high street is starting to become a very barren boring place stuffed with clothes and expensive coffee shops. If Tower/Gamestop shut down thats the end of entertainment stores in town, less reasons for people heading into town and this can effect restaurants/cafes.

Somnus

Gonzo wrote: »

The closure of HMV has quite an effect in many places. For starters it gave people a place to simply browse, hangout and spend some time to themselves on a lunch break. HMV always had some very good offers from time to time. It was also the only place one could actually find a decent selection of blu-rays. HMV also had the best prices on games, now there is only Gamestop left charging what they can get away with.

With Game gone and now HMV, the high street is starting to become a very barren boring place stuffed with clothes and expensive coffee shops. If Tower/Gamestop shut down thats the end of entertainment stores in town, less reasons for people heading into town and this can effect restaurants/cafes.

These things are actually the things that effect me most. Unlike most people in this thread, I normally found Tower Records better for music, but I would often buy games and Blu-Ray in HMV.

With that option gone I think it will push people who normally didn't buy online to take their business there now.

Delphi91

D.Q wrote: »

...As an example, i was browsing through the store recently enough and saw that they were selling Metallica's Load album for €22.99. Considering most people are aware of the fact they can illegally download the same album for free, in less time than it would take to queue in HMV, is it any surprise they didnt survive in the modern market.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

So it's HMV's fault that Metallica's record company allowed them to sell the Metallica Album, from which HMV are justifiably allowed to make a profit? It almost sounds like you're suggesting that people should illegally download music from their favourite band rather than paying for it and supporting the band and allowing them to continue to make more albums.

OK, maybe the price of the album was high, I don't know. Was their copy an original version? Was it an import? Was it a re-released extended version?

Riddle101

Is €22.99 really considered pricey? I'd consider that a reasonable enough price.

Also, D.Q. You're suggesting that people should download illegally? pretty much proves my point about stores like HMV going out of business.

Kess73

Riddle101 wrote: »

Is €22.99 really considered pricey? I'd consider that a reasonable enough price.

Also, D.Q. You're suggesting that people should download illegally? pretty much proves my point about stores like HMV going out of business.

The same album is £7.20 on Amazon, and is €9.99 in Tower records in Dublin. So I would agree with DQ in that €22.99 is a tad overpriced for a standard cd.

blastman

Considering HMV had all Metallica albums barring the more recent ones in their 2 for €12 offer for absolutely ages, then I'd say €22.99 is a tad over-priced, yeah. That was the price CDs were heading towards around the time on-line retailers like CD Wow and Play started to appear and bring prices (and expectations) down. It took HMV too long to react then, and they've ultimately paid the price now.

That said, their absence from the high street is another nail in that coffin and not something that should be celebrated, IMO.

Morf

Riddle101 wrote: »

Is €22.99 really considered pricey? I'd consider that a reasonable enough price.

Reasonable enough? For a half-arsed mish-mash of odds and ends tracks?

spiralism

I miss the days of browsing the cd shops as a teenager and i feel the industry is dead now, which is a real shame. Musicworld went in my home town of Athlone and anyone who lived there would tell you that the shop was basically an institution in the town for years. When that goes and HMV fold i cannot for the life of me see the industry survive except as a niche. Admittedly i havent bought CDs in some time but have a 3/400 strong collection built up over about 7 or 8 years.

I think it's a combination though. People download, especially as torrents really came to the fore at the end of the last decade. Not only that but the charts are flooded with music marketed to a customer base that wont bother buying it anyways. That's what was keeping the places open, not a few metalheads buying the odd cd here and there. Look at places like soundcellar who specialise, they do alright because of the niche market. End of the day a few lads buying their rock and metal at HMV and the likes wasnt keeping the wolf from the door, it was the people buying the chart music. That went digital and the vast majority just downloading it as well as them getting undercut by Tesco, the shops were ****ed.

SilverScreen

Riddle101 wrote: »

Also, D.Q. You're suggesting that people should download illegally? pretty much proves my point about stores like HMV going out of business.

No it doesn't, piracy was already rife before illegal downloading became a big thing with tape dubbing, taping from the radio and CD burning and it didn't cause the likes of HMV much damage. The whole "home taping is killing music" thing didn't shut down the music retail industry. What's killing the likes of HMV is online retailers like Amazon and also the huge rents that they have to pay.

spiralism wrote: »

I miss the days of browsing the cd shops as a teenager and i feel the industry is dead now, which is a real shame. Musicworld went in my home town of Athlone and anyone who lived there would tell you that the shop was basically an institution in the town for years. When that goes and HMV fold i cannot for the life of me see the industry survive except as a niche. Admittedly i havent bought CDs in some time but have a 3/400 strong collection built up over about 7 or 8 years.

As much as it was an institution it also had a piss-poor selection of stock and for a number of years ripped off customers to no end. It was still a bit sad to see it go as the lads working in there were dead sound, but at the same time I hadn't bought much in there for a good while because of their poor selection. I just shrugged and moved on.

Most CDs I buy now are cheap second-hand CDs from the likes of Freebird in Dublin but most of my music collection is now digital downloads.

spiralism

Zero1986 wrote: »

No it doesn't, piracy was already rife before illegal downloading became a big thing with tape dubbing, taping from the radio and CD burning and it didn't cause the likes of HMV much damage. The whole "home taping is killing music" thing didn't shut down the music retail industry. What's killing the likes of HMV is online retailers like Amazon and also the huge rents that they have to pay.


As much as it was an institution it also had a piss-poor selection of stock and for a number of years ripped off customers to no end. It was still a bit sad to see it go as the lads working in there were dead sound, but at the same time I hadn't bought much in there for a good while because of their poor selection. I just shrugged and moved on.

Most CDs I buy now are cheap second-hand CDs from the likes of Freebird in Dublin but most of my music collection is now digital downloads.

They ordered anything i asked, no questions. Got all sorts from there. Never really thought of them as a rip off either, i remember getting classic metal like rust in peace for 8 euro. Though having said that, in their last couple of years it went to **** and there was never anything good in stock..

SilverScreen

spiralism wrote: »

They ordered anything i asked, no questions. Got all sorts from there. Never really thought of them as a rip off either, i remember getting classic metal like rust in peace for 8 euro. Though having said that, in their last couple of years it went to **** and there was never anything good in stock..

They did have a few bargains like that alright, but I remember ten years ago or more just after the euro came in it wasn't surprising to see them charging €21.99 for an album.

RayCon

Confirmed today that all 16 stores were loss making and no buyer could be found. They will no be reopening in any capacity - all 300+ jobs gone.

Jijsaw

RayCon wrote: »

Confirmed today that all 16 stores were loss making and no buyer could be found. They will no be reopening in any capacity - all 300+ jobs gone.

That's awful, whenever I went on a day-trip to Galway I always stopped for an hour or two at HMV. Apart from CDs,DVDs and games they also had music books, t-shirts, magazines, mugs even coasters! Last bought The Beatles "Revolver" album there a couple of weeks before it closed. I will definitely miss HMV

spiralism

Jijsaw wrote: »

That's awful, whenever I went on a day-trip to Galway I always stopped for an hour or two at HMV. Apart from CDs,DVDs and games they also had music books, t-shirts, magazines, mugs even coasters! Last bought The Beatles "Revolver" album there a couple of weeks before it closed. I will definitely miss HMV

Absolutely sickened. I live in the city centre, any time i went for a walk down shop street i ended up taking a look.

Not only that but the unreal HMV shop in Dundrum is gone now too, that shop had everything...damn

Coburger

spiralism wrote: »

Absolutely sickened. I live in the city centre, any time i went for a walk down shop street i ended up taking a look.

Not only that but the unreal HMV shop in Dundrum is gone now too, that shop had everything...damn

There was actually a better music shop in the shopping centre in Dundrum before HMV but can't see it making a return.

Riddle101

They should at least have a clearing out sale. What are they going to do with all those music albums, video games and dvds they have in storage?

NinjaTruncs

I would imagine they will be sent over to the UK. Same as with Game

Max Power1

Riddle101 wrote: »

They should at least have a clearing out sale. What are they going to do with all those music albums, video games and dvds they have in storage?

Back to the suppliers - hmv dont own the stock

Motley Crue

There was a HMV near me (in a place called South Shields) that's closing. It's a small HMV and has been there for years but I've always thought it looked slightly out of place among the other shops on the High Street. Anyway, I went in last week for what their calling a 'Blue Cross Sale' - which I assume Debenhams never copyrighted -and I was astonished to see that the price reductions covered virtually every item in the store. Now, in fairness, it's not exactly giving the stuff away but they are marking stuff down considerably and if they'd done this before Christmas the shelves would have been a little less empty.

I feel for the staff in that store, having to hand label every single DVD case, knowing that their jobs might be sacrificed, and that they might not get employment in one of the bigger stores in the area - even if that is an option for them

Rob Humanoid

Can't say that I'm sorry to see it go at all. I feel sorry for the staff of course, but I couldn't care less about the corporate wing of HMV.

I get, missing the whole the Saturday vibe, and it being a place to hang out, as I grew up in the 80's. But I would always get my music elsewhere. HMV and their ilk were always over priced as too. They've been ripping the public off for years imo.

At least at the sound cellar, Tommy would always let you hear CDs (records) before you'd make a purchase. Also, he'd get stuff in for you if you ordered it. Good luck trying to get fart out of HMV/Tower/Virgin.

The Punk in me is delighted to see these places crumble...

Lithium93_

It sucks that HMV has shut down in Ireland, i spent a lot of time there browsing rock & metal cd's after college or on weekends when i had money

Say Your Number

Amazon are taking the piss with their prices since HMV went, they are now charging 19/20 euro for new cds, before they were always 13/14. Had to wait till after the release date and order stuff on Marketplace to get it at a reasonable price.

Links234

Everywhere is taking the piss with the prices now, I got the Dark Knight Rises bluray in HMV for 18 euro, while it was 20 in tesco. now I've seen tesco looking for 22 for it.

jack presley

Links234 wrote: »

Everywhere is taking the piss with the prices now, I got the Dark Knight Rises bluray in HMV for 18 euro, while it was 20 in tesco. now I've seen tesco looking for 22 for it.

Definitely. Iron Maiden's Maiden England DVD is €34 in Tower Records and €29 in Sound Cellar. Amazon have it for £12.50 (about €18 when you add in postage). I know we're not comparing like with like regarding cost base etc. and SS is a small independent store but surely that much of a price difference is taking the piss a bit?

Links234

jack presley wrote: »

Definitely. Iron Maiden's Maiden England DVD is €34 in Tower Records and €29 in Sound Cellar. Amazon have it for £12.50 (about €18 when you add in postage). I know we're not comparing like with like regarding cost base etc. and SS is a small independent store but surely that much of a price difference is taking the piss a bit?

I wouldn't criticise Sound Cellar that much, normally they're pretty good, and they're usually fairly flexible on the price if you're buying a couple of things. but they can indeed take the piss sometimes, and if you think about it they've got a bigger corner on the market now without the competition


One good thing is that HMV is still operating in Japan, as they were bought out by Lawson's. I actually freaked because I always ordered all my Japanese imports from hmv.co.jp but I was so happy to see they were still going then disappointed because I had still some points on my account that expired which would've got me some money off.

so yeah, I'm still buying my music in HMV, only my money is all going to Japan