Representatives from 350 different music companies have descended on San Diego for the National Assn. Of Recording Merchandisers convention, which runs June 7–10, to address some of the major issues facing the industry: declining revenues, retail closures, the downsizing of music floorspace, and the evolving digital/gaming space.
Billboard caught up with four top executives at the convention — Universal Music Group Distribution president Jim Urie, Newbury Comics COO Duncan Browne, Tenth Street Entertainment and Eleven Seven Music founder/CEO Allen Kovac, and Hastings Entertainment chairman/CEO John Marmaduke – for their thoughts on how music specialty retail adds value to the artist-fan connection, what music retail will look like in five years, and more.
Tenth Street Entertainment and Eleven Seven Music founder/CEO Allen Kovac
Newbury Comics COO Duncan Browne
Universal Music Group Distribution president Jim Urie
Hastings Entertainment chairman/CEO John Marmaduke
