Bruce Springsteen says he's already regretting doing an exclusivity deal with US supermarket giant Wal-Mart, after the deal came under criticism because of the retail giant's reputation for infringing workers' rights, a cause with which The Boss has been associated over the years.
With exclusivity deals between artists and major retailers - most commonly Wal-Mart or Best Buy - increasingly common in the US, Springsteen agreed to give the supermarket chain exclusive rights to sell his greatest hits album last month.
Following criticism in some quarters for doing what some consider a deal with the devil, Springsteen told the New York Times ahead of his appearance at this weekend's Superbowl: "It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be".
Wal-Mart quickly released a statement on the matter, saying: "Millions of Springsteen fans have counted on Wal-Mart over the years to deliver his music into their lives, and we it will continue to offer those fans this 'Greatest Hits' exclusive and his other popular albums at unbeatable prices. We are proud of the good jobs, benefits and career opportunities we provide to more than 1.4 million US associates who choose to work at Wal-Mart and serve our customers every day".