The head guys from the five major US record distribution companies will be addressing those key issues affecting to music industry at the Sound City Music 6th Annual Retail Business and Marketing Conference this week – and that basically means piracy (in terms of both downloading and counterfeiting). Among those attending the Dallas conference, which opens later today, are Pete Jones, president of BMG Distribution; Jim Urie, president of Universal Music and Video Distribution; Jim Caparro, CEO of WEA; Danny Yarbrough, chairman of Sony Music Distribution; and Phil Quartararo, executive vice president of EMI Recorded Music.
The event has been given the optimistic title of ‘Music Industry: State of Emergency’ – the conference’s president Henry Barrs explains: "The music industry is in a real state of emergency. This business conference gives small and independent retailers a chance to come together with the major record distributors to discuss problems and solutions to issues affecting the retail side of the music business."