There's a good but brief article at The Economist about Britain's music retail climate. Low-margin supermaket chains which account for ___% of sales, are bringing downward pressure on music-specialty stores.

"Supermarkets have been selling music aggressively in the past five years. TNS, a research firm, reckons they now account for more than a quarter of all sales. Most stock no more than the 100 bestsellers, but according to the British Phonographic Industry these titles make up about a third of the country's total album sales. By concentrating on the fastest-moving stock, supermarkets have been able to drive down prices, turning music retailing into a high-volume, low-margin business."

I think a big problem with the article is its argument that indie labels are at more risk than larger labels when major chains carry less stock. While shelf space is definitely shrinking, indies can flourish online. The smart ones can. Not all indies are that smart. The fittest will survive.