http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/green_day_lashes_out_at_wal-mart_policy.html

 

 

 

Green Day has the most popular CD in the country, but you won't be able to find it at your local Wal-Mart.

 

 

 

The band says the giant superstore chain refused to stock its latest CD, "21st Century Breakdown," because Wal-Mart wanted the album edited for language and content, and they refused.

 

 

 

"Wal-Mart's become the biggest retail outlet in the country, but they won't carry our record because they wanted us to censor it," frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said in a recent interview.

 

 

 

 

 

While Wal-Mart sells CDs from acts known for raunchy content, including Eminem's latest, they offer customers the "clean" version of those CDs, which are edited for content that may be objectionable. But in Armstrong's view, "There's nothing dirty about our record."

 

 

 

"They want artists to censor their records in order to be carried in there," he said. "We just said no. We've never done it before. You feel like you're in 1953 or something."

 

 

 

"21st Century Breakdown" contains curses and some references considered adult.

 

 

 

Wal-Mart said that it's the company's long-standing policy not to stock any CD with a parental advisory sticker.

 

 

 

"As with all music, it is up to the artist or label to decide if they want to market different variations of an album to sell, including a version that would remove a PA rating," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien said. "The label and artist in this case have decided not to do so, so we unfortunately can not offer the CD."

 

 

 

But guitarist Mike Dirnt said: "As the biggest record store in the America, they should probably have an obligation to sell people the correct art."

 

 

 

Not being sold at Wal-Mart didn't stop the band which kicks off a U.S. tour summer tour in Seattle on July 3 from landing at the top of the album charts this week. "21st Century Breakdown" sold about 215,000 copies since it's debut on Friday.

 

 

 

They will tour North America this summer. The dates are:

 

 

 

July:

 

 

 

3rd - Seattle, WA

 

4th - Vancouver, BC

 

6th - Edmonton, AB

 

7th - Saskatoon, SAS

 

9th - Winnipeg, MAN

 

10th - Fargo, ND

 

11th - Minneapolis, MN

 

13th - Chicago, IL

 

14th - Detroit, MI

 

16th - Hamilton, ONT

 

17th - Ottawa, ONT

 

18th - Montreal, QUE

 

20th - Boston, MA

 

21st - Philadelphia, PA

 

22nd - Pittsburgh, PA

 

24th - Hartford, CT

 

25th - Albany, NT

 

27th - New York, NY

 

29th - Washington, DC

 

31st - Nashville, TN

 

 

 

August:

 

 

 

1st - Atlanta, GA

 

3rd - Tampa, FL

 

4th - Miami, FL

 

5th - Orlando, FL

 

7th - New Orleans, LA

 

8th - Houston, TX

 

9th - San Antonio, TX

 

11th - St. Louis, MO

 

13th - Omaha, NE

 

15th - Denver, CO

 

16th - Salt Lake City, UT

 

18th - San Jose, CA

 

20th - San Diego, CA

 

21st - Las Vegas, NV

 

22nd - Phoenix, AX

 

24th - Sacramento, CA

 

25th - Los Angeles, CA

 

 

 

Whether you like Green Day or not, you have to give the band credit for not bowing down to Wal-Mart just because they refused to release a stickered copy of 21st Century Breakdown. Wal-Mart's hypocrisy lays with the fact that they release uncensored movies (Reservoir Dogs, Saw series, Kill Bill series, etc) and games (especially GTA), but they won't release an album with the advisory labels despite content. I fully agree with Green Day and any other artist that speaks against Wal-Mart.

The difference is that films that aren't censored have age restrictions on them so minors can't buy them. As far as I'm aware there's no age restrictions on buying CD's, even ones with parental advisory stickers.

 

 

 

This is a bit of a non-story, Green Day can hardly be seen as the poor little band fighting the big retailer. Wal Mart have their corporate rules which they're sticking to and Green Day won't oblige. If they don't want to be censored don't try and sell your stuff in Wal Mart.

 

 

 

But guitarist Mike Dirnt said: "As the biggest record store in the America, they should probably have an obligation to sell people the correct art."

 

 

 

No, they don't.

I hate Wal-Mart and Green Day equally. Hopefully they destroy themselves in this process.

Wal-Mart, a record store?

 

 

 

Sorry, but no. I wouldn't class it as one.

 

 

 

Anyway, like Assassin, I don't see the big story. Store chain is refusing to stock because of content, band says "Fine then."

 

 

 

Anyway, Armstrong is an idiot if he doesn't think there is questionable content. Swearing alone counts for a PA label.

WM sells the most records out of any store. Hate it as much as you like, but WM is the biggest record store.

 

 

 

Green Day was on Colbert Report last night

Meh, its just my view, to be honest, Wal-Mart sells a lot of things, so I wouldn't call it primarily call it a record store for the fact it sells a lot.

 

 

 

Its more out of convenience. I mean, you're buy stuff while at Wal-Mart, so why not just buy the CD when you are there?

 

 

 

I don't hate the fact it sells the most records, it just doesn't seem like a record store, if you understand me.

This is a bit of a non-story, Green Day can hardly be seen as the poor little band fighting the big retailer. Wal Mart have their corporate rules which they're sticking to and Green Day won't oblige. If they don't want to be censored don't try and sell your stuff in Wal Mart.

Took the words out of my mouth. Green Day is a band that's raking in the cash anyway, and if people can't buy their CD at Wal-Mart, they'll simply go to another store to buy it.

 

 

 

This is childish; they're still acting like arrogant teens when every member of that band must be at least 30. I guess some people just don't grow out of that silly rebellious ideology.

I know what you mean Sword, but music producers understand that WM is such a huge outlet for music that not being available at WM really cuts down their sales.

I totally agree with Green Day. Who in his right mind filters content from cd's? If you don't want to hear it, don't buy the album. I hate all forms of censoring with a passion. Luckily such policies barely exist in my country.

It's still completely idiotic that Wal Mart only sell censored stuff.

I know what you mean Sword, but music producers understand that WM is such a huge outlet for music that not being available at WM really cuts down their sales.

 

 

 

Yeah, but really, are they that desperate that they'll censor? Its like sticking the finger up to the fans.

 

 

 

Then again, maybe any true fans would go elsewhere and buy it like it should be heard.

why wouldn't wal-mart want to make money?

Green Day is making a big deal out of nothing. Wal-Mart has rules that they have to stick to. It's not like they're refusing to sell Green Day's album for no reason. They have a reason - their rules. I agree with assassin_696 100%: Wal-Mart isn't obligated to do anything.

 

 

 

I love Green Day but this is just silly..

Makes me want to go to Wal-Mart and ask if they have this CD, even though I don't like Green Day. Then change clothes, put on some shades, and do it again.

It's stupid that they only sell censored music, but they're not at all obliged to do what Greed Day say.

It's stupid that they only sell censored music, but they're not at all obliged to do what Greed Day say.

 

 

 

Not really. They want to be viewed as a company that is for families, I think. While there is no restriction on who can buy PA labeled CDs, as it could pretty much equate to PG really. While they can sell higher age rated games as there is the restriction.

 

 

 

And I doubt it loses them a lot of profit. Though if it were really Greed Day, we'd be seeing them selling out and censoring their lyrics.

It's stupid that they only sell censored music, but they're not at all obliged to do what Greed Day say.

 

 

 

Not really. They want to be viewed as a company that is for families, I think. While there is no restriction on who can buy PA labeled CDs, as it could pretty much equate to PG really. While they can sell higher age rated games as there is the restriction.

 

 

 

That doesn't change my opinion. I still think the fact that they only sell censored music is stupid. I just don't like the idea of coddling people in cotton wool by only selling censored material. If anything, they should give CDs a rating like they do games and movies and restrict sales based on that. They shouldn't restrict sales all together.

I would never buy a censored CD anyway.

I would never buy a censored CD anyway.

 

 

 

What fan would?

Green Day is making a big deal out of nothing. Wal-Mart has rules that they have to stick to. It's not like they're refusing to sell Green Day's album for no reason. They have a reason - their rules. I agree with assassin_696 100%: Wal-Mart isn't obligated to do anything.

 

 

 

I love Green Day but this is just silly..

 

 

 

 

 

How ironic Walmart sells movies such as Gia - uncensored and other gruesome horror flicks all while saying they won't carry a cd because it cusses, but it did carry nine inch nails year zero without editing it at all. and it even uses Mf'er.

They can sell them because they are age restricted.

 

 

 

The CDs however, are not.

They can sell them because they are age restricted.

 

 

 

The CDs however, are not.

 

 

 

Still, its the Parent's decision whether or not they want their kids to buy stickered cds. Any smart parent would realize that buying the censored cds will only make some kids want the uncensored version.

It is the parent's descision.

 

 

 

However, a child of any age can just walk in and buy it. The parent need not buy, or be there to my knowledge.

I would never buy a censored CD anyway.

 

 

 

What fan would?

 

I did it by accident with a Common album. Annoyed the hell out of me. :(

But guitarist Mike Dirnt said: "As the biggest record store in the America, they should probably have an obligation to sell people the correct art."

 

No, they don't.

 

I guess you missed the word probably in there?

 

 

 

Honestly, to me this seems more like the media blowing it out of proportion, moreso then Green Day. "They want artists to censor their records in order to be carried in there," he said. "We just said no. We've never done it before. You feel like you're in 1953 or something.", seems like they've asked the members why it isn't being stocked in Wal-Mart, and they've simply responded by saying because they don't like having their songs censored, big deal.