KID STUFF: MCA deserves a ton of...

KID STUFF: MCA deserves a ton of credit for its groundbreaking new Raffi album. After nearly a month in the stores, MCA says it has already reached the 100,000 sales mark. But label execs acknowledge that many retailers are taking a hard-line stand against the “no long box” experiment.

A Pop Eye survey found that numerous stores, including such major chains as Musicland, Show Industries, Sound Wherehouse, Transworld, Cabbages, Record Factory and Harmony House are not carrying the Raffi CD. “It’s clear that a majority of stores are refusing to buy his CDs,” says MCA’s Bywater, who cautioned that children’s artist records don’t sell as fast as rock records. “But our cassette sales have been substantial. I still think we’re going to do very well with this record.”

Tower Records’ Solomon, who is carrying the Raffi CD, says: “If it’s just one or two CDs without a long box, we can handle it. But if we get an explosion of records without longboxes, then we’ll have a problem on our hands, because we just don’t have any place to properly display them.”

Show Enterprises’ Lou Fogelman says his stores aren’t carrying it. “We didn’t buy it because we have no way to merchandise it.” Asked what his stores will do if Sting’s next CD comes without a long box, he said: “I’ll go on record right now saying we won’t carry it.”