Dallas’ Virgin Megastore will be closing due to…well, you know..same old story..

According to the Dallas Morning News, “Industry trends have made business tough for traditional music stores like Virgin.”

“CD sales are down as digital music downloads become more popular. And big retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Best Buy Inc. are taking customers away from specialized retailers such as Virgin, said Russ Crupnick, an analyst with NPD Group.”

Music buyers are shopping in more places,” he said. “The loyalty to any one retailer is declining.”

Apple Computer on Monday revealed it had renewed contracts with the four largest record companies to sell songs through its iTunes digital store at 99 cents each. The agreements came after months of bargaining, and were a defeat for music companies that had been pushing for a variable pricing model. Read the full article here.

  Unsigned Science Of The Subconscious is the creation of Aaron Shier who grew up in Iowa before moving to Los Angeles. He began working with producer Herb Graham, Jr (John Cale, Macy Gray) and the results sound a bit like a Whiskey A Go Go conversation between Kurt Cobain and Martin Gore according to the band’s myspace. That sounds about a right. You can catch them at the following performances May 2 @ The Scene Bar (CA) and May 4 @ The Cat Club (CA). For more information contact Jeremy Toback at 818-755-9182. Check out the mp3’s Empathy and She Says. 

It’s a tough month at radio for new artists considering career bands like Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Godsmack, and Pearl Jam are hogging active and alternative rock playlists. Universal’s Blue October managed to grab the #3 on the alternative charts as unsigned Failsafe that KOAR  posted frequently is currently going for an add.

Coolfer reports that DJ Shadow has signed with Universal Records and will have a new album  out this summer. Alter Bridge former members of Creed who had a long lasting partnership with Wind Up have terminated their recording, publishing, and merchandising agreements, severing all of the band’s contractual relationships with the label. A sad story considering Creed laid the foundation for Wind Up. Victory Records signs Endwell (above), a hardcore screamo act from NJ.