Last year, the Eagles released their first new album in 28 years, called Long Road Out of Eden. If you want to buy-it, you had to go to Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, walmart.com, or the Eagles website.

Last week, Journey released Revelation, their first album with new lead singer Arnel Pineda exclusively through Wal-Mart.

There was even a great big article in the New York Times about this phenomenon. And if that wasn’t enough, it was then announced that AC/DC’s new album, due this fall and their first since 2000, will also be exclusively through the retailer.

So basically, if you keep up with your favorite bands from the 70’s, you have to go to Wal-Mart.

Clearly, the rock fans don’t mind, as Long Road Out of Eden has sold about 3 million copies since its release. Hell, I too made the trip to a local store and picked up a copy for myself, and I have to say, is a damn fine album. And it was under $12, not too shabby for a double disc affair. I’m not running out for the new Journey album, even though what I’ve heard of their new singer isn’t bad. I mean, come on, Steve Perry, man. When I listen to Journey, I want to hear Steve Perry howling at me.  Otherwise, it just doesn’t seem the same.

But still, I predict that this album will still sell plenty well. Why? Because most people in America shop at Wal-Mart.  That’s where they buy a lot of the things they need, want, and like. So they might not run to the store just because they are the only ones in town to have the new Journey disc, but when they’re there picking up cereal and diapers and some gardening equipment, and they wander past the music department, and they see a big display advertising Revelation, and they see that it has a disc of new songs, a disc of old hits re-recorded, and a live performance DVD, and it’s all for $11.88, well hot damn, you can expect a whole lot of Journey to be thrown into shopping carts all across this land.

I could go off on a rant about how Wal-Mart is an evil corporation that is killing mom and pop stores and all that stuff, but you gotta give them credit here - this exclusive music stuff is a pretty good idea. It gives the store good publicity and gives these older bands good exposure. The die-hard fans will find the new albums whether they’re sold at f.y.e., Wal-Mart, or Jiffy Lube. But by having Wal-Mart pimp them out allows for more casual fans pick up their new stuff as well. And as a bonus, they can cut out the middle man of a record label, which means more money for the band. It’s pretty win-win.

Personally, I hate going in to Wal-Marts, mainly because they are usually insanely crowded and I don’t have the patience to deal with that.  But then, they do have a website that delivers…