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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The Rise and Fall of Tower Records

For years, the yellow and red Tower Records logo was familiar to music lovers around the world. What started as an annex to a family drug store in Sacramento spread to 30 countries on five continents. Its iconic store was on the Sunset Strip. In 1999, Tower had sales of over $1 billion. Just seven years later, it filed for bankruptcy.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Oct 15, 2015 • 1 min read

    For years, the yellow and red Tower Records logo was familiar to music lovers around the world. What started as an annex to a family drug store in Sacramento spread to 30 countries on five continents. Its iconic store was on the Sunset Strip. In 1999, Tower had sales of over $1 billion. Just seven years later, it filed for bankruptcy.

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Matt Holzman

      Producer, 'The Document'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jolie Myers

      Managing Producer, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Colin Hanks

      actor, producer and director

      News
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand