AC/DC has announced that its forthcoming CD (title widely speculated about, but in August, had yet to be confirmed) will be sold exclusively in Wal-Mart stores in the USA.

With that, their credibility has dropped through the floor. AC/DC, in its early days, was a fun band; a sort of guilty pleasure – who couldn’t like the bouncy raunch of "Girls Got Rhythm?"

But Wal-Mart? Say it ain't so, boys. Wal-Mart may be the world's biggest retailer of CDs, but...

Wal-Mart is evil. Don't get me started, or I'll rant all night. Information on Wal-Mart's cancerous "race to the bottom" tactics is not hard to find: just Google the term "Wal-Mart is evil" and you'll find lots. And most of what you'll find is both sad and nauseating.

The most interesting (and balanced) item I found was from the Markulla Center For Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, who considered the question "Is It Ethical to Shop at Wal-Mart?" and concluded:

It is unethical to shop at Wal-Mart? However, refusing to shop at Wal-Mart is an insufficient response to its gross effects on the values of shared prosperity. You could do more, such as:

• Support local efforts to keep Wal-Mart out of communities.
• Support legislation that levels the playing field and prevents Wal-Mart from forcing down standards for wages and benefits.

AC/DC joins has-beens John Mellencamp, James Taylor, and The Eagles in the "Wal-Mart only" new release sales brigade. No further comment should be necessary, apart from noting that Bon Scott must be whirling in his grave.

Rumour has it that AC/DC is in Vancouver at the moment, putting finishing touches on this release. Anyone want to track them down and call them out on this? If so, I'm in.