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On January 23, 1924, Thomas A. Edison, Inc., took the remarkable step of advising their dealers not to stock certain Edison Diamond Discs. Sales Bulletin No. 165 - mailed to all Edison disc dealers in the U.S. under the urgent heading, "READ! AND FILE!," - classified all disc releases into three categories:
The latter group would soon be unmistakably branded. The bulletin announced, "The labels [in this group] are clearly marked with a large red star as a signal to dealers to order them with caution." The bulletin noted that "freak hits and steady sellers have often been put into the General Group and will be again... The inclusion of an occasional hit in the General Group is far better for the dealer then [sic] the putting out of a flop as a Flash!" However, should a dealer be foolish enough to order any red-starred records despite the home office's advice, no returns would be allowed. Among the records that were immediately red-starred were all of the 1923 jazz and blues releases by black performers. These included such potential hits as the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra's "Linger Awhile," and the small handful of vaudeville blues "race records" that Edison had made up to that point. But, as if this move were not enough to kill sales entirely, Edison still had one more marketing gaff up his sleeve. In the same bulletin the company announced, "We are about to issue a list of 680 'Second-best Sellers.' DEALERS SHOULD NOT CARRY ANY STOCK AT ALL OF THESE RECORDS"! References
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