This is absurd. I am not asking for some obscure indie (independent) band. Nine Inch Nails is regarded as one of the 100 greatest rock artists of all time by the credible Rolling Stone magazine.

The band has sold over 20 million records, and won two Grammy awards. I am not some kind of strange person who listens to obscure music that nobody cares about.

I understand that in mini Singapore, there is only perhaps a small number of people who listen to Nails. However, this does not mean that larger stores should ignore such groups.

Sadly, it is not only the niche music that is suffering. Music by The Queens of the Stone Age, a popular hard rock band, is just as difficult to find, although hard rock is a popular genre.

I am certain that I am not the only one in Singapore who is facing this problem.

My view is that illegal downloading thrives in Singapore because shops do not stock CDs by groups that do not fall under the mass merchandise pop music category.

My only other option is to buy these CDs, at great cost, from websites such as Amazon or eBay - a slow and tedious process.

If CD shop owners stop considering only the potential profit that they can make, and start looking at (or rather, listening to) the music instead, Singapore's music culture can thrive.

What is even more absurd is that CDs of local bands are ignored as well. Bands such as West Grand Boulevard or Withered Tree have their songs played on the radio, yet their CDs are nowhere to be found.

This is a sorry state of affairs.

Sidhant Srikumar