HANDLEMAN CO. /Troy, Michigan It's Boomers Vs. Boy Bands In CD Sales War.(THE NEW AMERICA)

Byline: Kirk Shinkle

Teenage hipsters beware: The music industry is listening to your parents.

But it's not the usual generational battle to yank Eminem off shelves or cover Britney's navel.

It's economics. Baby boomers are buying music in droves.

That demographic shift has put Handleman Co. in the sweet spot. It's a middleman between record companies and big chain stores. The firm handles stocking and presentation of the record section in your local superstore.

That's where boomers are shopping these days. Mass merchant retailers have about 40% of the music market today vs. less than 20% in 1990. That means music dollars are flowing away from mall-based record stores, or independents.

"What's happened over …