8-K

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                                  UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) September 22, 2000
                                  -------------



                          HASTINGS ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
                           --------------------------
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

                                      TEXAS
                                  -------------
         (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)


        000-24381                                      75-1386375
   ------------------------              ---------------------------------------
   (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER)              (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)


       3601 PLAINS BLVD, AMARILLO, TEXAS                     79102
- --------------------------------------------------        -----------
   (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)                (ZIP CODE)

                                 (806) 351-2300
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                      NONE
                                      ----
              (Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                          if changed since last report)


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                          HASTINGS ENTERTAINMENT, INC.



Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant

On September 22, 2000, with the recommendation of the Audit Committee and
approval of the Board of Directors, the Company dismissed KPMG LLP ("KPMG") as
its independent auditors.

Other than as described herein, in connection with the audits of the two fiscal
years ended January 31, 2000 and 1999, and subsequent interim periods through
September 22, 2000, there were no disagreements with KPMG on any matter of
accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
scope or procedures, which disagreements if not resolved to their satisfaction
would have caused them to make reference in connection with their opinion to the
subject matter of the disagreement. The registrant believes that a disagreement
occurred between the Company and KPMG with respect to the Company's Form 10-Q
for the period ended July 31, 2000. The disagreement involved the classification
within the consolidated statement of operations of a write-down of inventory
that if not resolved to KPMG's satisfaction would have caused it to make
reference to the subject matter of the disagreement. Such disagreement was
brought to the attention of the Company's audit committee on August 31, 2000 and
resolved to the satisfaction of KPMG. Further, in connection with the audit of
the Company's consolidated financial statements for the year ended January 31,
2000, KPMG informed the Company and its audit committee of conditions involving
internal controls and financial reporting that represented serious weaknesses
that were considered collectively to be a material weakness. KPMG advised the
Company that, in completing its audit, it considered the aforementioned material
weakness in determining the nature, timing, and extent of the audit tests
applied to enable it to issue its opinion on the Company's consolidated
financial statements. The Company has authorized KPMG to respond fully to
inquiries of successor auditors concerning these issues.

The audit reports of KPMG on the consolidated financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries as of and for the years ended January 31, 2000 and
1999, did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they
qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles.
However, KPMG's audit report on the consolidated financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries as of January 31, 2000 and 1999, and for each of
the years in the three-year period ended January 31, 2000, contained a separate
paragraph stating that the accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of January
31, 1999 and the consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity and
cash flows for the years ended January 31, 1999 and 1998 have been restated. The
Company has requested that KPMG furnish it with a letter to the Securities and
Exchange Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the above statements.
A copy of such letter, dated September 29, 2000, from KPMG is attached as
Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.


Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

        (c) Exhibits.

The following exhibit is filed herewith:

16.1    Letter dated September 29, 2000 from KPMG to the SEC related to the
        change in certifying accountants.
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                          HASTINGS ENTERTAINMENT, INC.



                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date:  September 29, 2000           Hastings Entertainment, Inc.
                                    (Registrant)


                                    By: /s/ Gaines L. Godfrey
                                       ---------------------------------
                                    Gaines L. Godfrey
                                    Senior Vice President,
                                    Chief Financial Officer
                                    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)



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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX




EXHIBIT
NUMBER      DESCRIPTION
- ------      -----------
         
16.1        Letter dated September 29, 2000 from KPMG to the SEC related to the
            change in certifying accountants.

EX-16.1

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 16.1


September 29, 2000


Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We were previously principal accountants for Hastings Entertainment, Inc. and,
under the date of June 13, 2000, we reported on the consolidated financial
statements and financial statement schedule of Hastings Entertainment, Inc. and
subsidiaries as of January 31, 2000 and 1999 and for each of the years in the
three-year period ended January 31, 2000. On September 22, 2000 our appointment
as principal auditors was terminated. We have read Hastings Entertainment,
Inc.'s statements included under Item 4 of its Form 8-K dated September 29,
2000, and we agree with such statements, except that we are not in a position to
agree or disagree with Hastings Entertainment, Inc.'s statement that the change
was recommended by the audit committee of the board of directors and approved by
the board of directors.


Very truly yours,

/s/ KPMG LLP
Dallas, Texas