Music Industry News

[ACcountryFan]

Written by Steve Andrews   
Friday, 11 August 2006
Singer Barry Manilow needs surgery for torn hip cartilage
Singer Barry Manilow's publicist says the star is going to have surgery to repair torn cartilage in both hips.

Barry Manilow, 63, will continue performing at the Las Vegas Hilton where he has a four-year contract, before having the operation in California at the end of the month, however, he will miss 16 concerts which will be rescheduled for next year.

"The doctors have promised I'll come back even better than before," Barry Manilow said. "I can't wait to hit the stage again," he added, and is scheduled to perform at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on 27 August.

Barry Manilow plans to return in mid-October for the launch of his new album, The Greatest Songs of the Sixties, which features cover versions of the Righteous Brothers's You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and the Beatles' And I Love Her.

Earlier on this year the veteran singer topped the American album charts for the first time in nearly 29 years but he is best known for hits like Mandy, Copacabana and Looks Like We Made It.

FRANCE NEWS

BARRY ISN'T 63 LIKE THE ARTICLE SAYS...HE TURNED 60 A FEW MONTHS AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF FRANCE IS SET 3 YEARS AHEAD OF AMERICA OR NOT!? IF SO, THAT's A MAJOR TIME ZONE DIFFERENCE.

[ACcountryFan]

August 11, 2006, 4:25 PM ET
Phyllis Stark, Nashville

In the mid-'90s, Joe Diffie earned the nickname "Ditty Diffie" thanks to a string of fun but lightweight hits that included "John Deere Green," "Pickup Man" and "Bigger Than the Beatles." Now such tunes are back in a big way on country radio, with Capitol Nashville artist Trace Adkins leading the charge.

Many of these uptempo songs have quickly zoomed up the airplay chart, indicating that they are striking a chord with listeners.

Adkins had a huge hit earlier this year with "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" (sample lyric: "Got it goin' on, like Donkey Kong/And ooh wee, shut my mouth, slap your grandma"). On its heels, Capitol released "Swing" from Adkins (sample lyric: "Swing batter batter/Swing batter batter/Swing batter batter/Swing").

"Swing" has been joined on the chart in recent months by such titles as Steve Holy's "Brand New Girlfriend" ("Playing kissy kissy, smoochy smoochy, talking mushy mushy about nothin' ") Jake Owen's "Yee Haw" ("If you know what I'm talkin' about y'all/How 'bout a yee haw") and Rascal Flatts' "Me and My Gang" ("We live to rock/We rock to live"), among others.

Adkins says such songs, which he calls "fluff," are "just for fun ... People just want to be able to take a mental time-out these days and just listen to something that will put a smile on their face and is not going to bring them down."

Radio programmers like WYRK Buffalo, N.Y., PD Wendy Lynn agree. "My listeners have had a more positive reaction to the upbeat and light message songs," she says. "With the current tone and state of the world right now, I tend to enjoy the lighter side myself."

But KIIM Tucson, Ariz., PD Buzz Jackson has some concerns about the ditties' lasting impact on the format. "Novelty songs sell records," Jackson says, "but they don't make long-term radio hits." He worries that such songs may be "preventing a better record from getting heard."

While plentiful right now, ditties have not entirely taken the place of more meaningful songs. Such titles as Big & Rich's "8th of November," Gary Allan's "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" and Rodney Atkins' "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)," all of which carry a message, are becoming hits.

It's that mix of "fluff" and substance that has always been a hallmark of the country format. Even Adkins has tried to balance his output, interspersing hit ditties like "Hot Mama," "Chrome" and "Rough & Ready" with more lyric-driven offerings like "Then They Do" and "Arlington."

Still, XM Satellite Radio PD Jon Anthony says programmers are still sometimes surprised by what the audience likes. "Many times programmers will make some rational decision on a song's 'IQ' value without putting it to their audience to find out," he says. "Sometimes it's just entertaining, and that's as simple as it needs to be to be a hit."

FLUFF SONGS ON COUNTRY RADIO/ BILLBOARD

[HavinaClayAffair]

YouTube Hopes To Become Music Video Mecca
 
August 16, 2006

The popular video site YouTube has been negotiating with record labels to post thousands of music videos online, aiming to move beyond being a site where people mostly share homemade video clips. YouTube, which claims over 100 millions views per day, is reportedly seeking the rights to post current and archive music videos online, and said any commercial model it chooses will offer the videos for free.

"What we really want to do is in six to 12 months, maybe 18 months, to have every music video ever created up on YouTube," co-founder Steve Chen told Reuters. "We're trying to bring in as much of this content as we can on to the site."

Chen also said YouTube intends to differentiate itself from pay-to-view or download services like iTunes and AOL Music, or others like Yahoo Music, which is supported by an advertising revenue share model with record labels. YouTube hopes to integrate the music videos into the community features of its site, allowing users to add the videos to their own profiles and post reviews of them. The business model is reportedly being developed in tandem with all four major record companies.

Now, getting the four major labels to agree to this business model is key since YouTube has run into trouble in the past when users posted copyrighted videos from television shows on its site, including one run-in with NBC over a Saturday Night Live clip. But YouTube says its policy is to take down pirated content as soon as it becomes aware of it. "Right now we're trying to very quickly determine how and what the model is to distribute this content and we're very aggressive in assisting the labels in trying to get the content on to YouTube," Chen said.

Warner Music and EMI both confirmed to Reuters that they are trying to work with YouTube. "We're obviously interested in legitimate use scenarios and trying to broaden those, and our focus with YouTube is how to be partners while protecting our artists and ensuring they get paid," said Warner's SVP of digital and business development Michael Nash.

 

http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=259759

Could you imagine?? Clays' "This Is The Night" Video being distributed full on?? I know it is on there now by a fan..but you wouldn't really know to even look for it unless you KNEW it was there. Most do not even know it exists!

Could be the same for many artisits IF YouTube put up categories by record labels.

Interesting read and the possibilties are endlees. And FREE, they state for a big share of it. Cool.

Lora

[ACcountryFan]

YouTube might be a good way for artists who may not get the airplay or spotlight they once got to showcase their products in a much far-reaching way. I have been there and found some very obscure Manilow music videos!!! I wonder if they're still there??

[HavinaClayAffair]

Triple A Listeners Enjoying More Music Options
 
August 18, 2006

An extensive new study from SBR Creative Media looks at Triple A radio listeners and their musical listening and consuming habits. Over 6,100 listeners ages 18+ were surveyed earlier this summer and while radio is still their top preference for music, other options appear to be gaining ground.

When asked what sources they use for music listening, 96 percent said they listen to FM radio, followed by 89 percent naming CDs they'd purchased. iPods and MP3 players were named by 40 percent of those surveyed. When compared to a similar survey from SBR two years ago, iPod/MP3 player usage is up a whopping 207 percent from 2004. Radio listnership was down by two percent and CD buying dropped eight percent. Satellite radio listenership also saw a big jump. While only 11 percent of those surveyed were satcaster subscribers, that still represented a 166 percent increase over 2004.

Overall listenership to MP3s on computers is up in all age brackets when compared to 2004's numbers, as is ownership of portable digital players. Not only young listeners are plugged into portable devices either, as 23 percent of Triple A listeners aged 55 and up said they own an iPod or MP3 player.

FM radio was also named the most popular way to listen to music, with 59 percent saying they listen to music on the radio the most. The majority of those surveyed were also satisfied with the job that Triple A radio is doing, scoring an average of 7.42 on a scale of 1-10.

The entire study is available in PDF format here
 

http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=261088

What this says to me is that straight up RADIO play IS important! Still. and although there are other options out there...radio is still a FREE option to listeners and will continue to be a force in the years to come.

I hope Clay will be a part of that option!

Lora

[ACcountryFan]

Lon Helton Exits R&R

After 23 years with the publication, Lon Helton has resigned as Radio & Records' Nashville Bureau Chief. His resignation comes just a week after new R&R owner VNU - which also owns Billboard - fired longtime Billboard Nashville Bureau Chief Phyllis Stark and retained Helton.

Helton is planning to start his own company. Going along with him is R&R Associate Country Editor Chuck Aly.

To replace Helton, R&R is moving director of Country Charts Wade Jessen to the role of Country Editor.

R&R publisher and CEO Erica Farber commented, "We are pleased that Wade is ready, willing and able to step into this role so quickly. We know that we will continue to experience success in Country with the ongoing support of the Country radio and record community."

THIS IS THE LINK...

COUNTRY MUSIC

[ACcountryFan]

Brooks & Dunn, Paisley Lead CMA Nominations

August 30, 2006, 1:45 PM ET

Ken Tucker, Nashville

Brooks & Dunn and Arista Nashville labelmate Brad Paisley dominated the field with six nominations each for the 40th annual Country Music Association awards, which will be held Nov. 6 in Nashville.

In fact, the nomination riches were spread among a select few. Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood each picked up four nominations, while Rascal Flatts and Dolly Parton scored three each.

Big & Rich, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Sugarland and Gretchen Wilson were all nominated for two awards.

Meanwhile, two non-country acts picked up nominations in the musical event category. Bon Jovi was nominated with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles for their collaboration on "Who Says You Can't Go Home," while Sheryl Crow picked up a nod for adding guest vocals (along with Vince Gill) on Brooks & Dunn's "Building Bridges."

In addition, musician/producer Harold Bradley, singer Sonny James and entertainer George Strait will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. At the age of 54, Strait is one of the youngest to be inducted into the Hall. The late Chet Atkins was 49 years old when he was inducted in 1973.

The CMA awards show will be hosted for the third time by Brooks & Dunn. The event will be broadcast from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville on ABC.

BILLBOARD

YAY FOR GEORGE STRAIT!!!!

[Pamela]

BARRY ISN'T 63 LIKE THE ARTICLE SAYS...HE TURNED 60 A FEW MONTHS AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF FRANCE IS SET 3 YEARS AHEAD OF AMERICA OR NOT!? IF SO, THAT's A MAJOR TIME ZONE DIFFERENCE.

Good one Jerry!

I thought this was really interesting.  I've heard lots of great music and interviews on NPR, with musicians and artists from all over the world as well as a very eclectic mix of genres from world music to New Orleans swing to old time mountain music, with pop, rock, hip hop and local music thrown in. Awesome!

NPR's digital music service
By Frank Barnako
Last Update: 4:36 PM ET Aug 30, 2006

NPR plans to do for music what it's already done for radio programs and podcasts. Ken Stern, executive vice president, said a "supersite" is planned to give one-stop access to National Public Radio's 35 years of music-related programming, concerts, and artist interviews gathered by member stations and network programmers. "The network and station program producers are recognized as important music presenters and curators for the public," he said.
Stern did not rule out the possibility some material would have a price tag, saying it's too early to know what shape the service will take. That's one reason to announce it well in advance of what he hopes will be a first quarter 2007 launch. "We want to encourage our listeners to contribute to discussions about this and we'll probably do message boards online to help that along," he said.
NPR Music Online is already a rich source of music audio and multimedia content. Stern said the supersite's features, "Will address the growing audience interest in on-demand and non-traditional settings to find music content and to maximize the enormous music assets of local and national radio." He said emerging and independent artists will be included. There will be forums and chats to encourage community-building around artists and music genres, he added.

Market Watch

[Pamela]

And, in yet another big challenge to the major music labels, MySpace is going to allow qualified artists to sell their music there. This would mean any unsigned artist could sell music to anyone, anywhere in the world.  ~Wow!~

MySpace Music Store Is New Challenge for Big Labels
By ROBERT LEVINE
Published: September 4, 2006

So far none of the companies that sell music online have emerged as serious competitors to the iTunes Music Store of Apple Computer. But not one of them has an audience like MySpace, which millions of teenage and twentysomething music fans visit every day.

For the music industry, which worries about Apple’s dominance of the online market, a MySpace music store could present difficulties of a different sort.

MySpace, the online community site owned by the News Corporation, said on Friday that it would sell music through a partnership with Snocap, a technology company started by the creator of Napster, Shawn Fanning. When the online store opens this fall, it will allow bands and labels of any size to sell songs online for whatever price they want.

For the independent-label bands and unsigned artists who have found MySpace to be an effective and inexpensive way to spread the word about their recordings and concerts, a store on the site will be an important outlet.

With more than three million pages devoted to a variety of performers, from unknown garage bands to Bob Dylan, MySpace is already an important online venue for musicians.

“Instead of going to iTunes and searching for music, which happens once in a while,” said Tom Anderson, president and co-founder of MySpace, “you can see the band and buy their music.”

But for the four major labels, which must approve each retailer that sells digital versions of their music, the new store could represent a challenge.

The MySpace store would let labels set their own prices for songs, which they have complained that iTunes does not let them do. And all of the major labels have put their catalogs into Snocap’s database, which uses an audio fingerprinting technology to prevent people from selling songs they do not own.

The MySpace store will sell music in the MP3 format, however, which allows them to be played on the Apple iPod but does not offer any copy protection. So far, the labels have been unwilling to sell music online in any format that does not allow them to restrict how many copies can be made.

At least one of the major labels, EMI, is in talks with MySpace, according to one person with knowledge of the negotiations who declined to be identified, citing the confidentiality of the discussions.

Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and chief executive of MySpace, said: “We’re hopeful that once we start getting adoption from smaller bands and labels, the major labels will want to participate. We’ll be talking to them continually, as will Snocap.”

Others are more skeptical.

Read the rest at NY Times

[HavinaClayAffair]

Here is an article that speaks to the "heart" of an AC Radio Station from someone in the know..some of it was greek to me as I read the article, other parts?..its what we've been saying all along in the fandom of Clay's.


http://www.fmqb.com//article.asp?id=265384

State Of Adult Contemporary
By Mike McVay



 
Adult Contemporary is again at a crossroads.  It seems to be at some sort of crossroads every couple of years.  This is largely due to the fact that ours is a mongrel format.  Adult Contemporary has very few “format exclusive” songs.  The thinking of some programmers is that a song cannot be an Adult Contemporary hit unless it has exposure in another format.  More accurately, the thinking should be that “unless it has exposure on another station” it might not be able to be an Adult Contemporary hit. There are even those who will argue that it is impossible to have a Top 5 hit at Adult Contemporary without it also having been a Top 5 hit in another format.

There are exceptions to that rule.  How does one justify the music of Mercy Me? Yes, it was also a hit at Christian AC, but none of their music has been mass appeal hits, other than at AC. And, they’re selling music. They are proof positive that AC can cross songs to other formats. We don’t always have to “eat at the kids table.”

There are even those who think it is impossible to have a Top 5 song without the support of one of the two big nightly syndicated national radio shows that exist in our format.  I would argue it is possible to have a Top 5 song, providing that the record labels “close out” the AC panel.  One daypart does not a hit make. Not having nighttime airplay does make it more difficult to get Top 5. It helps to be on The John Tesh Show or The Delilah Show, but those shows are at the end of the journey. Not the beginning. You cannot expect such shows to break new music.

The reality for Adult Contemporary, looking at it purely as a programming format and not as something that interests the record labels, is that the further an adult goes beyond the age of 40, the more important it is to them that they hear familiar music.  That is not to say they don’t want to hear new music, but rather it takes them a long time to become familiar with a new song.  Those songs they love the most tend to be the standards of all time and are those that receive the biggest airplay.

For many radio stations “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion has never been off the air since it first came out as a single in 1996.  While some feel that familiarity breeds contempt, familiarity breeds passion.  Look at research and you’ll find that the most familiar songs, those that by all rights should be “burned out” with the audience, still score the greatest in popularity.

And what about the Adult Variety formats? Jack and Bob (personally I like the format named “Mike”) also share with AC stations. They have always had greater success in Canada than in the USA, but the format is starting to grow inside of these 50 states …and that is because the format has changed. They’ve altered their music and now lean more Mainstream AC. They’re not clear cut AC, but they’re closer to AC than they were just 12 months ago.

In many ways, the Adult Variety format is Classic Hits. It’s what we programmed on AC stations in the early 80s, when AC debuted on FM. I was programming WMJI/Cleveland when Joel Lind had WBUF/Buffalo, Jay Meyers was at WVOR/Rochester and Gary Berkowitz had WROR/Boston. We played edgier songs and we screamed “Variety” from the mountaintops.

Expect to see blatantly female-targeted Adult Variety formats like Jill (from George Johns) and Jayne (from Robin Marshall and Tony Florentino) begin to challenge your AC station for those female demos. George’s version is more 35-44 than Robin’s, but they’re both dynamic stations with great imaging and production. They will create headaches for AC stations.

The Big 8 challenges facing Adult Contemporary are as follows:

1.       Lower passion scores on music tests.
2.       Higher burn endangering Time Spent Listening.
3.       The female version of the Adult Variety format.
4.       A de-fragmentation of the format.
5.       A lack of format-exclusive artists.
6.       You don’t “miss anything” if you don’t listen.
7.       Too much talk as commercials and clutter increase.
8.       AC is a format that requires continual marketing and that means $.

The fact is music testing shows fewer and fewer songs receiving a high passion score.  It used to be a song needed to have a 75% and above Total Positive score to be in a Power Gold category.  Many radio stations now accept songs for Power Gold down into the 60% score range.

Burn is being accepted at a higher level today, mainly because we continue to test the same songs in every research project that is conducted. That means we pound the heck out of the same songs over and over. That needs to STOP! Test more variety in the songs you research.

It is not necessary we expand the number of titles in our library from 275 up to 500 titles, but rather that we look for new and fresh titles to test.  Instead of lowering your criteria of what’s acceptable to play, why not look for more songs to test that fit your original high standards?  It may mean testing more music to get the number of songs you want. Consider broadening the eras you play to include 70’s and late 60’s. Start looking at other formats for fresh gold titles. Something has to be done if we are to continue to build TSL in the AC format.

There was a time when Power Gold songs could have no double-digit burn and Regular Gold could have no burn over 20%.  Today we will accept Power Gold songs up to 20% and Regular Gold up to 30% in burn.  While it is a plausible argument that it is okay to accept 30% burn because 70% of the audience still likes the song, it has to be wrapped in the usage of AC.  Our core listeners turn us on and leave us on for seven to nine hours a day while working.  When we play songs that are fried, we are chasing people away from the format and from radio in general.

It is my suggestion that AC stations turnover their Power Gold songs at 1.50 days and the Regular Gold at 3.0 days. The Power category remains tight. The Regular Gold category turns over at a slower 3 days. That can create the illusion of variety, providing you use imaging and you move your music around day to day.

Look back five years and you’ll see that Adult Contemporary had fragmented into Pop Alternative/Hot AC, straight-ahead Hot AC, Mainstream AC, Soft AC, Rock AC, and Oldies-based AC. Things have changed. The format is starting to meld together, once again.  We have Hot AC, Mainstream AC, and Soft AC.  The variations of AC seem to be narrowing to those big three colorations of the format. Today we’re seeing Hot AC become more Mainstream. Mainstream AC seems to be moving softer. Don’t get hung up on format handles. Play the music your target demo wants … whatever those songs are. THAT is what AC is all about.

Adult Contemporary faces a challenge in that by the mere nature of its positive benefit as a “background station,” it creates the illusion that “if I don’t listen I won’t miss anything.”

What will you do on your AC station to drive listeners to it on a daily basis?  I am of the belief that personality is an important attribute to AC and that the best air talent bring people back on a daily basis.  The morning show has to be designed to create day-to-day tune-in.  Get listeners’ days started with survival information, but put a smile on their face as you do it.  Provide them with the entertainment news and gossip they feel they must have, so they don’t miss something.

Present news and information in a compact package that will let listeners know they can stay tuned to your station in these troublesome times.  They need not go on a scavenger hunt for information when listening to music FM. Because of the terrorist threats in America, the War in Iraq and the memory of 9-11, we need to have news on FM…even if it’s limited to AM-Drive only.

Air personalities through the midday and afternoon drive should serve as companions.  They are there to help you through the workday and get you through the afternoon, serving as a decompression chamber back into the real world.  Nighttime programs, be they live or syndicated, should be designed to take advantage of the audience available.  There are a number of nationally syndicated shows that can create day-to-day tune-in.  The John Tesh Radio Show provides information for listeners’ lifestyles (Intelligence For Your Life), wrapped in the blanket of a lot of music. John’s program is pulling amazing ratings. The Delilah Show continues to be aired in many markets. She engages listeners with romance and romantic music. Women love to hear stories and that’s what her show delivers.  Lia, a Country version of Delilah, is also a challenger for our female listeners. There’s a lot of “noise” out there. Be memorable.

The health of Adult Contemporary is good.  It is not great.  It will be better when we learn to address the elements of variety and how to keep listeners tuned in daily. Focusing more of our energies on producing the sound of the station, making it memorable to go beyond being a “background format” and committing to personalities. These elements are all a part of the curative for what ails AC.

Mike McVay is founder and President of McVay Media, a full-service consultancy, serving Adult Contemporary, Country, CHR, Hip Hop/Urban, Oldies, Rock, Hispanic, Sports, and News/Talk radio stations.  McVay’s 35 years of world wide broadcast experience include stints as a Station Owner, General Manager, Program Director, and Air Personality.  McVay Media also consults Singers/Song Writers and their Managers, Networks and Syndicators, Authors, Television Programming and a myriad of non-Broadcast related companies. You can e-mail Mike at mike@mcvaymedia.com or phone him at 440-892-1910. www.mcvaymedia.com.
   

Lora

[Pamela]

Lora, thanks for that!  Very, very interesting, and sheds new light on what we thought we knew, and confirms some thoughts as well.

Here's one about the upcoming demise of yet another music retailer, Tower Records. I know Sam Goody's closed a few years ago, and I've also seen several local independently owned record stores close here in Raleigh and the surrounding area as well.  Very sad.

TOWER FILES CHAPTER 11...AGAIN   
Retailer Looks to Facilitate a Prompt Sale By Setting Date for Auction
August 21, 2006

This Tower’s leaning more than the one at Pisa.
Tower Records filed a Chapter 11 petition in federal bankruptcy court yesterday (8/20), with the owners seeking to sell the fabled chain "as a going concern" so that a buyer could take control prior to the 2006 holiday season.

According to the Delaware filing, eight separate parties own and operate the 89-store chain, which includes a direct sales network and warehouse distribution facility. According to sources, they are Three A's Holdings, Jeremy's Holdings, Tower Direct, 33rd Street Records, Pipernick, MTS, Columbus Bay and R.T. Records.

Creditors number in the “thousands,” according to the doument. Among the largest: Six Degrees Records ($1.9 million) in San Francisco; International Periodical ($1.3 million) in Chicago; City Hall Records ($595,000) in San Rafael, CA.; and Baker & Taylor Book ($437,000) in Chicago. The chain reportedly owes a total of $87 million, $70 million of that to the four major music distributors, who cut off the chain's line of credit at NARM two weeks ago.

The debtors want the bankruptcy court to establish bid procedures and set an auction date for the sale of assets. A Chapter 11 petition was previously filed two years ago which contained a pre-packaged plan of reorganization. While that case remains open, court documents insist certain claims issues are the only remaining matters left to resolve.

In that restructure, debtors converted $110 million of unsecured notes into common stock comprising 85% of the outstanding equity in MTS and $30 million in new notes.

Since then, Tower's profits have plummeted, blamed on an "industry-wide decline in the sales of physical music and video products" and "intense competition from music downloading (legal and illegal) and 'big-box' retailers which use music and video products as loss-leaders."

©Hits Daily Double (registration required)

The reason I think this is sad is not because I don't want to shop at KMart or Walmart or Best Buy for my music. It's because those retailers don't carry a diverse selection, nor do they seem to show any interest in anything other than pandering to the middle range of music buyers.

I want to buy music that moves me, not music that is number one on the Billboard charts. I want to buy music I *can't* hear on the radio.  And I don't want to download it;  I want to touch it. 
 

[Pamela]

RIAA Launches New Gold And Platinum Award For Ringtones
New York City Event Featuring Some of Industry’s Most Popular Artists Kicks Off Program

NEW YORK – The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) today announced the formal launch of a Master Ringtone Sales Award, updating its 47-year old Gold and Platinum program to recognize the growing popularity of enjoying music through cellular phones.

Some 84 titles are included in the inaugural group of certifications, encompassing tracks from artists on all the major record companies and representing a variety of musical genres. Specifically, the RIAA awarded 84 Gold, 40 Platinum and four Multi-Platinum Master Ringtone certifications.

Ringtones are the original recording, rather than a synthesized instrumental version, of a hit song. Following the lead of the existing program, tracks will be certified Gold (500,000 downloads), Platinum (1 million downloads) and Multi-Platinum (starting at 2 million and following in increments of 1 million thereafter).

“Our Gold and Platinum Program is designed to honor artists who have achieved the highest success,” Mitch Bainwol, Chairman and CEO, RIAA. “As our industry evolves and offers fans new ways to enjoy music from today’s best artists, so too should the G&P Program. The music community, along with its technology partners like the wireless communications companies, is offering fans the music they love, when then want it and how they want it.”

“The marriage between music and wireless communications is a perfect one,” added Bainwol. “It’s an instant, personalized connection to fans’ favorite music. And it’s an important new way for the industry to recognize a return on its investment in music.”

“I think this impressive awards ceremony signifies the enormous effect that mobile music is having on individuals all around the globe,” said Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association ™. “The power of music to influence societies and bring about new and positive ideas is well documented throughout history, and I believe the increasing use of personal wireless communications devices to access and deliver digital music will only make this experience more profound.”

"Like when peanut butter first met chocolate and ice cream was first plopped on top of an edible wafer cone, wireless and music are a natural and historic fit,” Largent continued. “But more importantly, I truly believe this marriage of technology and art has the potential to bridge cultural divides and bring peoples of the world together like few inventions before it.”

Bow Wow, Bubba Sparxxx, Dem Franchize Boyz and Rick Ross picked up their awards during a ceremony today at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Columbia Records’ Bow Wow picked up Platinum awards for “Let Me Hold You” and “Like You” and a Gold award for “Fresh Azimiz.” Bubba Sparxxx’s “Ms. New Booty” earned the Virgin Records rapper a Gold award. Virgin Records’ Dem Franchize Boyz earned a Platinum award for the snap music anthem “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It” and a Gold award for the smash “I Think They Like Me.” Rick Ross’ “Hustlin’” won a Gold award for the Def Jam/Slip-N-Slide rapper.

A&M’s Black Eyed Peas earned a Multi-Platinum award for “My Humps,” as did Universal’s Chamillionaire for “Ridin’.” Atlantic Records’ artist D4L grabbed a Multi-Platinum award for the infectious hit “Laffy Taffy,” and Jive’s T-Pain also went Multi-Platinum for “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper).”

Some catalog tracks enjoyed exposure to a new generation of fans via mobile music. Epic’s AC/DC picked up a Platinum certification for “Back In Black.” The Beastie Boys’ “Brass Monkey” won a Gold award, and girls everywhere are having fun with Cyndi Lauper’s Gold certification of her 80s smash “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Marvin Gaye picked up a posthumous Gold award for the iconic “Let’s Get It On,” and newfound interest in “The Dukes of Hazard” earned Waylon Jennings a Gold award for the theme song.

As with the existing Gold and Platinum award program, all certifications for the Digital Sales award are audited by the firm of Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman.

©RIAA

[HavinaClayAffair]

Someone's looking at what we (Some of us) have been asking for all along...

http://www.fmqb.com//article.asp?id=269742

Consultant Alan Burns & The Movin’ Format

 
Don’t look now but a new format could be “Movin’” into your market. If L.A. , Philly, Seattle and Vegas are any indication, chances are good this new Rhythmic/Adult mix may soon land in your market targeting the upper end of the female audience. A variation of the format is already in place in New York where both WNEW (Mix 102.7) and WKTU have always incorporated Rhythmic classics into the mix. KTU has more of a current lean, but both stations have always relied on songs from the Disco era. “Movin’” focuses more on ‘80s and ‘90s music with current songs added to the mix and just a splash of Disco.
    It was Alan Burns of Alan Burns & Associates who officially named the format Movin’ when he launched it in Seattle in May of this year. The format was designed as something new and refreshing for the female listener who has recently drifted out of the CHR demo, but isn’t quite ready for a Traditional AC music mix. If you think this format is “Jammin’ Oldies” all over again, think again! It seems that women 28-40 have been searching for a Rhythmic leaning station that doesn’t lean heavy on Hip-Hop, which may explain the recent sign ons of similar sounding formats in markets such as Philly, where a version of "Movin'," dubbed “Philly's 106.1” debuted recently with an even broader target. The women who are targeted grew up on Rhythmic hit radio back in the day, where most Adult leaning stations nowadays rely on a steady diet of Matchbox 20 and Sheryl Crow. One thing is for sure, the format is yet another choice, and one that could have some real staying power since its music mix includes current and recurrent based music. FMQB recently caught up with the format’s creator, Alan Burns, to talk about the format’s conception, where it’s headed and the keys to its success.   

How did the idea for the “Movin’” format come about?
I was in a West Coast market trying to help a station figure out a format to do in a pretty crowded market. It was a high Hispanic market that had both a Rhythmic/ CHR and a Jammin’ Oldies that were doing well. There weren’t a lot of opportunities in the market, but it helped me realize there was something between Jammin’ Oldies and Rhythmic/ CHR .

Programmers for the most part had ignored Rhythmic music from the ‘80s and ‘90s for years. Did that play a factor in the format's design?
That was the thing. When I became interested in this and started looking at the potential format, the wonderful thing was that we found this huge body of music from the ’80s and ’90s that nobody was playing very much, except maybe in their specialty shows, one that we could put together and own. That was the good thing. The scary thing was that almost everybody said: “Well, that’s because that music doesn’t test.” In some circles I'm known as somewhat of a research junkie but, in this case, my gut just told me if you put this thing together right it would absolutely find an audience.

Would you say the format is based more on gut than research?
Originally it was. Once I started putting the concept together, I would be on airplanes and I’d sit next to women who were in the target age and I’d say, “How would you feel about a radio station that played this?” Universally I received positive responses.  Then we put a demo together and started playing it for some women. Once again, universally, it was: “Oh, God, where is a station like that? Is that around here?” But for the most part, radio people felt like it wouldn’t work based on the fact that those songs generally didn’t test that well. But the consumers all said: “Where is that? I want it!”

Who is the target audience?
If you describe it by age, women 25 to 44 would be the wide target, but psychologically it’s women who are probably just a little past the point of being into a diet of straight, current Hip-Hop all the time, but yet they don’t feel like retiring to a traditional Oldies station. 

What’s the difference between “Movin’” and what some have described as a failed format in “Jammin’ Oldies?”
“Movin’” is more contemporary. It has a connection to the present. It plays currents and recurrents, so it has a way to keep the format refreshed all the time. My sense is also that the library is probably a little larger than you have in Oldies.   

Give us a sample of the artists played on a "Movin’" format?
You have ’80s and ’90s artists such as Prince, Madonna, Janet Jackson, En Vogue and Salt-n-Pepa. Then you’ll hear some current artists too such as Mariah Carey, Rihanna, and even a little bit of Mary J. Blige. 

In the ’80s and early ’90s there were many one hit wonders that leaned Rhythmic, were those songs considered during music and research tests? 
Absolutely! Playing [EU] "Da Butt" and [Sir Mix-A-Lot] "Baby Got Back" and records like that is part of the fun of the format. Vanilla Ice doesn’t necessarily test well, but it’s fun to occasionally hear it.

Any success stories to tell us, or is it too early?
The first "Movin’" station, KQMV in Seattle , signed on May 1. The PD Lisa Adams and GM Marc Kaye deserve a lot of recognition because they’ve done a tremendous job. I had worked with Marc at KIIS in Los Angeles years ago when Marc was a GM there, and Marc really rolled the dice and took a gamble. He believed in the format. The station flipped formats three days before the beginning of week six of the Spring Arbitron. And in weeks six through twelve (the end of the ratings period), they were tied for No. 1 with Women 25 to 44 in the market. That’s in just the first six or seven weeks they were on the air. 

"Movin'" recently signed on in Los Angeles .
L.A. is being run by some great people at Emmis with Jimmy Steal. LA is also an example of the fact that “Movin’” is going to sound different to one degree or another in most markets. There were some things about Seattle that made the "Movin’" sign-on there a little bit different than I had conceived it. But it made a lot more sense in Seattle to do it the way we did it. Los Angeles is a little different. The next one that signs on will differ in its own way. There will be markets with heavy Hispanics and markets without them. There will be markets that have had a CHR playing more Street/Rhythm for fifteen years, and markets without that. It just depends on the market influence and the competitive makeup.

Are you surprised the format has popped up in more than a couple of major markets?
No. I believe in this, and believed in it when we launched it or we wouldn’t have launched it. I would have been disappointed if it hadn’t popped up. 

For this format to have some real staying power in the future it must select the right currents to play. Would you agree?
Absolutely! That’s part of the difference between Jammin’ Oldies and “Movin’,” that connection to the present and the era depth. It has to be the right currents. It can’t be too conservative, at the same time we have to maintain that difference between CHR and ourselves. Timing is also very important; it’s playing the right currents at the right time.

Will the format evolve into a personality-driven music format since the same audience who it targets grew up listening to some great on air personalities and not just liner card readers?
I believe and hope it will. In fact, in Seattle , which is right now putting a staff together, we’re trying to inject personality on the station even before we get a live air staff.  There are liners where if you hear a Vanilla Ice or “Da Butt” or something like that, you might hear a recorded liner in front of it saying something like: "There’s a fine line between cheesy and tasteful, and we’re about to jump right over it!” We’re just trying to have some fun on the radio station and personality will add a necessary dimension to the station and make it bigger. 

Is this where Adult Contemporary is moving?
To some extent this will windup showing ACs that they’ve been overlooking the Rhythmic taste in women for too long.

Will “Movin’” be a viable music format for the future of radio, or is it just a flavor-of-the-month format, kind of like “Jack” with a Rhythmic twist?
It’s designed to be a viable format for a long time. It’s designed for a generation of women that needed a home. It’s not supposed to be just a novelty that feels good for a short period of time. We’re putting together something we think will run for years and years to come.

** QB Content by Bob Burke **
 

Lora

[Pamela]

ROD ROCKS BROADWAY:

Rod Stewart will usher in the Oct. 10 release of his new J Records covers album, Still the Same… Great Rock Classics of Our Time, with a performance at the Nokia Theater Times Square in New York City the night before. The show will also be presented later that same evening at 117 participating Regal, United Artists, Edwards, Cinemark, AMC And Georgia theaters as part of National CineMedia and Network Live’s Big Screen Concerts series. The concert will be shown in High-Definition and 5.1 audio. Tickets are on sale now at presenting theatre box offices and online at www.BigScreenConcerts.com for $15. The new album features Stewart covers of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bob Seger and John Fogerty. It’s being touted as Stewart’s first rock album in eight years after his Great American Songbook series has sold some 15 million copies worldwide. And you thought the guy’s cover of Paris Hilton’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” was the end of his career.

(That last bit was snark, btw!)

THE COST OF MUSIC:

For the third straight year, the most expensive show on TV is American Idol, for which advertisers peel as much as $700,000 for a 30-second spot, according to a survey conducted annually by Advertising Age. There’s a good reason Fox gets top dollar for Idol—the show, which returns in January, commanded an 18-49-year-old audience of 31 million during the 2005-2006 season. Other pricey ad buys include Fox's House (which has seen pricing double from last year's $200,000 to $400,000), ABC's Desperate Housewives and ABC newcomer Brothers and Sisters.

Hits Daily Double (registration required)

[ACcountryFan]

Thanks for the head's up on this, Pamela...i've been sick with a head cold plus my hypertension sometimes wears me out and this perked me up...

MANILOW

Barry Manilow Is Set To Sing The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties
Tuesday September 26, 2006 @ 06:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow's popularity with the kids may have peaked during his March appearance on American Idol, but he's targeting baby boomers with his new album.

The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties, the quick follow-up to The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties, will be released by Arista on October 31. The crooner has enjoyed a career re-invigoration this year after formerly being known primarily for '70s hits like "Mandy," "I Write The Songs" and "Copacabana (At The Copa)." Manilow teamed up with Arista founder Clive Davis to produce The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties, which debuted at #1 on the U.S. sales chart earlier this year, and it worked so well that they did the same for the sequel. He recorded more than 100 songs for the disc before narrowing them down to what he thought were the ones that fit his style best.

Manilow's worldwide record sales exceed 75 million, and he expects the new album to pad that total considerably.

"I think these songs from the '60s are more well known to a lot of people than the songs of the '50s," Manilow told the Associated Press. "I really have a sense that these songs are even going to be more accepted to a bigger audience because everybody knows these songs."

Despite Manilow's success, he's often been the butt of jokes — sort of making him an older version of Clay Aiken — and has a number of detractors. In fact, city officials in Sydney, Australia believe that his music is so despised that they've piped it over loudspeakers in an attempt to rid a parking lot of young people who blast loud music from their car speakers and apparently annoy local residents and drive customers away from businesses.

Manilow had surgery on both hips this summer, which has caused him to miss 16 concerts at the Las Vegas Hilton, where he has a four-year contract to perform. He's scheduled to reconvene his Vegas run on November 8.

Here are Manilow's interpretations of The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties:

    * "Cherish/Windy"
    * "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"
    * "Can't Help Falling In Love"
    * "There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World)"
    * "And I Love Her"
    * "Blue Velvet"
    * "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head"
    * "This Guy's In Love With You"
    * "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime"
    * "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"
    * "When I Fall In Love"
    * "Strangers In The Night"
    * "What The World Needs Now Is Love"

I THOUGHT THAT WAS A SILLY THING THEY DO IN AUSTRAILIA ACCORDING TO THIS STORY I COPIED AND PASTED HERE. I WONDER IF ARISTA WILL USE MANILOW's 1998 RECORDING OF "STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT" FROM HIS SINATRA TRIBUTE CD OR WILL HE HAVE RE-RECORDED THE SONG FOR THIS COLLECTION!?! WE'LL FIND OUT AT THE END OF OCTOBER.

[Pamela]

Rod Stewart Turns to '70s Rock Classics
By Katie Hasty
Billboard

There was a time when Rod Stewart's songwriting chops regularly helped him crown Billboard charts. Today, the singer sells his millions by interpreting the songs of others, most notably in the four highly successful volumes of his "Great American Songbook" series.

As J/Arista Records GM Tom Corson says, this era in Stewart's career is "defined by the repertoire." The tradition continues as Stewart releases "Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time" on Oct. 10 via J Records.

With covers of Bob Dylan, Badfinger and John Fogerty ("Have You Ever Seen the Rain," the album's first single), Stewart is returning, somewhat, to the form and genre that first made him famous. Produced by longtime cohort Clive Davis and Grammy Award winner John Shanks, "Still the Same" will be supported with a full tour starting in early 2007, with much of the same band that backed Stewart during the "Great American Songbook" stint. Stewart talked with Billboard about his latest effort.

Read the rest at MSN Music

[ACcountryFan]

CASHBOX MAGAZINE HAS RETURNED TO PUBLICATION...HERE IS THE STORY...AND IT'S A NEW CHART TO WATCH AS WELL...WELL, NOT A NEW CHART...WELL, YOU KNOW...ANYWAY, HERE IS THEIR STORY AND WHY THEY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS...BUT NOW ARE BACK. I AM GLAD TO SEE THIS SINCE BILLBOARD BOUGHT OUT RADIO AND RECORDS AND SO NOW WITH CASHBOX BACK, IT'S ISN'T TOTALLY A BILLBOARD CHART WORLD AFTER ALL...

CASHBOX MAGAZINE, INC. 

The new owners of Cashbox Magazine are recreating an American classic based on George Alberts old Cashbox Magazine which ceased publication in 1996. For years the industry had three trades, Cashbox, Billboard and Record World. With the advent of the internet and music downloads the industry has nothing more to do with the years of the 78, 45, or the Lp. Singles are now sent by broadband instead of that warm, sometimes colored piece of plastic. Its really sad but technology has created a new generation that downloads music on their computer from i tunes, Wal-Mart and many others. There are new schemes everyday from pyramid type sites that offer anyone a job in the music industry to downright stealing and its all so simple. Nothings free however and if it sounds too good to be true it generally is.

The big question is directed to our closest competition. BILLBOARD, WE'RE BACK!

The primary owner knows the sordid details in Music corruption. During the late 80's through the mid 90's Cashbox charts were ruled by three promoters and several booking/showcase talent guys. I personally had to deal with them. Kevin Hughes, God Rest his soul, knew them too and he tried to do the right thing and it cost him his life. My small label couldn't compete with the majors or the dubious three but in spite of all of them I put out very good product and got good chart positions Kevin knew I was honest and I worked hard for my artist putting in 16 and 17 hour days six days a week, so much so that some of these artist are still with me some 20 years later still putting out exceptional material. 

I never signed just any artist, they had to be exceptional and different and my philosophy was, were they good enough for me to go spend .88 for a single. I spent a lot of time in Nashville and have seen more hearts broken, homes mortgaged and foreclosed on by unscrupulous promoters and talent agents promising new acts that "pie in the sky" stardom only to have ghosted 45's make the lower parts of the charts so they could get more money, the chart numbers made by rolling the dice of certain dj's promised with hundred dollar steak dinners. No one actually ever heard these songs except the studio where they were made. Number of 45's pressed, what 45's? Joel Whitburn, author of the Billboard books was trying to collect every 45 that made Billboard. He was especially having a hard time finding the bottom 25 from the charts. My quote to Joel was, the artist would have liked a copy of their single too. It wasn't just Cashbox, but Billboard suffered its share of ghosting singles. When Billboard went back to 75 positions it virtually eliminated the corruption on their end, however Cashbox kept their top 100. With Billboard clean, the crooked promoters and agents created Indie Bullet then Indie Tracker to gleam more money off talent. Some of these crooks have whole polished websites dedicated to being Cashbox label, promoter or agent of the year. Don't buy into it! Their showcases are for their egos. Their so called publishing companies have never had a hit. With honey rolling off their lips, they know every star. Beware, they are sheep in wolves clothing. Check credentials. Ask people that know, not people they refer you too that are on the take too. Don't buy into Web site scams. One of these guys has a really slick site folks posing with a lot of stars. I'm here to tell you folks, I too have been backstage at the Opry many times and I have photos too, but all they are or photos I made with the stars as a fan. I have never used them to promote my label, book or any of my music promotion.

We at Cashbox Magazine are recreating an American legend VIA the internet. It will be honest and forthright. We will have panels for each genre of music and Indy charts but rest assured, I know who to look for and my advice to you is don't try and crack this shell it won't work and I know the back alley tactics, that won't work either and besides you're already banned from doing business with us. This new Cashbox will carry itself with the utmost integrity. There will be 15 genres of music and it is being fine tuned to make charts the right way. We'll fine tune the way things should be not all the sub and side charts our competitor has seen fit to incorporate into every fashion and mode. Before long there'll be a chart for animals singing their favorite songs! There will be a top 50 Indy chart for each genre and the criteria is going to be extraordinary. The criteria will be based on the Colonels secret recipe and it will work but the primary goal on these charts will be quality of song, sound and voice. You better be exceptional and our secret recipe will not except the hype of labels, artist, songwriters or any hint of impropriety. Once Cashbox is reestablished in all its glory we will have advertising and promotion rates but in no way will this buy you a chart number. It will be based on radio airplay, internet voting, soundscan, jukebox airplay, and our top secret methods on security. It will be virtually crook proof. If you happen to get to number 12 on an Indy Country chart you can bet your bottom dollar you have earned it in a credible and honest tabulation. Depending on the chart, the charts will change weekly except for a few certain genres. If you are interested in joining the Cashbox team or have any questions email us.

CASHBOX CHARTS

[HavinaClayAffair]

Google Purchases YouTube
Google announced on Monday that it has purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion in stock. The deal marks the highest price paid for a consumer-generated media site. The purchase also follows news that both Google and YouTube have struck music video distribution deals with major labels. Despite these deals, some analysts believe Google could face copyright lawsuits over material posted on YouTube. (10/10)

http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/News/Default.aspx?newsID=2213&newsCategoryID=4

[HavinaClayAffair]

Google, YouTube Ink Deals With Labels

Google and YouTube separately announced music video distribution deals with major labels today. Universal Music Group and Sony BMG have agreed to offer thousands of its videos to YouTube users. The decision ends a public feud between Universal Music and YouTube over the protection of artists' rights. Google also signed similar deals with Warner Music and Sony BMG. (10/9)

http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/News/Default.aspx?newsID=2213&newsCategoryID=4

[Pamela]

I've been thinking about the article Lora posted above, about the 'Movin' themed stations, geared to the "25-44" yo female.

The artists that are listed in the article are fine, but I really prefer more rock oriented music rather than the light hip hop fare.  In fact, I would prefer a mix of both.  There was a local station here in Raleigh that recently switched over to "classic rock" because the other "classic rock" station switched to "pop country."



Anyway, before the switch, it was awesome!  They played everything from Fiona Apple to Marvin Gaye to the Stones to Bonnie Raitt to Stevie Wonder.  Ahhh...loved it.

But, it's gone.  Oh well, I've still got my iPod!  And my Clay!