©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
page 1 Wednesday, September 2, 2009Wednesday, September 2, 2009
According to Nielsen SoundScan, a
division of The Nielsen Company, an
average of more than 20 million digital
tracks are purchased every week in the
U.S. This year all genre digital track sales
are up year-to-date 12.2%. Does anybody
think this format is going away? And yet,
the industry is still without digital tracks
charts broken out by format, in a similar
fashion to the existing album charts.
"We've asked for
that chart," says Sony
Music Chairman Joe
Galante. "We want
and need that
information."
When Nielsen
Entertainment's
Chris Muratone
spoke to the CMA
Board on Feb. 18,
2009, this writer
asked him, "When
will we see digital tracks by genre
breakouts?" Muratone acknowledged
Nielsen SoundScan was aware it was
something that people wanted, but was
vague about implementation. The missing
charts seem somewhat mysterious given
that SoundScan already collects all the
data, and breaks the artists out by genre
for its album charts. SoundScan is the only
company that collects the sales data from
physical and digital merchants nationwide.
Is there really a
technological issue
holding up the
creation of these
track breakouts, or is
it merely the reaction
of a monopoly being
lax in addressing
the concerns of the
industry that it
serves?
"Nielsen SoundScan would do all of
us an enormous favor if they would
break out country music into its own
chart," says President/CEO Capitol
Records Nashville Mike Dungan.
Several weeks ago MusicRow spoke
with Billboard Sr. Chart Manager Wade
Jessen to discuss BB's new weekly
Country Update which debuted Aug. 10.
At that time Jessen said the new product
would contain a
country digital tracks
chart breakout. (On
July 29 Country
Update tweeted a
link to the MusicRow
article.) Three weeks
after the MusicRow
article ran, and
coincidentally
immediately after
sending a question
about Jessen's
genre chart remarks to a more senior
SoundScan exec., I got a quick email from
Jessen stating he had been misquoted,
and "The digital chart(s) and an airplay/
digital hybrid chart are all being considered
as expansion projects (new features) for
Billboard Country Update. At no time were
we planning to make those charts available
on launch week (August 10)." [hmmm]
"It seems like a layup," says
President/CEO Big Machine/Valory Music/
Republic Nashville
Scott Borchetta.
"iTunes [already]
has genre charts
that are accessible
to anyone who has
downloaded the
iTunes browser.
Remove the oldies
and recurrents and
the chart is right
Industry Needs Genre Specific Track Chartsby David M. Ross
Joe Galante
Scott Borchetta
Wade Jessen
Mike Dungan
©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
page 2 Wednesday, September 2, 2009
there 24/7. We look at SoundScan dpd DMA’s
every week. Create the report already…"
"This is something
we’ve wanted for some
time now, and I hope to
see it in the near future,"
says Ken Robold, Exec.
VP/GM UMG Nashville.
Using SoundScan's own
tracks data and pulling out
the country tracks manually,
it seems certain the format
is selling over one million
tracks per week. When
considered as TEA albums
(track equivalent albums
where 10 trks= 1 album) that is 100,000+
albums additional per week. Country's Top 75
Current Albums chart compiled by SoundScan
usually contains a total of 400-500,000 units,
so we are talking about an increase of perhaps
20-25% every week that is not being well
documented.
Industry sales veteran and owner of Spielberg
Consulting, Neal Spielberg, gets the last word
with this straightforward quote, "It is essential
that SoundScan introduce a
current and comprehensive
country tracks chart. As
digital music purchases
in country music grow
exponentially, it is important
to not only chart the
superstars, but the up and
comers alike. Its time has
come, and the information
is there. SoundScan is a
service organization/
company. Service the
country music community as you do in
albums."
What about it Nielsen SoundScan?
Neal Spielberg
Ken Robold
BMI’s back to school blowout resulted in a packed house for its 8 off 8th showcase at
Mercy Lounge on August 24. The lineup featured some of Nashville’s best up-and-
coming songwriters including Team Illuminati, Andrew Belle, The Silver Seas, The
Jane Shermans, Space Capone, Madi Diaz, Jeremy Lister and The Rustlanders.
(L-R) back: BMI’s Beth Mason, Lister, BMI’s Jody Williams, Aaron Winters of Space
Capone and BMI’s Mark Mason. Front: BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Erin McCarley, Kristen
Dabbs and Trent Dabbs. Photo: Drew Maynard
Bryan White dropped by ASCAP with copies of his new CD on Just a Pup Records.
(L-R): Keithan Melton, Creative Dir. Wide Open Music Group; ASCAP's Connie
Bradley; White; ASCAP's Pat Rolfe; and Derek George, Pres. Wide Open Music Group.
©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
19 Recordings/RCA Inks Idol’s Gokey American Idol finalist Danny Gokey
was a big favorite on season eight, the most
recent season of the show. He finished in
the Top 3, and Gokey’s legion of fans will
be excited to know that he has signed a
recording contract with 19 Recordings/
RCA Records Nashville.
A 29-year-old native of Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, Gokey is currently on the
American Idols Live! Tour 2009, and will
soon be at work on his debut album,
releasing next year.
Darrell Brown/Kobalt Sign Admin Deal Songwriter Darrell Brown,
with writing credits on a multitude of
hits by Keith Urban and others, has
signed an exclusive administration
deal with Kobalt Music Group. The
announcement was made today (9/2)
by Willard Ahdritz, CEO and
Founder of Kobalt. Through the
deal, Kobalt will represent Brown’s
Grey Ink Music catalogue plus futures
for most of the world. The company
will also provide synchronization
services for motion pictures, TV,
advertising, games, ringtones, Internet and other mediums.
Brown has worked with artists including Neil Young,
Faith Hill, Brooks and Dunn, Dolly Parton, Wilson
Phillips, Trace Adkins, Michael McDonald, and more. He
co-wrote Urban's Grammy winning, massive radio hit "You'll
Think of Me" and earned three ASCAP Awards for it. He also
penned "Raining on Sunday" and numerous other songs for
Urban’s last three albums.
Brown has upcoming cuts with Bon Jovi, Jack Ingram,
and Josh Turner’s single, “Why Don’t We Just Dance.” He
also produced and co-wrote a significant part of Radney
Foster’s new release, Revival.
Play MPE Coming To iPhone Destiny Media,
the company behind
Play MPE, has plans
to release an
application for the
iPhone or iPod Touch. The Play MPE system allows labels to
distribute new pre-release music to trusted recipients
including radio, music reviewers, VIPs, DJs, buyers, etc.
securely through the Internet before it is made available for
sale. Its new player application was submitted for inclusion
in the Apple App store on May 9 and approval is expected
imminently.
LeAnn Rimes and Darrell
Brown cowrote Rimes'
"What I Cannot Change."
page 3 Wednesday, September 2, 2009
©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
Biz Leaders Look To Help TJ Martell The T.J. Martell Foundation launched its Business Leaders
Council on Friday, Aug. 28 with a luncheon at The Hutton
Hotel. Co-sponsored by Blue Hat Records and Keaton Music
Ventures, Charlie Daniels is Honorary Chairman of the Council.
The Business Leaders Council is Co-Chaired by David Corlew,
President of Blue Hat Records and Danielle Lares-Bouharoun,
Sr. VP, Sr. Relationship Manager and Manager of Entertainment
Group at Wachovia Wealth Management. During the luncheon
a large group of local business leaders discussed the Martell
Foundation's relationship with the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer
Center and learned of ways their companies can help the
Foundation’s fight against cancer.
CMT On Tour Adds To Schedule Longtime friends and now co-headliners Jamey Johnson
and Randy Houser have announced additional cities as part
of their upcoming CMT On Tour 09: Jamey Johnson and
Randy Houser. The outing is produced by AEG Live and the
new dates are part of a 30 city run that includes stops in
Kansas City, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Indianapolis. This is
the eighth annual tour presented by CMT.
More Artists Set For CCMA Awards The Canadian Country Music Association has announced
the addition of Paul Brandt and Jann Arden to the stellar
lineup of performers at this year's CCMA Awards, to be held
Sept. 13 in Vancouver, BC.
With "My Heart Has A History," Brandt became the first
male Canadian country singer to reach the Top 10 of the
Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in the U.S. He is
nominated for a 2009 CCMA Award for Male Artist of the
Year. Award-winning Arden has 17 Top 10 singles, and is on
Canada's Walk of Fame.
They join previously announced performers Reba McEntire,
Martina McBride, Terri Clark, George Canyon, Crystal
Shawanda, Richard Marx, Doc Walker, Jessie Farrell,
Aaron Pritchett, Emerson Drive, Johnny Reid, Gord
Bamford, Dean Brody, Victoria Banks and Tara Oram.
Free Health Clinic For Musicians On Thurs., Sept. 10 MusiCares and the Faith Family Medical
Center will be providing a free Musician’s Health Clinic to
uninsured or under-insured music professionals. Services
will include physicals, blood and laboratory tests, or an exam
for a specific ailment. These services will be provided free
of charge to eligible applicants. Those wishing to take
advantage of this service must be able to document their
work in the music industry for at least five years or have
credited contribution to six commercially released recordings
or videos (singles). To schedule an appointment, contact
MusiCares at 615-327-0050 or via email at
Tidbits• The ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO will return for the fifth
year in a row to the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los
Angeles April 22-24, 2010. Discounted registration will be
announced by email and Twitter in late October.
• MySpace Records has signed country artist KJ Testin to
a demo deal.
• Alturas Productions artist Jaime Thietten has signed an
exclusive management agreement with Robert Morrison,
President of Chart Noise. She has six releases under her
belt and a video airing on Gospel Music Television.
• Mississippi natives Randy Neely and Whitni Johnson
have signed with ABET International, Inc. in Nashville.
Jamie O'Neal, Ty Herndon and former Army Ranger Keni Thomas
performed a benefit concert on Aug. 29 at the Nashville Palace with
proceeds benefiting the United Warrior Survivor Foundation, which
supports the widows of U.S. special forces operatives killed in the line
of duty since Sept. 11, 2001. (L-R): Thomas, UWSF Exec.Dir. Kelly
Chott, Herndon and UWSF VP Steve Ruth.
SESAC has signed singer/songwriter Carla Williams for representation.
The Lofton Creek Records artist is currently working with producers
Milton Brown and Steve Dorff on her debut CD. (L-R): SESAC's John
Mullins, Williams and SESAC's Tim Fink.
(L-R): Lisa Bush, Hutton Hotel; Chris Keaton, Keaton Music Ventures;
Charlie Daniels, Honorary Co-Chairman of the T.J. Martell Foundation's
Business Leaders Council; Danielle Lares-Bouharoun, Wachovia; and
David Corlew, Blue Hat Records.
page 4 Wednesday, September 2, 2009