©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED news@musicrow.com

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 news@musicrow.com

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 news@musicrow.com

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 news@musicrow.com

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

Danielle.Bowker@grammy.com.

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