My favorite film of 2007 is now on DVD. If you haven’t seen it, I would encourage you to pick up a copy of this DVD. It debuted #1 with Amazon and you can go here to see an interview with “Bella” star Eduardo Verástegui.
Adam Gregory is out playing for radio this week and the tour continues in Oklahoma City. The following is from his performance of “Anything At All” for the staff of KKNG. Special thanks to morning gal KC Sheperd.
Successful artists typically fall into two categories: passionate art and commercial appeal. A third category, between the two sweet spots, is a gap where artists can fall into and have a hard time working out of.
Seth Godin explains in his blog:
“A delta blues guy who plays for tiny audiences in Memphis is in the sweet spot of the passionate. John Mayer is in the sweet spot of pop. Both are great guitarists, neither is too edgy or too trite. Both made a choice. But there are a thousand guitarists who are neither. They’re afraid to embrace one curve or the other and end up with neither.”
I’ve witnessed it only occasionally where art and commerce converge in an ultra successful union. Typically artists will either be in one of the sweet spots (some sweeter than others) or they will fall through the cracks within the gap because labels, radio, and retail don’t know what to do with them. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with how talented they are either.
Read the rest of Seth’s article which is spot on applicable to what happens often in the music industry. Check it out here.
Out on the road visiting radio with Adam Gregory. Below are my friends from KSSN/Little Rock and KVOO/Tulsa.
(top photo) KSSN/Little Rock: MD Jeremy Guenther, me, Adam, and PD Chad Heritage
(bottom photo) KVOO/Tulsa: me, morning gal Sunny, Adam, and PD Luke Jensen
The recent news that Wal-Mart is demanding a CD price cut from record labels sent ripples throughout the music industry. Wal-Mart is the nation’s largest music retailer, and they are threatening to pull out entirely from selling CD’s to make room for more profitable product lines (such as iPods, video games, DVD’s). The chain’s recent success selling the Eagles CD exclusively (bypassing traditional labels and music distribution) gives them even more leverage in a rapidly changing music retailing landscape.
Other music retailers watching from the sidelines will await the outcome of this latest skirmish and will also demand concessions of their own to remain competitive. With the costs of doing business at the labels (including finding, launching and developing new artists) on the increase the pressures mount on several fronts. Labels and artists are being pressured to perform like never before.
If Wal-Mart decides to stop selling CD’s it will not have a significant impact on their sales, as they maintain music only accounts for about 1% of their sales volume. Unfortunately the labels (especially certain genres like country) rely on Wal-Mart to the tune of about 40% or more of their sales base on every release. Imagine the quantum shift Wal-Mart’s exodus would create for the music industry. Labels are struggling as-is to not only break new artists but maintain sales bases for their established acts at retail.
Digital sales, while on the upswing do not offset the losses on the physical side at retail. Another trend is the consumer’s desire to pick and choose only the hits, or the songs they like and not the entire album. The next generation of music consumers will not be tied to the prior generation’s album-mentality when it comes to their buying habits. Labels and artists have to develop new sales models to maintain revenue streams and incentivize consumers to step up for their product. Many are experimenting with product exclusives, such as bonus tracks and video content. Some are attempting to drive customers to their web sites for bonus material or opportunities for fans to obtain early access to concert tickets.
The emergence of Live Nation (who recently inked several high-profile deals with the likes of Madonna and U2) as a powerhouse in the music industry indicates the savvy artist is taking more control over key aspects of their careers. The labels are seeking new models and partnerships with retail and radio, along with Internet vehicles to expose artists to consumers. The competition for the entertainment dollar is fierce in the marketplace, as today’s buyer has many more choices than their predecessors.
MySpace, Facebook and other web-based environments are finding their foothold as launching pads for new artists to grow and cultivate fan bases. The marketing gurus in this new arena are seeking and finding alternatives to traditional radio and TV outlets to expose their art. Consumer-driven and designed content is the new conduit. The music and entertainment customer wants to make their choices and have their individual stamp on the finished product, whether it’s picking their own songs to burn to CD or designing their blog pages.
Another challenge this creates for the labels is the artist development process. How long can a company stick with a new artist until they see payoff? What costs should be shared by the artist in this plan? Look at the development of classic artists like Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, et al (neither of which had early commercial or radio success) and wonder if they would have stood a chance in today’s environment. Where is the next generation, and who is passing the baton? The future of the industry will evolve at its own pace, but hopefully the “gatekeepers” will make the right decisions and there will continue to be viable artists.
Meantime, the retail landscape will continue to be a challenge for the labels and the artists, regardless of who is in charge or picking up the checks…
David Sanders is Nashville Label Manager for Koch Entertainment Distribution
KEVIN CHRISTOPHER
Operations Director for Tyler Media, PD KKNG / Oklahoma City, OK
How long with KKNG? 10 years
Previous stations you have been with?
KTLS Ada, OK
Marital Status? Married 18 years to Shari
Kids? Konner 13, Kloe (Chloe) 8
Years in the biz? 23
What do you like best about the OKC market? Oklahomans are fantastic people…and OKC is on the move with great growth and soon…an NBA franchise…and of course, the Sooners!
What is your favorite vacation spot with the family? We go skiing in Breckenridge most every year…great times!
What are the unique challenges of programming in the OKC market? 2 direct country competitors make this market unique and very, very challenging
KKNG just celebrated 10 years on the air. Congratulations! What has been King Country’s biggest moment in the last decade? What are the goals for the next 10 years? Starting as a Classic Country Station and winning 20 out of 21 12+ books was a thrill…now the transition to Mainstream Country and trying to grow the station younger is fun and a challenge.
Are you currently utilizing, or planning to utilize: podcasts, video, texting or other digital technology in your programming and promotions? If so, in what way? We King Pod the morning show each day with 3-4 highlights listeners can download to the Ipods and listen too…tons of video on the site from station events and artist visits…also done a couple of successful text messaging campaigns
What is the most pressing problem radio faces today? How do you think it should be resolved? If we do great radio the listeners will come and the ad dollars will follow…there’s just not enough good radio being done today…we’ve stripped it down to a point where creativity is at a minimum
What can record labels and artists do to better serve you and your station? I have no complaint from the record side…reps could do a better job of doing their homework and understanding our “sound” and seeing if there product fits that sound instead of having their own agenda
If money and time were no object, what would you most like to do? Play golf on the PGA tour.
What are the advantages of working for a smaller radio company like Tyler Media? I can have coffee with my owners every morning and find solutions to problems quickly.
What are your favorite web sites and blogs? RnR, All About Country and All Access…and National Weather Service…I know, that makes me really sound like a geek.
What is the most ridiculous thing about the music business? That could be incriminating…I’ll pass on that question.
I know you play unsigned local or regional country acts. Do you have any particular success stories? Several…spinning the CCR and Kevin Fowler and both are top 6 research for me.
What advice would you give someone wanting to get into the music business? It’s a volatile time…make sure this is really what you want to do before you choose this as a career.
How important is it for a station to be local for their specific market? Extremely, it’s the only thing that differentiates your station from other technology.
THANKS KEVIN!
Many musical acts come and go as my favorites. I add their music to iTunes and then I burn it out. I see them once live and am not motivated to lay down money to see them again. There are but few who’s music I do not get burnt out on and who I will see every time they come to town if I am able.
One of those artists is MuteMath.
I first saw their intense show at the Exit Inn in Nashville several years ago and was blown away. Witnessed the four piece band several more times in Nashville and Austin. From the initial EP to their first official full length release, they have never failed to impress me with their music and talent.
Check them out for yourself with the creative “backward” video of their single “Typical” below and their Mute Math Myspace and Wikipedia sites. You may find they have a sound reminiscent of The Police and U2. Definitely has an 80’s tint to it.
Here’s a video from the second Exit Inn show I saw them at in 2006. It is the uniquely instrumental song “Reset”.
*The Music Advisory will be a regular element on this blog and will spotlight artists I think stand out from the rest. Whether new or established acts, I pledge to keep this feature unbiased by not including artists I work directly with (even though I do think they are all amazingly talented)
For the first time in Academy of Country Music Awards history, the fans have the opportunity to vote along with the industry for the ACM Entertainer of the Year award.
I won’t say who I voted for in all the other categories, but I did cast a ballot for Keith Urban for Entertainer of the Year. I love George Strait - he is the King of Country and one of my favorite artists I’ve worked with in my career, but out of these 5 nominees, Urban puts on the best performance I have seen in the past 12 months. Keith IS an entertainer.
You can vote for your favorite at www.acmvote.com.
A federal judge has ruled that Yahoo, AOL, and RealNetworks could owe songwriters as much as $100 million over seven years as payment for streaming their songs on the web.
ASCAP has been caught up in a court case with the web giants over a blanket licence to compensate songwriters for the music they have created. More on this story here.
ASCAP has posted a press release of the decision on their site.
A recent WIRED article regarding the dominance of iTunes.
By Eliot Van Buskirk
Since its debut five years ago Monday, Apple’s iTunes Store has sold more than 4 billion songs and accounts for approximately 70 percent of digital music sold worldwide. In the next five years, it may well account for a staggering 28 percent of all music sold worldwide.
By 2012, digital music is projected to account for 40 percent of music sold, according to InStat. If Apple holds onto its current market share, it will account for more than one-quarter of all music sales by its ninth birthday. Not bad for freeware.
“I’m very skeptical about whether iTunes can be unseated, because there’s not a lot of consumer pain there,” said Paul Resnikoff, editor of Digital Music News.
Digital Music News recently found that iTunes is installed on nearly 30 percent of all computers worldwide, making it the most widely installed music store application in the world.
When Apple snapped up a little music program called SoundJam MP back in 2000, no one predicted that the iTunes application it became would lead to a complete restructuring of the music industry.
Like all journeys, iTunes’ reinvention of the music business began with a single inauspicious step. The major labels agreed to license their music only to Apple because the iTunes Store ran exclusively on Macs, representing a “sandbox” in which the labels could test the fledgling online music market.
Of course, once the labels saw Mac users snapping up their songs, the Windows version followed soon after, setting the stage for iTunes’ dominion over the digital music market, which it has held onto ever since.
The key to iTunes’ continued success has clearly been the iPod, but as iPod sales plateau, Apple may need to rethink its iTunes strategy, especially because its partners in the music business are looking for ways to give its competition an unnatural advantage.
“Apple is under pressure from the four major labels to change its pricing model to a tiered pricing structure,” said Susan Kevorkian, an IDC audio analyst. “The way the labels are pressuring Apple is by withholding DRM-free downloads from the service … [while] cultivating other online music services, most notably Amazon’s MP3 downloads store.”
But despite its compatibility with the iPod, Amazon isn’t stealing many customers from iTunes — only 10 percent of Amazon MP3 customers have bought from iTunes in the past.
“They’re playing on the periphery of this dominant iTunes application,” Resnikoff said. “Why would I want to go outside of that?”
Despite the apparent toothlessness of the current Amazon threat, pundits agree that Apple needs to make significant changes to maintain its lead.
Kevorkian thinks Apple should cede to label demands for tiered pricing to stave off a possible migration to stores that lack DRM and offer lower prices. Besides, she says, Apple’s 99-cents-per-song strategy has served its purpose: to put digital music “on the radar” of the music-buying public.
Apple has other ways to grow iTunes without relying on the iPod — even ideas Jobs has pooh-poohed in the past, such as music subscriptions. The most obvious (and least likely) scenario is a PlaysforSure-style subscription service, which would require a new, stronger version of FairPlay DRM and rule out compatibility with older iPods.
A more likely option would be an eMusic-style subscription in which customers get a fixed number of songs per month, receiving a better deal than if they’d purchased the songs individually.
Then there’s the so-called “unlimited music” iPod, which could be on the horizon. “We think the issue holding things up is how much money per iPod the labels get,” Kevorkian said.
If Apple tires of butting heads with the labels, it could eventually cut them out of at least part of the equation by forming its own record label to keep a portion of the estimated 65 cents it currently pays out to the labels for each song sold.
“Digital distribution makes the economics of the industry so different,” Kevorkian said. “That, coupled with Apple’s tremendous brand name and reputation as an online music distributor, could make it a very important point of departure.”
All it would take, she said, is the addition of an A&R department for scouting bands.
Dan Frakes, senior editor of MacWorld, agrees: “I think Apple will eventually work directly with the creators of content, allowing iTunes to sell original content without having to go through the entertainment industry.”
Only Steve Jobs knows which of these paths Apple will take, but in general, iTunes’ prospects for the next five years looks about as bright as they have been for the last five.
“If Apple keeps doing what it’s doing,” Resnikoff said, “I don’t think you’ll see any factors really eroding iTunes’ installation percentage. It’s an application that works so well.”
Teen Magazine has a feature on Adam Gregory this month:
“Meet Adam Gregory, a 22-year-old country crooner who’s our pick for the next big thing! We just love his new single, “Crazy Days,” and thought you guys would get a kick out of “meeting” him. So, without further ado…….”
Go here to check out the complete Teen interview with Adam.
Peter Cooper blogs about how mobile devices are hurting music in a way you might not have thought about:
When people talk about the things that are allegedly “killing” music, they usually go on about vocal tuning technology, the demise of physical product, too many cookie cutter acts, etc. Here’s what’s really killing music, though: cell phones.
In Nashville, the problem goes beyond the dunderheads who “forget” to turn off their ringers and wind up interrupting poignant, compelling or otherwise groovy moments with some kind of seemed-clever-at-the-time ring tone. The problem here extends to people who turn their ringers off but who glance at their Blackberry devices every two minutes and actually type email during performances. To all around, this sends the message, “Whatever the performer is doing is not worthy of my attention.” At a regular club show, this is irritating as all get out. At one of the “showcases” where a performer is presumably auditioning for a record contract or publishing contact, it’s heartbreaking.
Check out the rest of this article on Tennessean.com HERE.
Paul Resnikoff in Los Angeles writes about how different platforms are converging and will become nearly indistinguishable from one another and how that will change the patterns of licensing. Check it out at Digital Music News.
ANDY ELLIOTT
PD Citadel KJJY/KHKI Des Moines, IA
Marital Status: Married
Children: 3 girls Darby 13, Libby 10, Ava 1 (pictured)
Previous stations you have been with: KIOA in Des Moines (Oldies) and KOKZ in Waterloo (Hot AC)
Years in biz: 17
How long have you lived in Des Moines and worked at 92.5 KJJY & 97.3 The Hawk? I was born and raised in Des Moines and have worked for KJJY since 1992. I took over KHKI 3 years ago.
What is your favorite thing to do in Des Moines? I love to golf and we also have one of the nicest Triple A ballparks in the country so I like to catch a game with a brat and beer now and then.
What are the unique challenges of programming two country stations in the Des Moines market? The hardest part is making sure each station has it’s own identity.
If money and time were no object, what would you most like to do? Become a professional poker player.
What are your favorite web sites and blogs? I enjoy You Tube and CBS Sportsline during football season ( Go Pack ). I suppose your blog will become a favorite of mine too.
What is the most ridiculous thing about the music business? All of the over thinking that goes on. A hit is a hit and a stiff is a stiff. No amount of spin can change that in the long run.
Do you ever play local or regional country acts? If so, do you have a success story? We have a local guy here named Jason Brown. He’s a great guy with an unbelievable fan base. He’s also been able to find some very strong songs. He’s been a nice little secret for us over the last couple years and I hope the secret gets out because he’s a very deserving artist.
What advice would you give someone wanting to get into the music business? Take care of your fans. They don’t care about the politics of the music business. They care about feeling a connection with you and believing that you know how valuable they are to you.
How important is it for a station to be local for their specific market? Outside of the music, it’s the most important thing. You have the chance to give them something that no one else can.
You and the stations have a great reputation of being aggressive and playing new music. How do you make sure that strategy (which I completely agree with by the way) works to the stations advantage? I’m in a unique situation where I have two stations. I’m able to be extremely aggressive on one station and then gage reaction to determine what’s working before we commit to the other station.
Could Eddie Hatfield run for mayor of Des Moines and win? Only if they would let him govern from his recliner at home. You could bet there would be great food at all the council meetings.
Being a fellow Green Bay fan, how do you think the team will perform with Aaron Rodgers at the helm? It all depends on his durability. If he can stay healthy, I think we’ll be back in the playoffs. If he is injury prone…I’m blaming you.
Thanks Andy!!
This musical video features David Ford performing every part of his debut single “Go To Hell” in one take. Using multiple layers, loops and some coffee, it’s impressive to watch.
I’d like to see the ratio and breakdown of recently successful acts from record labels. A comparison of brand new artists that no one has heard of to artists that have been lifted off one of the following: American Idol, Nashville Star, Dancing With The Stars, MySpace, from another format, through Muzik Mafia, or from independent labels.
Where are the new star acts that can say they were actually scouted and discovered by a major label? Like when an A&R rep would be on the road and hear the buzz about an incredible artist, who they went to see, and then brought to Nashville to showcase and sign?
Yes, it still happens on occasion, but it seems so rare and sometimes more accidental than anything else.
Has allowing television, the Internet, publishers, and indie labels do the ground work for them made most major labels complacent or has the business of finding acts changed?
Sure social networks and YouTube has made discovery easier and more cost effective, but I have to think there is plenty of pure amazing talent out there that didn’t audition for a television show and doesn’t have the time or means to market themselves full time on the Internet.
Let’s find them. For all of our sake.
A feature on the Leadership Music Digital Summit can be found in The Tennessean. It’s based on what I thought was one of the weaker panels of the day, “Can I Really Ditch A Record Label?”. The title of the panel was interesting and the potential was great, but it ended up being mostly about the positive aspects of major labels and not about how an artist can truly succeed without one (which I thought was the point of the panel). Read the article here.
Music Row magazine also has a write up about the same panel here.
The opening night gala for the 2008 Nashville Film Festival recently took place. The red carpet walk included Emerson Drive, William H. Macy, Jessi Alexander, Carter’s Chord, Wild Bill, and other notable guests for the debut night featured film “The Deal”.
One of the more interesting panel discussions of the Leadership Music Digital Summit yesterday was “Digital Retail: What’s The Future?”
On the issue of the future of CD product, UMG Nashville EVP Sales, Marketing & New Media Ben Kline said, “I can’t imagine CD’s ever going away. I can’t imagine Wal-Mart and Target not selling hard product. It’s the ones (retailers) in the middle that will be hurt. I don’t think you’ll be able to walk into a mall and purchase a CD.” Kline went on to comment, ”We still can’t afford to be in the singles business” when asked about the current state of selling digital singles and why labels are not being more singles driven.
One of the major discussions prevailing was how to grow digital sales as CD sales fall. Each panelist had their own ideas including:
- Better devices
- Ubiquitousness
- Multiple product offerings in one bundle
- Player compatibility and coordination between platforms
- Exceed experience of music ownership with consumers
- Stop narrow focusing on subscription based models
On the subject of future business models within retail, the industry vets responded with:
- Ben Kline: “Demand price models (where price is equal to the demand of the music). Not every song should be .99 cents.”
- EMI CMG VP Sales & Marketing Mark Adkinson added, ”Steve Jobs can’t run our business for us or he will run it right into the ground. He wants to sell devices, not music.” Mark also stressed the need for pervasive distribution within the music industry.
Leadership Music Digital Summit is going on today in Nashville. The keynote was delivered by the CEO of iLike, Ali Partovi, who mentioned that it was the first keynote he has given.
With all of the questions, concerns and potential regarding the future of music technology, Ali made a point to say, “What I’m most excited about is the discovery and promotion of music”.
Ali compared traditional broadcast media with new media:
**Traditional media is “untargeted, focused only on hits & singles, while album development suffers”.
**Digital media is “personalized, social, syndicated, targeted and enables artists to pursue their dreams.”
Partovi went on to say that digital media “could replace or solve the problems of traditional broadcasting”.
More highlights from the Digital Summit will be posted this week.
WGNE & Emerson Drive Team Up For Charity
RENDA BROADCASTING Country WGNE (99.9 GATOR COUNTRY)/JACKSONVILLE is partnering with MIDAS RECORDS group EMERSON DRIVE to help the kids at ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL.
The boys recorded a special acoustic version of the LIFEHOUSE song “You and Me,” recently; it’s available exclusively for download at www.999gatorcountry.com for a $1 donation to ST. JUDE.
Click here to hear a sample of the song and here to download.
Tim Jones
Program Director - Citadel WGKX Memphis
Previous employment:
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KBQI/KSYU Albuquerque PD
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Clear Channel HD Format Lab PD
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WDDD Marion-Carbondale, IL PD
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KEZS Cape Girardeau, MO PD
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KDXY/KDEZ Jonesboro, AR PD
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WYCQ Nashville, TN On-Air
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KFIN/KIYS Jonesboro, AR Evening Personality
Years in biz: 18
What do you miss about Albuquerque? The golf courses, my cousin Mark and various friends, the dry weather and the Sandia mountains.
What is your favorite restaurant in Memphis? Hands down… always will be the world famous Rendezvous.
What are the unique challenges of programming in the Memphis market? Memphis is a great market to program in but just like Albuquerque I find myself in an ethnic battle for the top spot. This is not only challenging but often frustrating.
Are you currently utilizing, or planning to utilize: podcasts, video, texting or other digital technology in your programming and promotions? If so, in what way? We are doing some podcasts and video. The texting is on the horizon for us as well. I am excited about the future of technology hence why I have an Iphone. I love it.
What is the most pressing problem radio faces today? How do you think it should be resolved? Shrinking budgets and audience. I believe you have to put money in to make money. I am very fortunate that Citadel still believes in this as well. I am very blessed to be in this company. As far as audience goes, people’s tastes change, we have to change with them and give them what they want or they will go somewhere else.
What can record labels and artists do to better serve you and your station? I think country does a great job. You will not find rock or pop artists doing what country will. We are very lucky.
If money and time were no object, what would you most like to do? Travel around the world on my time schedule with no cell phone and on my own personal jet with my best friends and family in tow.
I’ve never known a time where Rita did not work the front desk. How long has she been there now? 14 years and counting, she rocks.
What are your favorite web sites and blogs? I am a Perez Hilton/TMZ addict. I also check out NY times, All Access, Ebay, Mediabase and Yahoo daily. Crazy thing is my search engine is GOOGLE but my home page is Yahoo. I know, doesn’t make sense to me either.
What is the most ridiculous thing about the music business? That could turn into a novel. Do you really want me to go there?
Do you ever play local or regional country acts? If so, do you have a success story? I am a fan of a local guy here: The Brad Kessler Band. This kid has something. We’ve spun him here and there and he always opens for us when we need him.
What advice would you give someone wanting to get into the music business? This too could be another novel. Main point would be …be careful who you are getting into business with. Personally, I think some of the old blood in Nashville needs to move on because they are way behind times. Sorry, that was my inside voice.
How important is it for a station to be local for their specific market? That’s the thing that keeps us close to the listener…no matter what anyone tells you…this is the key!
THANKS TIM!
The following video is of Valory Music’s Chris Loss at The Crystal Palace in Bakersfield as he partakes in a little karaoke fun. It’s a prime example of why we, as music industry reps, work behind the scenes and not as actual artists. Chris, you do have some sweet moves though.
Flight of the Conchords. They are brilliantly funny. Où est le bibliothèque?
A couple of Lefsetz gems this week:
“The major labels have lost their luster. By wanting to reside in the twentieth century, by playing by old rules. By wanting instant success, instant riches, at a high price to the consumer. But that era is never coming back.
Today we’re closing the door on the twentieth century. Today we’re drawing a line in the sand, that acts last, not executives. The future of this business will be based on artistry. The music will come before commerce. It has to. The old tricks of scarcity and publicity used to drive the old moguls’ priorities no longer work in the new world. There will be a new set of moguls. Who know this. No one from the old world has evidenced an ability to adapt.”
and this………
“Madonna may have made a deal with LiveNation, but that does not mean she’s the ubiquitous cultural icon she once was. No one can be. There’s no center and too much choice. We watched those shows on network television in the sixties because we had no choice. As soon as we had options, we abandoned the networks for cable. And now some are abandoning the box completely for the Web.
It’s kind of funny to see Madonna trying so hard. And that’s what she’s doing. Rather than kicking back and figuring out how to play in the new world, she’s just ramping it up old style. Add on the glitz, add on the glamour… Like someone under forty who wasn’t around the first time through is even going to give a shit. Like kids are going with their buddies to see her at overinflated prices because of the new hit. Nah, if they go to the show at all it will be with their parents, as nostalgia.
Give Radiohead and Trent Reznor props. They’re living in the now. Madonna is living in the twentieth century. It’s as if Michael Jordan assembled a superstar team of young ‘uns to go for an NBA championship… It would be creepy. And just looking at Madonna is creepy. Wasn’t she the one with the air conditioned teeth and the chubby thighs? Wasn’t she the one with the sassy mouth, but the body of the girl next door? Wasn’t she attractive because she was playing dress-up? Wasn’t she Susan in that movie? Wasn’t that truly her own screen success? When she was an underdog, someone who didn’t fit in, as opposed to a superstar giving dictation?
But this isn’t solely about Madonna. It’s about Jay-Z. It’s about anybody who sold millions of albums under the old paradigm. You just can’t do it anymore. You just can’t get enough eyeballs. You’re a niche product, no matter how hard you flog yourself.
I was sitting in a restaurant in Toronto. And I put forth the question, have you heard the new Madonna track?
Karen, one of Canada’s foremost music journalists, on the trail of everything new and trendy, said no.
Tanya, an exec at EMI Music Publishing, said no.
Felice said no.
And I said no too.
But according to the chart, the Madonna track was number one.
I guess the chart doesn’t mean much anymore.”
The Mother Church of country music, The Ryman Auditorium, in downtown Nashville. Original home of the Grand Ol’ Opry. So many photos of this historical building have been taken, it is difficult to show it in a unique way. This is my attempt.
Radio Ink recently released the findings of a phone survey of 1,004 U.S. adults. Among the findings the survey showed that 53 percent of listeners said they stick with a station through commercial breaks, 35 percent change the station, and 8 percent turn off the radio. And those who change the station tend to do it quickly: Seventy-seven percent of those who tune away do it within 30 seconds after commercials begin. I‘ve seen other surveys where the numbers for losing listeners during commercial breaks are even higher.
Personally, I will punch out of a station that is playing a really bad spot, especially if the ad is poorly voiced by the owner of the company (hello Tom Shane?). I’ll also find another station if an advertisement is loud and annoying or if there are more than three or four 60 second spots back to back. Production and content of the commercial really does matter.
When I was in radio we had a full time production person and that’s all they did. Not many of those anymore with budget cuts and staff members wearing multiple hats and spreading themselves thin.
In thinking about the future, how much longer can the current advertising spot system last? Is there a better way to set up advertising and partnerships to better utilize time, money, positioning and ratings? Especially with the current battle that has emerged with other entertainment options (some of them commerical free).
The only time I find myself sticking around is if the spot is delivered with personality by the DJ or talk show host. If it is done live with improvisation, all the better. Give me authenticity and creativeness. If a host can pull that off, it is not only entertaining, but the represented company is better served. However, this can backfire when the host is delivering too many live spots and they suddenly become recorded “live” reads. Which leads us back to annoying.
An even better scenario for advertisers is the shorter and focused spots that are live or that “sponsor” an entire half hour or other segment of time. You know the type….”This half hour brought to you by insert company here…..”
Am I the only one that thinks something different should emerge in the way ads are produced, presented and scheduled? Maybe an entirely new and innovative type of advertising revenue stream will emerge through podcasting, texting, or social networking? There has to be a better way.
It will take a bold radio company to step out and set a new course.
Tempted to throw away that old promo copy from a label? UMG says that sort of action is “unauthorized distribution” and therefore illegal. Read the details here.
So what happens when a radio station gives a promotion CD away and the winner turns around and sells it at a garage sale or tosses it in the trash? Could the contest winner be sued as well?
Goodwill and Salvation Army better watch their backs!
This is so 1990’s.
From emarketer.com:
A January 2008 Arbitron-Edison Media Research study found that an estimated 33 million Americans had listened to online radio in the past week.
This represents 13% of the US population ages 12 and older, and is an increase over the previous year when 11% of the population (29 million) had listened to online radio in the past week.
Podcasting use is also rising and now reaches 18% of the US population, up from 13% a year ago. An estimated 23 million, or 9% of Americans had listened to a podcast in the past month.
“Traditional radio and Internet-only radio must realize that they are now part of an even broader world of online information and entertainment options and respond accordingly,” said Pierre Bouvard, president of sales and marketing at Arbitron.
“Advertisers who want to go where the trends are pointing need to be more involved with the new forms of audio media as they continue to expand,” Mr. Bouvard said.
With the Summer Olympics fast approaching, you can watch the world compete for gold and hear National Anthems from around the globe. Impress your family and friends by brushing up on your anthems here.
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50 Cent and Universal Music Group are being sued for promoting the “gangsta lifestyle”. Read about it here.
That got me thinking about what lifestyle country music is promoting. Who could sue us? Soccer moms? Former 70’s rock fans? The state of Texas?
See comments and please feel free to add your own.
Debut of the Adam Gregory video for “Crazy Days”. Directed by Wes Edwards. Check out more information on his web site www.adamgregory.com.
Directed by Wes Edwards
How would you feel about a music site that organizes music according to your moods? What would be your thoughts about a destination where you can legally download MP3’s based on emotions?
Guitarati is conducting this grand sonically visual experience by assigning colors to music.
It is certainly unique and outside the box, but will it resonate?
Midas Records/No Strings Attached recording artist Adam Gregory is making his U.S. debut with the release of “Crazy Days.” The single was co-written by Adam, Lee Brice, Kyle Jacobs and Joe Leathers and was co-produced by Keith Follese and Brad Allen.
Though he’s just 22 years old, Adam Gregory draws on more than a decade’s worth of writing and performing experience for his upcoming debut album on Midas.
Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Adam’s musical journey began when he wrote his first composition at age 12 and was signed to a record deal with Sony Canada. After recording his debut album, he launched into life as a road warrior opening shows for the likes of Alan Jackson, Keith Urban and Lonestar. Adam scored several top ten hits on Canada’s country charts throughout his teens, gaining a loyal following with the release of three studio albums.
Now in Nashville, Adam looks forward to bringing his music to the U.S. market. He is currently on a series of radio tours promoting the single release and looking forward to continued touring in support of the upcoming album.
I love maps. Especially very old maps. I’ve always found them facinating and have acquired several antique maps for the “study” room at the house. For this reason I love the blog Strange Maps. This particular post about Arizona and New Mexico is particularly interesting: “The Civil War and the Death of Horizontalism”
A rare earthquake in Texas occured today, six miles from Falls City and 45 miles from San Antonio. Anyone in the area feel it?
Emerson Drive, Southwest Airlines and the Nashville Film Festival are teaming up and giving away a trip to Las Vegas and the ACM Awards. Love music? Into film? Dig Southwest? Well then here’s the lowdown:
A short Businessweek.com article on labels trying to play catch up with digital opportunties and the latest music partnership with MySpace. Click this to check it out.
Amy and I went to a party for our good friends Mitch and Sarah who are getting married later this month. It was at the home of their friends David Thoener and Tamera Petrash. David is a highly regarded sound engineer, mixer and producer. I knew that he worked on the Santana project and won a Grammy in 2000 for “Smooth”. Cool. Great song.
So we went to their home and it was a nice group of friends and new people we hadn’t met before. After engaging in some wine and cake, Amy and I decided to go explore the house since it had a nice variety of art and music industry awards.
In David’s office I noticed a wall full of gold and platinum albums (yes, the door was open). I couldn’t help but to check them out. I still remember how much I wanted one of those back before moving to Nashville and it finally happened in 1994 with The Mavericks. Such an amazing memory that lead to more “awards” over the years. I’m very proud to have played a part in so many artists careers and music and the plaques are nice reminders of that. Over time though, they just aren’t that important to me anymore, but I still love to look at them when they are displayed at other people’s homes or businesses. Especially the blasts from the past.
The first plaque on David’s wall to catch my eye was the J. Geils Band “Freeze Frame”. Wow! That was one of my favorite records in high school. Then I noticed Billy Squier “Emotions In Motion”. No way! Another fantastic album. Then a quick scan of the rest: Heart, Sammy Hagar, Meat Loaf, AC/DC, Aeorosmith, KISS, Triumph, Bon Jovi, The Fixx, Billy Joel, The Hooters, ELO, Def Leppard and many others. It was everything I listened to in my youth. The Rock utopia of the 70’s and early to mid 80’s.
Amy said I was standing there with my mouth open just staring. It was like the soundtrack of my high school years before my eyes as the songs on those albums created flash points in time. A memory of listening to J. Geils “Centerfold” on a beat up radio while riding to school on the bus. Or camping out for Billy Squier tickets that went on sale Saturday morning right after the Sammy Hagar concert ended on Friday night. When “Pyromania” came out and rocked my world. Seeing Bon Jovi open up for the unmasked KISS. Turning it up to 10 when the cannons fired on AC/DC’s “For Those About To Rock”.
As I continued to be amazed at the wall, David walked into the room and proceeded to tell stories about how he recorded the cannons on the AC/DC track. What Bon Jovi was like back in the day before he exploded. Working with Mutt Lange, Gene Simmons, Santana, David Bowie, Def Leppard, ELO, and John Mellencamp on albums and in the studio. The history of my rock and roll years. The songs and artists that influenced my taste in music. David was in the mix. Literally!
David, according to his bio, started his career in 1974 as an assistant engineer at the Record Plant in New York City. He learned his craft working on such seminal albums as Aerosmith “Toys In The Attic,” Bruce Springsteen “Born To Run,” David Bowie “Young Americans,” John Lennon “Walls and Bridges,” Electric Light Orchestra “Face The Music” and Richie Blackmore “Rainbow Rising.”
He began engineering and mixing records in 1976, and since then has enjoyed a thirty year run of hit records including classic records for AC/DC (”For Those About To Rock”) , John Mellencamp (including “Little Pink Houses”), John Waite (including the smash “Missing You”), J. Geils Band (all of their hits), Matchbox 20 and many others.
He has worked on countless Country and Contemporary Christian projects as well. If you’d like to check out his complete discography with dates please go here.
Just when you think you can’t be awed any longer in Music City, there is always a surprise waiting to happen. That’s one of the reasons I love this town and the incredibly creative and down to earth people in it.
I am on a mission now to have David guest blog.
An integration of CBS Radio’s webstreams into Last.FM is underway and includes all formats. This follows last month’s announcement of AOL and CBS Radio joining together for sharing content. Last.FM CEO Felix Miller hopes it will lead to more collaboration.
This type of integration and partnership is essential for the long term relevancy of terrestrial radio. There is still much to do, but it is a step in the right direction.
Wanna hear it? Go to their myspace site and click on it.
You can also go here to check out the lyrics.
Batter up!!
From portfolio.com:
Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman, Jr., is considering one of the boldest plans to combat illegal downloading and peer to peer file sharing networks. The idea? To charge everyone using the internet.
Consumers would pay a monthly fee, bundled into an internet-service bill in exchange for unlimited access to a database of all known music.
Read the entire article here and decide if this is an innovative idea or another desperate attempt to “fix” a broken business model.