Weekly Chart Report (8/06/10)

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SPIN ZONE

Better Angels artist David Adam Byrnes recently visited KBCN in Harrison AR. (L-R): PD Lisa Johnson and Byrnes.

Keith Urban’s “I’m In” and Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight” are still battling it out for the No. 1 spot, and again it’s Urban who emerges victorious by 17 spins. Not far behind is Lady Antebellum’s “Our Kind Of Love” at No. 3, which picks up 125 spins for a total of 3390. Little Big Town’s “Little White Church” and Zac Brown Band’s “Free” both experience minor spin losses, but stick at No. 4 and 5, respectively.

One of the biggest stories of the last two weeks has been Rascal Flatts’ move to Big Machine, and if this week’s chart is any indication, the partnership is an excellent fit. Just days after the announcement of the group’s new single “Why Wait,” the song rockets on the CountryBreakout Chart with one of the year’s biggest debuts at No. 42 and a gain of 837 spins. Only Keith Urban’s “I’m In” has debuted higher in 2010 at No. 41, but it also had a prior week of reporting to bolster its bottom line.

Brad Paisley’s “Anything Like Me” also had a big debut at No. 70 with no previous reporting weeks, and Taylor Swift’s rush-released “Mine” will undoubtedly make a big move with next week’s chart. Stay tuned.

Frozen Playlists: KUUB, KWEY, KWOX, WAAG, WBRF, WDGG, WDHR, WJVL, WKKW, WOOZ, WTCM, WTHO

SPECIAL NOTE
Former Lyric Street VP Radio Marketing Dale Turner ([email protected]) writes in with the following message:

“Wanted to say thank you for the years of partnerships while @ Lyric Street Records. The Walt Disney Company is a great place.

My first love has always been radio and when I moved from radio to records 26 years ago, little did I know I would live and work through so many cycles of ‘change.’ Hell, I might as well write a book about it all, stay tuned!

I also want to ask that wherever Bucky Covington, Sarah Buxton, Kevin Fowler, Tyler Dickerson and/or Love & Theft find new homes for their music to please support them.  They are all compelling artists with music to share with the world and spec1ifically this format and we are all richer for knowing them.  And I hope you’ll continue to support  Rascal Flatts over at Big Machine, those boys have a successful sound and style with plenty of hits still left in them.

The word “team” gets overused alot but I can tell you the team here at this little Disney country label was special and a fun force to be dealt with, I’m so proud to have been part of the legacy of this ‘team.'”

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Upcoming Singles
August 9, 2010
Josh Kelley/Georgia Clay/MCA
Kenny Chesney/The Boys of Fall/BNA
Laura Bell Bundy/Drop On By/Mercury
Taylor Swift/Mine/Big Machine

August 16, 2010
Emerson Drive/That Kind of Beautiful/AMDIAN Music Co./Nine North
Jason Aldean/My Kinda Party/Broken Bow
Brad Paisley/Anything Like Me/Arista
Gretchen Wilson/I Got Your Country Right Here/Redneck/CO5

• • • • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Rascal Flatts/Why Wait/Big Machine — 42
Brad Paisley/Anything Like Me/Arista — 70
Diamond Rio/This Is My Life/Word Records — 77
Bo Bice/You Take Yourself With You/Saguaro Road Records — 79

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Rascal Flatts/Why Wait/Big Machine — 837
Sugarland/Stuck Like Glue/Mercury — 557
Kenny Chesney/The Boys Of Fall/BNA — 348
Luke Bryan/Someone Else Calling You Baby/Capitol — 344
Brad Paisley/Anything Like Me/Arista — 329

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Flynnville Train/Preachin’ to the Choir/Next Evolution Records — 238
David Bradley/Soak It Up/Gecko — 238
Jackie Arredondo/Someone Like You/Gold Voice/Big 7 — 233
Taylor Swift/Mine/Big Machine — 232
Melanie Denard/All I Ever Did Was Love You/StarPath — 200

Two Week Most Added*
Artist/song/label — New adds
Rascal Flatts/Why Wait/Big Machine — 60
Brad Paisley/Anything Like Me/Arista — 29
Sugarland/Stuck Like Glue/Mercury — 28
Luke Bryan/Someone Else Calling You Baby/Capitol — 20
Taylor Swift/Mine/Big Machine — 16
*adds rec’d over previous two weeks

Gwen Sebastian performed at the Relay for Life Benefit Concert in Hampton, IA. Local KLMJ was also part of the event. (L-R): KLMJ GM Craig Donnelly, Sebastian and KLMJ MD Mike Betten.

New Columbia Nashville artist Joanna Smith took her radio tour to Cleveland, OH last week. While in town she took a tour of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum with WGAR staff. (L-R): WGAP PD Charley Connolly; Smith; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Curator Howard Kramer; and Columbia Nashville's Mike Wilson, Promotion National and promotion regional Cliff Blake.


McClymonts To Release U.S. CD

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Can a trio of attractive talented sisters from Grafton, Australia leverage Gold sales in their homeland to create international fame and fortune? The McClymonts intend to find out as Brooke, Sam and Mollie prepare for the U.S. launch of their CD Chaos and Bright Lights plus prepare to tour with Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum starting Aug. 12.

The album will be released on August 17 by Executive Music Group [EMG], an independent music entertainment company based in Dallas, TX which uses multiple promotion teams across many different formats from Rock to Hip-Hop to Country. The McClymonts co-wrote all 12 cuts on the album which was produced by Adam Anders. They recently earned four Country Music Association of Australia awards including Best New Talent and were recognized at the Golden Guitar Awards for the third consecutive year as Group of the Year.

The McClymonts – Save Yourself from Jimmy Swan on Vimeo.

Amazon Offering Hit Albums for $5.00

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You can’t buy a whole lot for five bucks these days, but an August promotion at Amazon.com is seriously increasing the power of a five spot. The company regularly offers a selection of around 50 MP3 albums at the low price point of $5.00, but for the month of August, Amazon is applying that same discount to 1000 top titles, including several top country releases.

In fact, until the end of August, you can choose from an impressive and extensive library of pop, rock, alternative, greatest hits, country, dance, classical, and other genres.

From Keith Urban to Laura Bell Bundy to Blake Shelton to Lady Antebellum to Eric Church, the list makes some of country’s best-selling albums available for a song. Also on the list are releases from Huey Lewis, Lady Gaga, The Bee Gees, Thelonious Monk, Belle & Sebastian, Coldplay, Radiohead, John Coltrane. Brahms and Shakira, to name a few.

Amazon’s MP3 albums are encoded without the use of DRM, and the required Amazon Downloader can automatically add tracks to your iTunes or Windows Media Player library. For more information visit www.amazon.com.

Lady A Sells Out First Show In UK

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After topping international charts on four different continents, Grammy Award-winning trio Lady Antebellum will head to Europe next week for their first headlining show at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Wed., Aug. 11. The concert is already sold out.

“We’ve been looking forward to going to the UK all summer,” says Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott. “I wish we were able to stay a little longer and travel around, but this will at least be a great introduction for us to the new fans and friends we are making over there.”

The group’s International reach has widened considerably with their smash single “Need You Now” claiming the No. 1 spot in Mexico, New Zealand, Switzerland and Brazil and top five status in more than 20 countries including France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Israel. The group’s second album has also climbed to the Top 10 on the album sales charts in the UK, Ireland, Holland, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa, surpassing Gold status in New Zealand and South Africa.

Back in the States, Need You Now is the biggest selling album in all genres in 2010, tallying 2.5 million sales in just six months. Upon their return, the band will perform on Good Morning America live from Central Park on Aug. 27 before kicking off their first US headlining tour on Sept. 20 in Orlando, Fl.

Funeral Arrangements For Bobby Hebb Announced

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Funeral arrangements for Nashville music great Bobby Hebb, who passed away Tuesday, August 3, 2010, at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville at age 72,  have been announced. 

Hebb will lie in state on Friday, August 6, at Terrell Broady Funeral Home, 3855 Clarksville Pike, Nashville, TN, 37218. Visitors can pay their respects from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Family visitation will be held there 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Friday.

Family visitation also will be held between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM Saturday, August 7, at the Baptist World Center, 1700 Baptist World Center Drive, Nashville, TN, 37207. The funeral service  (homegoing celebration) will begin at 11:00 AM Saturday at the Baptist World Center.

Interment will be at Spring Hill Cemetery, 5110 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN, 37216.

Stroudavarious Partners Form New Imprint

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Stroudavarious Records owner James Stroud has announced the launch of Emrose Records, a new imprint formed with Washington-based investor Tom Natelli. Emrose will be based in Nashville and Stroudavarious Records will manage all aspects of the label’s promotion, sales and marketing efforts.

Nashville-based country singer and songwriter Margaret Durante is the first artist signed to the label. Durante’s new single, “Mississippi’s Crying,” will ship to radio later this month. Her debut album, co-produced by Stroud and Stephony Smith, is scheduled for release late this year.

“James Stroud has been an invaluable resource to us for the past three years as Margaret has honed her singing and songwriting skills,” says Natelli. “I couldn’t be more pleased to formalize our relationship with James and his team by forming Emrose Records. It’s a fabulous fit for all of us, and we’re excited to be working with a successful team of industry veterans that understands the evolving world of country music.”

Margaret Durante

“Tom Natelli is one of the brightest business minds I’ve ever encountered,” comments Stroud. “His vision and track record of success in adapting to a changing business climate make him a perfect partner for Stroudavarious Records. Margaret Durante is as gifted a young singer and writer as I’ve seen in a long time.  We couldn’t be launching Emrose with a better artist.”

Promotion duties for Durante’s “Mississippi’s Crying” are being handled by Nine North. Emrose Records will be distributed through Stroudavarious Records’ existing agreement with RED Distribution. Durante is managed by Tony Conway of Ontourage Management.

Americana Assoc. Lifetime Achievement Awards

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The Americana Music Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Awards, to be presented at the AMA’s 2010 Honors and Awards show during the 9th annual Americana Music Festival and Conference September 8-11 in Nashville.

The 2010 Americana Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are rockabilly  star and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Wanda Jackson, heartland rocker John Mellencamp, Luke Lewis, Chairman of Universal Music Group Nashville, multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz, and producer Brian Ahern.

Jackson, Mellencamp, Lewis, Leisz, and Ahern will be honored in the Performance, Songwriting, Executive, Instrumentalist, and Producer/Engineer Lifetime Achievement categories, respectively.

All honorees will be present to receive their awards at the Awards Show September 9 at the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The ceremony will also feature appearances by Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Patty Griffin, Sam Bush, The Avett Brothers, Corb Lund, Will Kimbrough, Sarah Jarosz, and more. Jim Lauderdale will again serve as master of ceremonies, while Buddy Miller will lead an all-star house band.

The awards show is the capstone of the Americana Music Festival & Conference. It is open to the general public and tickets are available through the Ryman Box Office, Ticketmaster and via americanamusic.org, or by calling the AMA office (615.386.6936).

Artists On the Road and In the “House”

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Miranda Lambert’s in the “House”
Miranda Lambert’s most recent chart-topper, “The House That Built Me,” was celebrated by BMI and ASCAP at Sambuca in Nashville on Tuesday evening (8/3). Written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin, the song is the fastest rising single of Lambert’s career and held the No. 1 spot on the charts for four straight weeks.

(l-r): Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Troy Tomlinson, BMI’s Jody Williams, Columbia Nashville’s Jimmy Rector, producer Frank Liddell, ASCAP’s Tim DuBois, Shopkeeper Management’s Marion Kraft, co-writer Allen Shamblin, Miranda Lambert, co-writer Tom Douglas, producer Mike Wrucke, and Sony Music Nashville’s Gary Overton.

• • •

Jerrod Niemann Loves Being No. 1
With “Lover, Lover,” Sea Gayle/Arista Records artist Jerrod Niemann is enjoying the first No. 1 single of his career and the first chart-topper from his recently released No. 1-debuting album, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury. Niemann recently joined WAMZ/Louisville PD Coyote Calhoun to celebrate his success.

Jerrod Niemann (right) with WAMZ’s Coyote Calhoun

• • •

Gary Allan Visits the Motor City
Gary Allan’s Get Off On The Pain tour made a successful stop in Detroit recently and the singer took the opportunity to visit with WYC’s Tim Roberts.

(l-r) Donna Jo Passuntino MCA Nashville regional; Gary Allan; Tim Roberts WYCD

Aristo Media Releases Video Report

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The AristoMedia Group has released its official 2010 Video Outlet Status Reports for data compiled over the last year in the country and Christian music formats.

The annual Video Outlet Status Reports include a detailed look into the trends and opportunities available at national, regional, syndicated, pool/closed-circuit and online video outlets. Both reports reveal an overall increase in demand for video content and rapidly expanding placement at nearly every outlet level.

“While the destinations consumers are finding video content are continually changing, the demand for that content just keeps growing,” says AristoMedia Senior VP of Marketing and Promotion Craig Bann.  “With that demand comes an increase in outlets, whether it be online, television, retail or mobile. Video is as vital as ever, but its role seems to be shifting from just a three-minute music video on television to a platform that can connect with the consumer in a seemingly endless variety of locations.”

The 2010 reports can be viewed in detail at www.AristoMedia.com. An upgrade to this year’s country report is the option to view embedded video clips of actual outlet programming from the regional, multi-regional, syndicated, specialty and closed-circuit levels. Readers can now view samples of multi-regional shows like The Country Vibe with Chuck and Becca, regional programming such as Country Hit Videos and Big Time Country and closed-circuit video providers like Promo Only.

AristoVideo and AristoVision, the two video promotion branches of Nashville-based entertainment marketing and promotion firm, The AristoMedia Group, produce the reports each year as a free service and update of the country and Christian music video industry.

Selected trends from the 2010 Video Outlet Status Reports:

  • In March 2009, Americans watched 14.5 billion videos online.  That number rose to 31.2 billion in March 2010, or an increase of 115 percent, according to ComScore Video Metrix Service.
  • Digital tier expansion and the subsequent creation of digital subchannels are providing new programming opportunities for outlets at every level, including local, regional and national shows.  Newly created shows include The Country Network, Cool TV Network and regional programming like KLPD TV28 in Denver, Colo., WKRP in Cincinnati, Ohio, and KGNG in Las Vegas, Nev.
  • Mobile video continues to thrive, with 17.6 million people watching streaming video on handheld devices in the fourth quarter of 2009, up 57 percent from the same quarter in 2008.
  • The Christian video audience continues to grow, with several Christian outlets expanding to international status in the last year, including The Merge and On Solid Rock.  Total Christian outlets have seen a year-over-year growth of 5.7 percent.
  • Christian crossover appeal remains strong, with acts like Deas Vail securing online premieres on Yahoo and rotation on MTVU, as well as artists John Reuben and Abandon Kansas.

For more information about AristoVideo, visit www.AristoVideoPromo.com, or for more information about AristoVision, visit www.AristoVision.com.

Taylor Swift Single Rush Released Following Leak

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Late yesterday (8/4) Big Machine Label Group announced the rush release of “Mine,” the debut single from Taylor Swift’s upcoming third album, Speak Now, following news that a low-quality MP3 of the song had been leaked. 

As the song began to spread virally, the label, citing “overwhelming fan demand” and a desire “to ensure that Taylor’s fans were able to hear the single as she intended,” immediately made the song available at iTunes and sent the track to radio digitally via Play MPE.

“Mine” was originally scheduled for release on August 16. Within the first couple of hours of its release to country radio, the song had already jumped into the Top 35 on Billboard’s Top Country Songs chart.

Speak Now is scheduled to be released on Big Machine Records on October 25 and contains 14 tracks, all written solely by Swift. The singer co-produced the project with Nathan Chapman.

Starting on August 20, Speak Now will be available for special pre-sale on the site www.SpeakNow13.com. “Mine” is currently available at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mine-single/id385990165.