ACM Sets Voting Timeline

The Academy of Country Music announced today (10/10) the ballot timeline for professional membership voting for the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, to be held in Spring 2012 on an as-yet-unannounced date.

For members to be eligible to vote during the 2012 Awards cycle:

New membership applications must be completed by 5:00 PM PT on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011

Existing membership renewals must be completed by 5:00 PM PT on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011

The ballot timeline for professional members:
1st Ballot Opens – Mon., Dec. 5, 2011
1st Ballot Closes – Mon., Dec. 12, 2011

2nd Ballot Opens – Mon., Jan. 9, 2012
2nd Ballot Closes – Mon., Jan. 16, 2012

3rd Ballot Opens – Mon., March 5, 2012
3rd Ballot Closes – Mon., March 12, 2012

Nominees will be revealed in February 2012 at a date to be announced.

Details about fan voting will be announced at a later date.

For more information on ACM Awards criteria click to download pdf.

 

Sell-Out Is Simply Marketing Slang

We’ve all heard stories about concert tickets selling out within minutes of the box office opening. But what actually constitutes a sold-out show?

Ticketing and live events experts agree: Sold out is a marketing term, not a technical one. And it means different things to different marketers.

One rep from a local venue says that he has only seen one show in his nearly 20-year career where no tickets of any kind were available. Thus, it is extremely rare—maybe once every decade or so in large arenas—that when the box office closes, there isn’t one seat available anywhere in the house.

Most fans and members of the industry would agree that a sell-out is when tickets can no longer be purchased by the general public. But, as those in the biz know, this doesn’t mean that the right connections can’t get you in the door. Instead, plenty of tickets are set aside for production holds, artist holds, etc.

However, some artist reps use the term sell-out very loosely, in an effort to fuel media publicity, accrue bragging rights, and sell more tickets. Marketers might spread the word that a concert is sold out when there are no pairs of tickets available, only singles. Or they might deem a show sold out when the only remaining tickets are relatively expensive, perhaps over the $100 mark.

It’s a common practice for tickets to be released to the public the day of the show. After the stage is set up, venue reps can gauge clear sightlines from various points in the audience and then open up for purchase seats that previously had questionable visibility. Even if no one buys those last-minute tickets, the concert is still referred to as a sell-out.

 

Urban On People.com, Ellen Show

Keith Urban is launching a new single and new fragrance this fall. He is set to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show tomorrow (10/11) where he will perform “You Gonna Fly” and promote his new men’s cologne, Phoenix.

Partnering with People.com, Urban recently launched a nationwide contest to create a 30-second commercial spot for Phoenix. The grand prize winner will be hand selected by Urban and the commercial will be broadcast on national network television. The contest will run through Nov. 11. Details at www.KeithUrban.net.

He recently scored his 13th No. 1 single with “Long Hot Summer.” At the upcoming CMA Awards, Urban is vying for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He will close his Get Closer 2011 World Tour Oct. 15 in Minneapolis, MN.

Broken Bow Amps Up Promo Dept.

Clay Henderson

Broken Bow Records has announced the promotion of Clay Henderson to the position of Director of Syndicated Programming where he will be responsible for both the Broken Bow and Stoney Creek imprints.

Henderson moves up from BBR’s promotion department, where he served as a Southeast regional. His career also includes time at Warner Bros., Universal South and AristoMedia/Marco Promotions.

“As BBR/SCR continues its growth and looks forward to a busy and exciting 2012, adding someone to focus on Syndicated Radio and also assist Lynette Garbonola in our New Media Department was an important next-step,” says Jon Loba, Sr. VP of Broken Bow/ Stoney Creek Records. “Clay’s skill-set and work ethic fit perfectly with what we envision this position ultimately encompassing.”

Scotty O'Brien

Additionally, Broken Bow has hired Nashville radio personality Scotty O’Brien to fill the vacant Southeast Regional Promotion Director position. O’Brien’s resume includes on-air work with Cumulus Nashville and Star 94 and Kicks 101.5 in Atlanta.

“We are all incredibly excited about Scotty joining the BBR family,” says Carson James, BBR Sr. VP of Promotion. “Scotty’s enthusiasm, invaluable radio experience and his love of music make him the perfect fit for our team as we move into the next chapter of BBR.”

O’Brien starts immediately and will officially take over regional duties January 2, 2012. Congratulate him here.

NATD Names Officers, Board

Karen Entz, NATD Executive Secretary, has announced the 2011/2012 Officer and Board of Directors serving the Nashville Association of Talent Directors.

President: Steve Tolman, LogiCom Project Mgmt.

Immediate Past President: Rod Harris, jenn-rod artist directions

1st Vice President: Bonnie Sugarman, Agency for the Performing Arts

2nd Vice President: Ed Bazel, The Bazel Group, Inc.

Officers At Large:
Tony Conway, Conway Entertainment Group

Rob Battle, Battle Artist Agency

Rod Essig, Creative Artists Agency

Mike Smardak, Outback Concerts

Carrie Moore-Reed, Third Coast Talent Agency

Jeff Debusk, The Music Sanctuary

Sergeant At Arms: Josh Debusk, The Music Sanctuary

Attorney: Philip Lyon, Lyon & Phillips, PLLC

Treasurer: Randi Perkins, Amerisong, Inc.

Membership Chairman: Neal Spielberg, Spielberg Consulting

Karl Braun Expands Role at HBSS

Karl Braun

The Nashville office of Hall Booth Smith & Slover, P.C., recently announced that partner Karl M. Braun will head its new Family Law and Mediation practice group.

Braun also leads the firm’s Intellectual Property/Entertainment group and has decades of experience in extensive transactional and litigation practices.

“Karl Braun brings 19 years of experience, talent and passion to the Family Law and Mediation practice group,” said Buck Cole, a partner with the firm’s Nashville office.

Braun has been with HBSS for nearly 17 years and recently received his Rule 31 mediator designation. He has served as an advocate in a number of mediation settings and is experienced in finding alternatives to litigation. Braun is accompanied in the practice by Bart Pickett, who joined the firm last year.

In addition to his experience as an attorney, Braun has spent more than 15 years as a professional musician and songwriter. Braun attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, where he studied music and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in creative writing. He attended Georgia State University College of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate magna cum laude in 1992.

Sugarland Will Return To Indiana For Free Concert

Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland will return to Indiana for a free concert at Conseco Fieldhouse on Oct. 28. The full-band show will also serve as the final stop of Sugarland’s 2011 Incredible Machine Tour.

Regardless of refund status, Sugarland plans to honor all previous ticketholders from the Aug. 13 Indiana State Fair show at this new date. Ticket distribution will start with a first-come, first-serve “presale” for previous ticketholders before the release of seats to the general public. The “presale” will begin Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. ET, and end Oct. 14 at midnight ET.

Fans who bought State Fair show tickets online or via telephone through Ticketmaster or the Indiana State Fair (ISF) will receive unique passwords via email or phone to redeem the same number of tickets they originally purchased. Fans who participated in the Sugarpass fan club presale will receive an email with ticket redemption instructions for use on Sugarlandmusic.com. Original Sugarpit ticketholders will have first priority to choose Sugarpit for this show as well.

Remaining seats for the Conseco Fieldhouse show will be released to the general public Saturday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. ET on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets will be free via Ticketmaster.

Doors on the night of the performance will open at 6:30 p.m. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Contributions to the Indiana State Fair Remembrance Fund will be gratefully accepted throughout the night. Special guests will be announced at a later date.

For more information on Sugarland’s return to Indiana and/or how to redeem previously purchased tickets for this performance, please visit www.SugarlandMusic.com.

New West Announces Executive Changes

Gary Briggs

New West Records recently announced the promotion of Gary Briggs to Sr. Vice President of A&R and Artist Relations. Briggs, who is based in Austin TX, will be responsible for discovering and developing new talent. He will also continue to manage relations for the current roster, which includes longtime artists John Hiatt, Steve Earle, Kris Kristofferson, and newer signings Robert Ellis and Buxton.

Previously Briggs oversaw all AAA radio promotion campaigns in addition to producing the Live From Austin TX CD and DVD line. Prior to New West Records, Briggs was Owner/President of Beyond Rust Management representing Lucinda Williams, M Ward and Beth Orton in partnership with Azoff Music Management. Briggs also previously served as President of Vapor Records, a label founded by Neil Young and his managers, Elliot Roberts and Frank Gironda. Additionally, he held the title of VP of Artist Relations/Creative Marketing at Warner Bros. Records, where he worked on projects involving Wilco, Chris Isaak, Eric Clapton, Don Henley, Mark Knopfler and Neil Young.

“I am excited about where we are headed as a company and am confident that Gary Briggs can lead us in that new direction” says George Fontaine, Owner and President of New West Records. “Gary’s artistic instincts and talent for recognizing, developing and managing artists will undoubtedly enhance New West’s already strong roster.”

Meanwhile, Peter Jesperson has been named VP Catalog and Production, responsible for developing content for reissues, box sets and limited edition vinyl titles from the New West Records catalog. The catalog includes this year’s acquisition of the Antone’s and Watermelon record labels. In addition to his new responsibilities, he will continue his work coordinating content for packaging and final audio for current releases. Jesperson, who is transitioning from A&R into this new role, is based in Los Angeles, CA.

ASCAP To Honor The Civil Wars

ASCAP will honor Nashville duo The Civil Wars with the Vanguard Award, which recognizes the impact of musical genres that help shape the future of American music. The duo will be presented with the honor during the invitation-only 49th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards, set for Sun., Nov. 6 at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

Past ASCAP Vanguard Awards honorees include Sara Bareilles, Beastie Boys, Beck, Nine Inch Nails, Arcade Fire, The Killers, Jack Johnson, and Björk.

“We are elated and honored to be receiving this year’s ASCAP Vanguard Award,” say Joy Williams and John Paul White of The Civil Wars. “Past winners over the years have been inspiring and influential to us in individual ways. We are thrilled to be added to such a list.”

“The Civil Wars not only epitomize indie success in the ever-changing landscape of the music business, they also create beautiful, expressive art that has deeply connected with listeners,” says Tim DuBois, Vice President and Managing Executive, ASCAP Nashville. “We are honored to present Joy and John Paul with the ASCAP Vanguard Award as an acknowledgement of their unique impact on American music.”

The breakout indie duo have experienced a whirlwind year following the release of their full-length debut Barton Hollow. The acclaimed album debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and has sold over 180,000 units to date. The duo has also appeared on Jay Leno and been selected as a “You Oughta Know” artist to watch by VH1. They are currently nominated at the annual Americana Honors and Awards and the 45th Annual CMA Awards.

The 49th annual ASCAP Awards will also salute the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most-performed country songs from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. Awards for Songwriter of the Year, Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Publisher of the Year will be revealed as well. As previously announced, Don Williams will also be presented with ASCAP’s Golden Note Award.

Content Remains King. All Rise For The King!

Advertising Age’s recent Media Issue (Oct. 3, 2011) looks hard at the “Content Is King” motto, questions its relevance in the current digital mix, and offers some insightful observations in the process. Overwhelmingly though, the various articles and writers support the premise that in today’s media tug of war, content and content owners remain royal.

“Rising competition for content has…strengthened the hand of content owners…,” says writer Jack Neff (As Devices And Distribution Compete, Content Enjoys A Renaissance) who points to Netflix’s increasing costs and competition from other outlets while trying to renew its content licenses as an example. (According to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter Netflix content costs are likely to rise 10X from about $180 million in 2010 to nearly $2 billion next year.)

In many ways Netflix appeared like it had cornered the video streaming market and would be able to leverage its power to exercise control over the space. Not so argues Neff. “Netflix is perhaps the biggest victim of content’s rising power—and just when it looked to some like it had killed the king.” He also points to the book world as an example. “Book publishers used the leverage from Apple’s iPad entry last year to break the $9.99 price ceiling Amazon once had on most e-books.”

However, Neff notes that content owners and distributors need each other. “It’s true that creating content alone won’t cut it,” he says. “Owners need to find smart partnerships with an increasingly complex web of distributors. But it’s equally true that a distribution platform with little to distribute is of little use to consumers, no matter how fancy the interface is.”

“Content owners are in the catbird seat, because anytime a new distributor or new device crops up they need great content to drive the platform’s appeal,” says Will Richmond President of marketing intellegence and consulting firm Broadband Decisions. “Video-content owners and book publishers benefit most from rising demand for content because they didn’t take the paths that have hurt the music and newspaper industries. The music industry was slow to make its product available online for a fee, which helped fuel illegal peer-to-peer content sharing. And newspapers and many magazines spent years giving their product away for free, supported (marginally) by advertising…”

Nonetheless, Neff warns content owners not to get too greedy. If prices increase too far, they will run the real risk of stimulating consumers toward illegal file sharing. Helping to pay for these increased content costs, several cable networks, including Nashville’s Comcast, have quietly, but effectively tightened the video-on-demand (VOD) ad model by disabling the fast-forward option for VOD selections allowing networks to include more VOD viewing impressions in their ad metrics.

Ad Age’s Media edition also studies the evolution of content distribution business models. Wired Editor in Chief Chris Anderson tells writer Matthew Creamer, “Once rich content can be distributed globally at virtually no cost on platforms that have billing relationships already established (IOS, Android, Kindle, etc.), we can experiment wildly with who pays and how much. For example, ad-dependent models can diversify into profitable subscriber models and turn periodicals into brands and digital storefronts that can sell other content.”

David Remnick, Editor of the New Yorker cautions creators to stay focused on quality, “The guiding idea here is that new technologies should amplify, not alter our principles: in this case, values of depth, beauty, accuracy and journalistic ambition.”

Great content undeniably still sits on a special throne. And that seems to be true across the entire media realm—print, music, video and online. But content is not like buying bologna in the supermarket deli section, it doesn’t come by the pound. To comfortably wear a crown, it must have a royal spark which attracts attention and audience engagement.