Mindy Smith Compilation Due in October

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Vanguard Records will release The Essential Mindy Smith, on October 9 in CD, LP, and digital formats. The 13 track collection features songs from the highly acclaimed singer-songwriter’s three Vanguard Records studio albums One Moment More, Long Island Shores and Stupid Love. This compilation also includes Smith’s cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Little Lies,” previously available only as an iTunes bonus track.

Smith is currently on tour in support of her new self-titled fifth studio album and first independent recording on Giant Leap/TVX Records. Tour dates listed below include a September 14 stop in Nashville.

The Essential Mindy Smith track listing:
1. Come to Jesus
2. Out Loud
3. It’s Amazing
4. Highs and Lows
5. Please Stay
6. Jolene
7. Hard To Know
8. Tennessee
9. Love Lost
10. Little Lies
11. Fighting For It All
12. Peace of Mind
13. One Moment More

2012 Fall tour dates:
9/14/2012            Nashville, TN – The Rutledge (Americana Music Festival)
9/19/2012            Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room
9/20/2012            San Diego, CA -The Griffin
9/21/2012            Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s Guitar Shop
9/23/2012           Pleasanton, CA – Firehouse Arts Center
9/25/2012            Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
9/26/2012            Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
9/28/2012            Boise, ID – Boise Cont. Theater
9/29/2012            Salt Lake City, UT -The State Room
9/30/2012            Denver, CO – Swallow Hill
10/2/2012            Santa Fe, NM – Sol Santa Fe
10/4/2012            Woodlands, TX – Dosey Doe CoffeeHouse
10/5/2012            Austin, TX – Cactus Cafe
10/6/2012            San Antonio, TX -Sam’s Burger Joint
10/7/2012            Dallas, TX – Kessler Theater

Big & Rich Are “Hillbilly Jedi”

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Big & Rich are preparing to release their fourth studio album, Hillbilly Jedi, September 18 on Warner Bros. Records. The album is currently available for pre-sale in three exclusive packages ranging from $14.99-149.99.

The three options include an assortment of extras, from branded aviator sunglasses, to Hillbilly Jedi T-shirts and personalized framed posters. While on the page, fans are able to listen to the duo’s track “Born Again,” featuring Bon Jovi, and view behind-the-scenes footage for the recording of the latest single, “That’s Why I Pray.”

Duo member John Rich was featured in the new CW primetime music competition series The Next: Fame Is At Your Doorstep, which premiered Thursday, August 16. The competition winner will be awarded an exclusive recording contract with Atlantic Records.

Previously, Rich was the winner on the 11th season of The Celebrity Apprentice, raising over $1.4 million dollars for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

Dance Music Festival Coming to Nashville’s Riverfont

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The dance music movement is coming to Music City’s Riverfront, when the two-day With Your Friends Festival hits town October 26-27.

Rolling Stone reports that dance music stars Skrillex and Pretty Lights are curating the festival, which will also include guests Nas, Santigold, 12th Planet, Dillon Francis, Michel Minert, and TOKiMONSTA. The RS article also states there will be a riverboat after-party.

Two-day passes for With Your Friends go on sale Wednesday, August 29. Get them here when the time comes.

Weblinks: Breaking Music Online, Feminist Hits, Spotify and More

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Dee Johnson

Deadline Hollywood reports that Dee Johnson is taking the helm of ABC drama Nashville as executive producer/showrunner. She replaces Jim Parriott and will serve alongside series’ creator Callie Khouri, the pilot’s director R.J. Cutler and Steve Buchanan. Johnson has served as showrunner on Starz’s drama Boss, and CBS’s The Good Wife, and worked on ER, Army Wives and Southland.

• • • •

According to Ann Powers, Max Martin has played a significant role in the feminist hits of recent years.

NPR music critic Ann Powers examines how today’s female stars are borrowing from the feminist handbook with their I’m-so-over-you break-up hits. In her article “Taylor Swift, Princess Of Punk?” Powers discusses the star’s latest headline-making smash, and delves into songwriter/producer Max Martin’s role in the trend. Martin collaborated with Swift on “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and has had similarly themed hits with Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and Pink.

Powers writes, “In this century, songs like ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ have taken that quaint 20th century form of rebellion called punk — specifically the feminist punk that took hold in the late 1970s and then was reborn through the Riot Grrrl movement in the 1990s — fully into the pop mainstream.” Keep reading.

• • • •

Carly Rae Jepsen

The Carly Rae Jepsen smash “Call Me Maybe” exemplifies the growing trend of breaking music online, reports Ben Sisario in the New York Times. “Call Me Maybe” blew up after Justin Bieber Tweeted about it, and he and his friends posted a video of themselves lip-syncing to it. According to the article, Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” and fun.’s “We Are Young” also launched online.

“YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are now record labels’ textbook tools for starting a marketing campaign, and if the numbers there are big enough, they can be used in pitches to radio and television programmers,” states the article, which adds that radio play is still crucial. DigSin’s Jay Frank told the NYT, “There’s not a million-seller out there that doesn’t have radio play. But its first million generally doesn’t come from radio.”

• • • •

The House of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet continues to investigate the pending Universal/EMI deal. The latest development is an inquiry letter sent to executives at Universal, EMI and Warner this week asking questions about how the merger would affect competition in the music industry, reports the NYT.

According to the NYT, “Universal has offered to sell as much as two-thirds of EMI’s holdings in Europe, but it has not made any such concessions in the United States or elsewhere. …Like the Senate panel, the House committee has no power to block the merger. But its involvement puts pressure on Universal and on the Federal Trade Commission, which is reviewing the merger.”

• • • •

The New York Times reports Spotify’s revenue and losses are on the rise. In 2011 revenue was $236 million, up from $99 million in 2010. In 2011, net loss was $56.6 million, up from $42 million in 2010 and $26 million in 2009. The paper also reports Spotify is raising more than $200 million in a round of financing that would value the company at up to $4 billion. Spotify is available in 15 countries and has plans to launch in Canada soon.

Eric Paslay Launches Share-To-Win Contest on Facebook

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EMI Records Nashville artist Eric Paslay recently launched a share-to-win contest with his new acoustic performance video of “Amarillo Rain.” The Texas native explains, “‘Amarillo Rain’ has been a fan favorite in my live shows for some time. I am excited to give fans a way to share this special song.”

Fans are invited to like his Facebook page to see the video and enter the contest. Participants will receive a unique URL to share the “Amarillo Rain” video with friends and family. The fan whose URL garners the most video views by Sept. 20 will win an autographed acoustic guitar, a Capitol Records prize pack and a private web concert with Paslay.

The rising star is also one of Music City’s hottest tunesmiths. He has written three No. 1 songs within the last year, including “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” and recently performed on 2012’s Country Throwdown Tour with Gary Allan and Josh Thompson.

Digital Rodeo and Eventful Announce “Next Country Star” Competition

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Digital Rodeo and Eventful, Inc. have launched Digital Rodeo’s Country Star competition. Unsigned artists can opt-in for free through eventful.com/digitalrodeo and compete via Eventful’s Demand it! service. Using social media tools, artists can then encourage their fans to vote for them.

The Top 25 artists with the most “Demands” will move to the semifinals where they will be narrowed down to the top five by music industry experts: Cory Chapman, Director of Marketing Country Music Association; Jason Deere, Singer, Songwriter, Producer;  Jeff Walker, President, AristoMedia; John Pyne, Director of Marketing and Promotion, Digital Rodeo; Lang Scott, President, Music City Interactive, Singer, Instrumentalist, Producer and Robert Reynolds, Grammy Winner, Founding Member of the Mavericks.

Fans will then vote on the final winner from the Top five chosen finalists. Eventful and Digital Rodeo will announce the Country Star winner on Oct. 3.

The winner will earn studio time to record three singles at Nashville’s 16 Ton Studio and a customized website including a merchandise store by Music City Networks and Merchmo. They will also win a VIP trip for two to the 2012 Country Music Awards, which includes airfare, five night hotel stay and two tickets to the awards show and Christmas Special, as well as a CMA Prize Package of assorted merchandise and materials.

CMA Honors the Late Journalist Rineke Van Beek

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(L-R): Leo Van Beek, Jack Gerssen, Ruud Kegel and Rineke's mother, Hennie Koert.

The CMA recently bestowed posthumous honors to the family of international journalist Rineke Van Beek with the presentation of the Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award.

The presentation took place earlier this week (8/20) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by CMA Director of International Relations Bobbi Boyce. Van Beek’s husband, Leo Van Beek; mother, Hennie Koert; and close friends Ruud Kegel of Nashville FM, and Jack Gerssen accepted the recognition.

Van Beek, who passed away in 2011 after a brave battle with cancer, worked in the Country music industry in the Netherlands for more than 25 years as the International Director for Country Gazette magazine and Nashville FM. She was known as an ambassador for Country music, frequently visiting Nashville to taking tour groups to the CMA Music Festival and reporting at the CMA Awards, among other events.

“Thank you again for this lovely surprise although it comes with mixed feelings,” said Leo Van Beek. “But we love to hear that Rineke is not forgotten. For Rineke, Nashville was always her second home. She felt that she was a part of the music industry family and for her, everybody was part of her family – the people in the industry, the CMA, the artists, the musicians. She loved everybody.”

The Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievements in the media, which contribute to the development of Country music outside the United States.

Weekly Chart Report (8/24/2012)

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Matt and Barry of Stoney Creek Records’ Parmalee stopped by Renegade Radio Nashville on Wednesday, August 22 for a live interview with Captain Jack (center). Parmalee’s “Musta Had a Good Time” is currently No. 55 on the CountryBreakout Chart.

SPIN ZONE
Industry servants in Nashville got to hear a performance of Little Big Town’s new album Tornado (due Sept. 11) earlier this week, and excitement over the collection is definitely warranted. For the next couple of weeks, anyway, the public will have to keep grooving to “Pontoon,” which holds at No. 1 on the CountryBreakout Chart for a fourth week. Nearly 600 spins back at No. 2 is Lady Antebellum’s “Wanted You More,” followed by Zac Brown Band’s “The Wind” at No. 3, Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” at No. 4, and Miranda Lambert’s “Fastest Girl In Town” at No. 5.

It’s going to be an interesting battle for the top spot when “Pontoon” finally floats away. Hunter Hayes has been on a tear lately, and his “Wanted” now sits right behind McGraw at No. 6 after gaining 337 spins. Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” makes a big move up to No. 8. Jason Aldean’s “Take A Little Ride” ascends to No. 10, and Eric Church’s “Creepin’” takes a big step to No. 14. And Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is indeed huge. Two weeks on the chart, and already up to No. 25.

Leading the new songs this week is Clay Walker’s “Jesse James,” which debuts at No. 74, followed by Katie Armiger’s “Better In A Black Dress.” Other new tunes include The Wheeler Sisters’ “This Is Gonna Get Ugly” at No. 77, Zach Paxson’s “Good Luck With That” at No. 78, Craig Morrison’s “Fences” at No. 79, and Kevin Fowler’s “Here’s To Me And You” at No. 80.

Frozen Playlists: KGMN, KTHK, KXIA, WEIO, WLJE, WXMM, WXXK

Upcoming Singles
August 27
Claudia Lee/Take My Hand/CLM Enterprises
Lucky Ned Pepper/I Remember The Music/Nine North-Turnpike
Eli Young Band/Say Goodnight/Republic Nashville
Craig Morgan/More Trucks Than Cars/Black River
Tyler Farr/Hello Goodbye/Columbia
Alan Jackson/You Go Your Way/ACR-EMI Nashville

September 4
Darius Rucker/True Believers/Capitol
Kix Brooks/Bring It On Home/Arista

• • • • • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Clay Walker/Jesse James/Sidewalk Records – 74
Katie Armiger/Better In A Black Dress/Cold River – 75
The Wheeler Sisters/This Is Gonna Get Ugly/Ocala – 77
Zach Paxson/Good Luck With That/FutureGrass – 78
Craig Morrison/Fences/Lucky 53’s-GMV Nashville – 79
Kevin Fowler/Here’s To Me And You/Average Joe’s – 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Taylor Swift/We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together/Big Machine – 848
Dierks Bentley/Tip It On Back/Capitol – 464
Hunter Hayes/Wanted/Atlantic Records – 337
Toby Keith/I Like Girls That Drink Beer/Show Dog-Universal – 313
Carrie Underwood/Blown Away/19/Arista Nashville – 302

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Taylor Swift/We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together/Big Machine – 36
Dierks Bentley/Tip It On Back/Capitol – 28
Eli Young Band/Say Goodnight/Republic Nashville – 21
Alan Jackson/You Go Your Way/ACR/EMI Nashville – 20
Jerrod Niemann/Shinin’ On Me/Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville – 14
Brantley Gilbert/Kick It In The Sticks/The Valory Music Co. – 13

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Reggie Shaw/Someone I Can’t Live Without/Wynnesong Records – 180
Dave Russell/Where The Money Goes/Cupit – 176
Pat Green/All Just To Get To You/Sugar Hill – 175
Lonestar/The Countdown/4 Star Records – 175
Bucky Covington w/Shooter Jennings/Drinking Side of Country/eOne – 158

Lonestar visited at the Eagles Nest for WGH/Norfolk last Friday night (8/17) after a performance. The group attempted to “solicit” some airplay for its latest single, "The Countdown,” but WGH staff held strong. (L-R): Richie McDonald; Mark McKay (WGH-PD); John Shomby (WGH-OM) and his wife; Michael Britt and Keech Rainwater; and Dean Sams (kneeling)

Gloriana visited with radio friends before a show at the Intersection in Grand Rapids, Mich. (L-R): WBCT/B93’s Bobby Bare, Gloriana’s Tom Gossin and Rachel Reinert, WBCT’s Dave Taft, Gloriana’s Mike Gossin, Clear Channel’s Doug Montgomery, and W.A.R.’s Lindsay Walleman

Charlie Cook On Air: Blu-Ray

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I write a lot about choosing radio or online music sources. It seems to be the most researched topic in the music business. Not only by record companies, but also by trade organizations and even radio stations.

We know that the purchase of music has gone from CD purchases to online transactions. Online has also taken over movie purchases. There are still a lot of DVD sales but when you see the cost going to $5 for non Blu-Ray DVDs and the actual DVD player for sale at $29.00 you know that this is soon coming to an end.

What I find interesting is the DVD player including software that will make the player itself obsolete. When I bought a Blu-Ray player I was sure to get one that allowed me to stream movies from Netflix, HULU or to buy or rent the movie from Amazon. Bam! No reason to rush out to Blockbuster, or Redbox when I can stream the movie at home or buy it from DirecTV. The actual DVD player is my connection to online viewing.

Apple is offering you a $99 device, called Apple TV, to replace that $29 DVD player and enable you to watch TV through their system. So far no takers from the TV and Movie companies. They have seen this play for control before and it ends with Apple being the holder of all of the aces in a two-handed poker game.

Apple has also included iTunes in their Apple TV. What a surprise there, huh? Right now they only offer YouTube and Netflix in addition to iTunes. There are about a half dozen other options out there today.

Only early adopters are in this battle right now.

Currently the transmission sources are also deeply involved with the content. Broadcast 100 episodes of Big Bang Theory and you have content forever through syndication. Invite Apple into the picture to sell individual episodes, and 22 minutes of BBT without the spots for 99 cents is tough to score with over and over again.

Anyway back to our issues, which can look very similar to those of the video industry.

Nielsen just did an online study with 3000 panelists. This is like going into CiCi’s pizza and asking the customers if they like pizza, but that aside, 48% of these folks…the panelists, not the pizza lovers, still reported that they discover music most often through the radio. Ten percent say they discover music through friends and relatives and 7% say YouTube.

YouTube crushed radio with teens, scoring  64% to 56% for radio. I know that this is over 100% but it must be that new math that teens are doing today. Another thing that YouTube does, if you have spent any time online with it, is hook you by suggesting other videos you might want to view. Going online to see “For You” -Keith Urban ended up taking 45 minutes, by the time I viewed 10 other things that were there on the page. Many of them were disappointing, by the way. But if I am going to click on a cat singing a Brad Paisley song I deserve three minutes of torture…twice.

Okay back to my point. Most radio stations have apps for Smartphone listening. Great idea. Easy to access and hopefully encourages listening when…when I guess that you can’t hear the station on a broadcast radio. Does encouraging the transition from broadcast radio to app listening hasten the demise of traditional listening?

Nielsen says younger listeners opt overwhelmingly for the technologically advanced methods but that broadcast radio is still a strong driver.

Yeah, and I still see a lot of Blu Ray DVD players on the shelves too. I wonder just how long they have been there.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)

Date Set For Final CMA Nominations [Updated]

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Final nominees for the CMA Awards will be revealed Wed., Sept. 5 live on ABC’s Good Morning America. Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum will announce the final nominees in five categories live from the GMA studios in Times Square during the 8:30 AM/ET half hour, then head over to the B.B. King Blues Club and Grill to reveal the finalists in the remaining seven categories at 9:15 AM/ET. The last time all of the CMA Awards nominees were announced in New York City was 2005.

Meanwhile in Nashville, members of CMA and the media will be invited to celebrate “Country Music’s Biggest Morning” with an 8 AM/CT breakfast at the CMA offices to watch the nominees announcement via live stream at CMAawards.com.

Lee Brice will be on hand in Nashville to reveal the finalists for the 2012 CMA Broadcast Award Personality and Radio Station of the Year in four categories (small, medium, large, and major markets), as well as the finalists for the CMA National Broadcast Personality of the Year at 8:15 AM/CT. CMA’s radio partner, Premiere Networks, will carry the Awards and Broadcast Award nominations to Country Radio.

The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA members Oct. 4. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends at 5:00 PM/CT on Oct. 22.

During the 2011 CMA Awards, Aldean won Album of the Year for My Kinda Party and Lady A continued its three-year winning streak for Vocal Group of the Year.

The 2011 CMA Awards was the No. 1 entertainment show for the week among the key advertising Adults 18-49 sales demographic. Held during November Sweeps (Nov. 9), it dominated the night winning all six of its half-hours in total viewers and Adults 18-49. An estimated 35 million viewers watched at least some portion of the three-hour live gala.

The 46th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. ABC will be the network home of the CMA Awards through 2021.