Nashville Artists and Execs Sign On For Unsigned Only Competition

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Wynonna, Hunter Hayes, Craig Morgan, Dustin Lynch, BMLG’s Allison B. Jones, Sony Music Nashville’s Lisa Ramsey Perkins and Word Label Group’s Josh Bailey are among the artists and executives that have signed on to be judges and mentors for the Unsigned Only Music Competiton. Unsigned Only was created by the same team that organized the International Songwriting Competition (ISC).

Unsigned Only is designed for solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major label record company or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or imprints. The deadline for entry is March 14, 2013.

2013 judges include: Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders); Cyndi Lauper; Iggy Pop; Carly Simon; John Oates (Hall & Oates); Eve; 3 Doors Down; Neon Trees; Brandi Carlile; Manchester Orchestra; Black Francis (The Pixies); Ryan Bingham; David Crowder; Morgan; Robert Smith (The Cure); Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC); Of Monsters and Men; Wynonna; Faith Evans; Aaron Shust; Kirko Bangz; Hayes; G. Love; Jason Gray; Lynch; The Mountain Goats; Anthony DeCurtis (Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone); Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine); Vanessa Satten (Editor-In-Chief, XXL Magazine); Christopher Weingarten (Senior Editor, Spin); and Chris Richards (Pop Music Critic, The Washington Post)

Mentors include Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive VP/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); Shawn Holiday (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records and Sony/ATV Music Publishing); Bailey; Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Jones; Perkins; Dre McKenzie (Head of A&R, G-Unit Records); and more to be announced.

Winners will be announced in 10 categories in July 2013. The categories include:

AA (Adult Album Alternative)
AC (Adult Contemporary)
Christian
Country
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
R&B/Hip-Hop
Rock
Pop/Top 40
Teen (for artists 18 years old and younger)
Vocal Performance

The grand prize winner will receive $10,000, one-on-one mentoring from a team of record label executives and 50 sets of D’Addario strings. The first place winner in each category will receive $1,000 and 50 sets of D’Addario strings.

For more information, visit http://www.unsignedonly.com/

Florida Georgia Line Debut Album Sales

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Florida Georgia Line has earned the highest debut album sales of 2012 for a new country artist with nearly 63,000 copies of Here’s To the Good Times. The duo’s debut project on Republic Nashville entered the sales charts at No. 3 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. Florida Georgia Line’s single “Cruise” also topped the Billboard Country Songs chart.

FGL made their national television performance debut on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Dec. 12 to perform “Cruise.” On Dec. 13, they performed on FOX & Friends.

After selling out every date on the CMT Tour with headliner Jake Owen over the last few months, FGL will hit the road again in January 2013 with Luke Bryan’s Road Diaries Tour.

For tour dates and more, visit FloridaGeorgiaLine.com.

Photo Copyright: Lloyd Bishop/NBC

Charlie Cook On Air: Clear Channel Cutbacks

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I do not want to come off as someone trying to defend cutting jobs in the broadcast business. I have spent my entire career in radio and have never had a job outside of the business. All of my friends are in the radio/music business.

That said, I cannot fault Clear Channel for making cuts this month. I agree the timing was poor, coming between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but there’s no good time to be let go from your job. What if they had waited until January 3rd after you over spent on Christmas gifts? When you get laid off, fired, cut back, whatever you call it, checking the calendar is not the first thing they do. Beyond the fiscal year being the driver of these firings, I am not even sure the bean counters think about the holidays being around the corner. They never take their faces out of spreadsheets long enough to realize the impact.  The timing is crummy considering the bosses are in the budgeting process in October but credit themselves with holding off on the cuts as long as they can.

All that said, companies are allowed to conduct their businesses as they see fit. Last week I wrote about streaming music and the inability to show a profit for almost anyone in the space. Broadcast companies are not doing a lot better. It might be because of an unrealistic debt burden, albeit one brought on by trying to bite off more than they can chew. It certainly is about the economic problems that America has been mired in for years. No one is willing to stick their neck out and make a financial commitment to advertising because many companies are not sure that they can grow their business in this environment. When automobile advertising went south years ago, the fate of the guys who lost their jobs last week was set.

I know the popular thinking is the guys at the top of the pyramid are raking in millions while the worker bees are stung. I don’t know the hierarchy of Clear Channel; however, I do know a lot of smaller broadcasters where this is not the case. Everyone shares the pain. Perhaps not to the extent of firings every month, but if someone does leave they are not replaced and that impacts those left standing. Agreed, I would rather be one of those guys.

I have a few friends that are now looking for work after last week. I am sad for them. I have been there. You’re first hit with a feeling of, “Could I have done something differently?” This is followed by, “It’s not my fault. They are dumb,” and then, “Am I prepared to uproot my entire life?” Those of us not directly touched by these layoffs have a responsibility to our friends who have been let go. You don’t have to make up the spare room, but be sure you reach out to them and let them know you’re thinking about them and keeping an ear out for something they would be suited for.

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

Weekly Chart Report (12/14/2012)

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SPIN ZONE

Arista Nashville trio The Henningsens (Aaron, Clara, Brian) visited the staff at KDRK “The Mountain” in Spokane, WA recently. Pictured L-R: Aaron, KDRK MD Jamie Patrick, Clara, Brian, KDRK PD Sharon Bonds

Zac Brown Band‘s “Goodbye In Her Eyes” takes the No. 1 spot this week on 2012’s final MusicRow chart of the year. The Southern Ground/Atlantic artist reached the top spot in 13 weeks followed by previous chart-topper, Dierks Bentley‘s “Tip It On Back” at No. 2. Darius Rucker‘s “True Believers” jumps a spot to No. 3 while Kenny Chesney‘s “El Cerrito Place” and Kip Moore‘s “Beer Money” also jump a spot to hold No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. Little Big Town‘s “Tornado” moves up to No. 6 while last week’s No. 1 song, Brad Paisley‘s “Southern Comfort Zone,” sits at No. 7. Gary Allan‘s “Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)” adds another 220 spins this week staying at No. 8 while Taylor Swift‘s “Begin Again” sits at No. 9. Rounding out the Top 10 this week is The Band Perry‘s “Better Dig Two” jumping two spots to No. 10 with an additional 242 spins.

Big movers this week feature Lee Brice‘s “I Drive Your Truck” leaping from No. 42 to No. 31 with 441 new spins. Carrie Underwood‘s “Two Black Cadillacs” gained another 352 spins jumping four spots to No. 18 this week and Dustin Lynch‘s “She Cranks My Tractor” at No. 33 gained three spots with 269 additional spins. Rascal Flatts‘ “Changed” hurdled over 17 positions to No. 55 adding 244 spins.

Making debuts this week include The Henningsens‘ “American Beautiful” at No. 75,  Ashley Forrest‘s “Pourin’ Over Me” at No. 76 and Angel Mary & The Tennessee Werewolves‘ “Cowboy” at No. 78. Also entering the chart for the first time this week were Brett Eldredge‘s “Don’t Ya” at No. 79 and Lisa Matassa‘s “Somebody’s Baby” at No. 80.

Frozen Playlists:WEZJ, KBOE, WCMS, KYEZ, WXFL, WXXK

Gloriana, Kip Moore, and Lee Brice recently performed at WIL’s JingleFest. Kip’s “Beer Money” takes our No. 5 spot this week, alongside Gloriana with “Can’t Shake You,” charting No. 26 and Lee’s “I Drive Your Truck” moves to No. 31. Pictured (L-R): Kip Moore, Lee Brice, Danny Montana (WIL), with Rachel, Mike and Tom from Gloriana.

Upcoming Singles
December 17
Rascal Flatts/Changed/Big Machine
LeAnn Rimes/Borrowed/Curb
The Henningsens/American Beautiful/Arista
Austin Webb/It’s All Good/Streamsound

January 17
Easton Corbin/All Over The Road/Mercury

Holiday Singles
Tim McGraw/Mary And Joseph/Big Machine Records
Lorrie Morgan/Wrapped Up In Love/Octabrook Records
Craig Morrison/Santa Claus Boogie/Lucky 53s-GMV Nashville
Clinton Gregory/Peace On Earth Again/Melody Roundup Records
Kyle Park/Winter Wonderland
Phil Vassar/Merry Christmas Darling/Rodeowave Entertainment
Tanya Tucker/Merry Christmas Wherever You Are
Brinn Black/Breath of Heaven/Spin Doctors

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
The Henningsens/American Beautiful/Arista – 75
Ashley Forrest/Pourin’ Over Me/Truro-GMV – 76
Angel Mary & The Tennessee Werewolves/Cowboy/Verado – 78
Brett Eldredge/Don’t Ya/Atlantic/WMN – 79
Lisa Matassa/Somebody’s Baby/It Is What It Is-9North – 80

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 27
Rascal Flatts/Changed/Big Machine – 18
Kix Brooks/Moonshine Road/Arista Nashville – 17
Taylor Made/That’s What Life Is/LG Records – 13
The Henningsens/American Beautiful/Arista – 11
Dustin Lynch/She Cranks My Tractor/Broken Bow Records – 11
Love and Theft/Running Out Of Air/RCA Nashville – 8
Josh Pruno/23rd Psalm/Lawrence Music Group – 8
Kelly Clarkson w/ Vince Gill/Don’t Rush/19 Recordings-RCA Nashville – 8

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 441
Carrie Underwood/Two Black Cadillacs/19-Arista Nashville – 352
Dustin Lynch/She Cranks My Tractor/Broken Bow Records – 269
Rascal Flatts/Changed/Big Machine – 244
Jason Aldean/The Only Way I Know/Broken Bow – 243

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Brinn Black/That Should Have Been Us/SMG – 154
Josh Pruno/23rd Psalm/Lawrence Music Group – 146
Summer Schappell/It Ought To Be a Sin/615 Records – 140
The Farm/Be Grateful/Warner Nashville – 137
Aaron Watson/Lips – 136

Momentum Label Group’s Rachele Lynae recently made stop in Atlanta to visit with folks at Cumulus Radio. Pictured (L-R): Greg Frey, Mike McVay, Rachele, John Kilgo, Bob Raleigh, and Momentum’s Tim Burruss and Jimmy Murphy

Charlie Worsham made a stop to KMPS during a west coast radio tour. Pictured (L-R): Chris Palmer (W.A.R.), Charlie Worsham, Ed Hill and Raffaella Braun (W.A.R.)

Arbitron Appoints New CEO

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Sean R. Creamer

The Board of Directors of Arbitron Inc. announced today (12/13) plans to appoint Sean R. Creamer President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2013. Creamer will succeed William T. Kerr who has announced his intention to retire as President and Chief Executive Officer. Kerr will continue to serve on the Arbitron Board of Directors.

“The Board of Directors and I are very pleased to welcome Sean as President and CEO of Arbitron,” said Philip Guarascio, Chairman of Arbitron’s Board of Directors. “Sean is a seasoned media and marketing executive with years of leadership experience at Arbitron. We would like to thank Bill Kerr on behalf of everyone at Arbitron for his many contributions to the company as President and CEO.”

Creamer has been Arbitron’s Executive VP Chief Operating Officer since August 2011, where he was responsible for Arbitron’s core business (ratings, qualitative and software) and for executing the company’s global strategies. Creamer joined Arbitron in 2005 as Executive VP, Finance and Planning. That same year, he was named Chief Financial Officer at Arbitron.

Prior to joining Arbitron, Creamer was Senior VP and Chief Financial Officer of Laureate Education, Inc.

 

Industry Ink (12/13/2012)

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Sirius XM Chief Executive Mel Karmazin is leaving the post in February and potential replacements are beginning to emerge. According to Reuters, Sirius XM’s Pres. of Operations and Sales Jim Meyer is a leading internal contender because he oversees the company’s lucrative auto industry relationships. Other possibilities include Sirius XM’s CFO David Frear, or bringing in an outside candidate.

In more Sirius XM news, the satcaster has extended its agreement with Hyundai Motor America for three years, including a provision for further extension through August of 2017. All Hyundai customers will receive a 3-month SiriusXM subscription with the purchase of any new Hyundai vehicle with a factory-equipped satellite radio.

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Deep South Entertainment’s Dave Rose has released the book Everything I Know About The Music Business I Learned From My Cousin Rick; The Musician’s Practical Guide to Success, available at Amazon.com. Published by Shuman & Goldstein Publishing Co. LTD, the book aims to help musicians navigate the complicated path to success in the industry.

Deep South Entertainment’s services include artist management, event production, artist booking, consulting and more. Deep South Entertainment’s artist roster currently includes Parmalee, Marcy Playground, Stryper and others.

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Photo (L-R): Bobbie Boyce and Ken Macleod

CMA Director of International Relations Bobbi Boyce recently presented Ken Macleod of Radio Tay in Scotland with the CMA International Broadcaster Award. Macleod has been the presenter of “It’s Country” since the show debuted on Radio Tay in October 1980. The longest-running program on Radio Tay, “It’s Country” airs each Wednesday and Sunday.

Guests over the years have included Boxcar Willie, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Rodney Crowell, Crystal Gayle, Vince Gill, Tom T. Hall, George Hamilton IV, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Reba, Gene Watson, Tammy Wynette, and others.

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SESAC artist/songwriter Andrew Combs has signed with Razor & Tie Publishing for representation. Combs recently released his debut full-length album, Worried Man, in October 2012 and has built up a fan base while touring with the likes of Robert Ellis, Jason Isbell and Caitlin Rose.

Photo (L-R): Razor & Tie’s Craig Balsam and Lisa Johnson, Combs, SESAC’s Tim Fink and Razor & Tie’s Ross Asher. Photo: Ed Rode

    •••

MusicRowPics: Lisa Matassa Artist Visit

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On Friday (Dec. 7), Lisa Matassa stopped by MusicRow headquarters for a visit.

Matassa shared a set of three songs off her new project, including her current single “Somebody’s Baby.” She also sang “Learning As You Grow” and her take on “The Christmas Song.” She recently recorded the carol with The Broadway Youth Ensemble in New York for a music video, which is airing on CMT.com.

For more information on Matassa, visit www.lisamatassa.com.

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Tim McGraw Duets with Taylor Swift, Keith Urban on New Album

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Tim McGraw‘s upcoming debut release on Big Machine Label Group, titled Two Lanes of Freedom, will feature two high-profile friends. The project, which releases Feb. 5, 2013, will include the song “Highway Don’t Care,” a duet featuring Keith Urban and Taylor Swift. Appropriately, the song is featured as number 13, rather than its sequential 11th position on the album, in a nod to Swift.

According to a release, BMLG will release both a standard and a deluxe version of the album to most retail accounts. The deluxe version will boast four extra tracks, including “Annie I Owe You A Dance,” “Tinted Windows,” “Let Me Love It Out of You” and a live version of McGraw’s hit “Truck Yeah.”

TWO LANES OF FREEDOM TRACK LIST
1.  Two Lanes of Freedom  (Jaren Johnston/Jenn Schott)
2.  One Of Those Nights (Luke Laird/Rodney Clawson/Chris Tompkins)
3.  Friend Of A Friend (Mark Irwin/Josh Kear/Andrew Dorff)
4.  Southern Girl (Jaren Johnston/Lee Miller/Rodney Clawson)
5.  Truck Yeah (Chris Janson/Danny Myrick/Preston Brust/Chris Lucas)
6.  Nashville Without You (Kyle Jacobs/Joe Leathers/Ruston Kelly)
7.  Book of John (Jon Nite/Greg Becker)
8.  Mexicoma (James Slater/Brad Warren/Brett Warren)
9.  Number 37405 (Tom Douglas/Troy Jones)
10.  It’s Your World (Scott Stepakoff/Josh Osborne/Shane McAnally)
13.  Highway Don’t Care (featuring Taylor Swift and Keith Urban)(Mark Irwin/Josh Kear/Brad Warren/Brett Warren)

Americana Honors and Awards To Air Dec. 16

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The Americana Honors & Awards program, a two-hour special dedicated to roots music, will air on Sunday (Dec. 16) at 8:00 p.m. ET on AXS TV. The ceremony was taped at annual awards ceremony, held Sept. 13 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

The program will honor Bonnie Raitt, Booker T. Jones, Richard Thompson and others. Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller will serve as hosts for the evening.

In addition to the aforementioned honorees, performers include Guy Clark, John Hiatt, the Mavericks, Alabama Shakes, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Justin Townes Earle, Sarah Jarosz, Robert Ellis and the Deep Dark Woods. The evening’s finale will be an all-star tribute to the late Levon Helm.

The show will be rebroadcast on Dec. 17 at 12:20 a.m. ET.

Golden Globe Nominations With Nashville Ties

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The nominees for the Golden Globe Awards were announced on Thursday (Dec. 13) and Nashville’s music industry has significant ties.

ABC’s Nashville earned two nominations for its leading ladies. Connie Britton was nominated for best actress in a TV drama, while Hayden Panettiere was nominated for supporting actress in a series, miniseries or movie.

Keith Urban and songwriter Monty Powell earned a Best Original Song nod for Urban’s hit “For You,” which he performed for the film Act of Valor. “The most rewarding gift for me as a songwriter is knowing that the song has somehow made a connection,” said Urban. “I’ve been fortunate and moved to hear first hand how it has impacted others’ lives. For that, and for this nomination, I’m so very grateful and honored. To wake up to this news, as well as to Nic’s two nominations, is absolutely beautiful.” His wife Nicole Kidman was nominated for roles in The Paperboy and Hemingway & Gellhorn.

Urban has some country competition in the category, though, as songwriters Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, and T. Bone Burnett are also nominated for Best Original Song for “Safe and Sound.” Swift and The Civil Wars performed the track for blockbuster film The Hunger Games.

The Golden Globes will be held Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will serve as co-hosts for the event.

See the complete list of nominations.