Charlie Cook On Air: A Look Back at 2013

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Charlie Cook

Charlie Cook


A few more days left in 2013. I hope that you have more than a used calendar to show for it. It was an interesting year for Music Row and the industry as a whole. There were a few surprises. There was some good news and then some not so good news.
Top ten things from 2013.
1. Blake Shelton took over as the format’s number one act. Two Male Vocalist of the Year nods. Best Album of the year, twice. A sold out tour. The Voice remained one of the top shows of the year. The finale was down from last year but I believe that was because Blake did not have a singer in the finals. Just another example of his influence on the program.
2. George Strait’s announcement that he will be unhooking his guitar strap in 2014. The final show, in the 100,000 seat AT&T Stadium, sold out before George could fly from Dallas to San Antonio on his jet.
3. Carrie Underwood as Maria in The Sound of Music. More than 18 million viewers tuned in to see one of music’s best voices sing her way through the Alps and away from the Nazis.
4. Toby Keith finishing at No. 4 on the “Man You Are Rich” list in Forbes Magazine. Toby has built quite the empire and he has done a great job of finding revenue streams in more than touring. Touring ends at some point. The money needn’t.
5. Garth Brooks coming back to a stage nearer to you. I cannot believe that it has been four years in Vegas at the Wynn. I have said that his live show there is the best I have seen. Like all of us who have been around Garth, I have always been a fan, but after leaving the theater that night I was a super fan. I watched the CBS TV special and it did not capture the vibe of being there. This just tells you how incredible it is to be in the room (or arena) and feel the show. I am looking forward to Fall of 2014 when he hits the road again.
6. Luke Bryan winning the Entertainer of the Year award at the ACM show in April. I think that we were all surprised. Obviously Luke was, by his response. Not that we should have been–the ACM EOY has a fan participation element. I have told the story of being in Nashville for the Music Fest and seeing young females climbing, precariously, up to a Luke poster to have their pictures made with it. If they are willing to put their safely at risk, he was going to get their vote.
7. Both the ACM and CMA show did record-breaking ratings for CBS and ABC, respectively. In 2012 the CMA show dealt with a hellacious weather situation on the east coast and a couple of the bigger cities had compromised TV service. In the Spring, the ACM show hit a new high mark and took over as the most watched Country Award show. This Fall the CMA bounced back and both shows showed why Country is so important to their network partners.
8. 2013 will go down as the Year of the Country Music Tour. According to Billboard Magazine, Taylor Swift grossed $115M against 66 sold out shows and 1.4 million fans. There is nothing gross about that. Kenny Chesney did $91M. Jason Aldean did $48M. Luke Bryan notched $46M.
9. Miranda Lambert locking up the Female Vocalist of the Year award. At what point do they change the name of the award to “The Miranda Lambert Award”?
10. Nielson Buying Arbitron. My prediction: Within five years the top 100 markets will be PPM and they will stop doing diary surveys in all other markets.
Happy New Year.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)

Leadership Music/MusicRow Food Drive Supports Second Harvest

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musicrowleadershipmusicThe first joint Leadership Music/Music Row Food Drive, which ended Dec. 3, resulted in almost 1,400 pounds of non-perishable food items donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. That will provide more than 1,100 meals for people in need.
Participating music industry businesses include: AristoMedia, ASCAP, Avenue Bank, BMI, BMG Chrysalis, City National Bank, CMA, Conway Entertainment, Harris Huskins, Martin Allbee & Associates, The Recording Academy, Denise Stiff & Keith Case, Sayles Eagan, SunTrust Bank, TKO Artists, UMG, Vector Management, and William Morris Endeavor.

Oermann: Top Non-Country Releases of 2013

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mechanical bull1As the whole world is finally aware, Nashville is far more than Country music. Here are 10 of my favorite non-Country releases of 2013. They range from Americana platters to hard rockers.
1. KINGS OF LEON Mechanical Bull (RCA)
They’re not just the best rock band in Nashville. They are the best rock band in America.
2. EMMYLOU HARRIS & RODNEY CROWELL Old Yellow Moon (Nonesuch)
Timeless voices making timeless music. The queen and king of the 2013 Americana hit parade.
3. JASON ISBELL Southeastern (Relativity)
New Nashvillian Isbell created a sublimely therapeutic album about addiction recovery and more.
4. PARAMORE Paramore (Atlantic)
Astoundingly, a complete reconfiguration of this rocking band made it even better. And it very seldom happens that way.
5. HOLLY WILLIAMS The Highway (Georgiana)
Hank’s granddaughter truly came into her own as a singer-songwriter on her 2013 outing.
6. THE McCRARY SISTERS All the Way (MS)
The year’s greatest Nashville gospel album, sung by every year’s greatest Nashville soul singers.
7. LORI McKENNA Massachusetts (Hoodie Songs)
This Americana singer-songwriter is a woman, not a girl, and that’s why these songs are as good as they are.
lori mckenna1118. BRENDAN BENSON You Were Right (Readymade)
He is frequently overshadowed by his famous Raconteurs collaborator Jack White, but Benson proves he’s his own pop-rock master here.
9. DIARRHEA PLANET I’m Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams (Infinity Cat)
Loud, snotty and fun. What more could you want?
10. THE CIVIL WARS The Civil Wars (Columbia)
The future of John Paul White and Joy Williams as a duo might be in doubt, but there’s no uncertainty in this power-packed Americana outing.

Shelton Works With JCPenney to Support USO

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Blake Shelton recently worked with JCPenney for a new Christmas commercial that features The Voice star singing “Silent Night” with USO families in the background, according to Adage. As part of the promotion, JCPenney held a “pop-up” concert at its Manhattan Mall store in Greeley Square, with Shelton singing along with a chorus from the USO to support the retailer’s “Jingle Mingle” promotion.
The chain is donating for every customer who uploads videos of themselves singing “Silent Night,” which has resulted in a $1 million check to the USO thus far.

Rewind: 2013 MusicRow Events

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MusicRow looks back on its 2013 events including the MusicRow Chart Annual Airplay Awards during CRS, the second annual Rising Women On The Row breakfast and the reader-voted MusicRow Awards.

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MusicRow Magazine presented its 25th annual subscriber-voted MusicRow Awards on June 25 during a ceremony hosted by ASCAP at the organization’s Nashville offices. The awards event, led by MusicRow Publisher and Owner Sherod Robertson, recognized the 2013 Breakthrough Artist, Breakthrough Songwriter, Song of the Year and Producer of the Year. Additionally, Top Ten Album All-Star Musician Awards were presented to session players who performed on the most top ten albums during the eligibility period. Kacey Musgraves took home Breakthrough Artist and Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. “I Drive Your Truck,” penned by Connie Harrington, Jessi Alexander and Jimmy Yeary, tied for Song of the Year with “Merry Go ‘Round,” written by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. The Producer of the Year honor went to Dann Huff.

Jimmy Yeary and Jessi Alexander

Jimmy Yeary and Jessi Alexander. Photo: Isabel Ross


Pictured (L-R): Sherod Robertson, Sarah Skates, Dann Huff and Eric Parker.

Pictured (L-R): Sherod Robertson, Sarah Skates, Dann Huff and Eric Parker.

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MusicRow‘s 2013 Rising Women on the Row event honored the CMA’s Brandi Simms, publicist Cindy Hunt, Creative Nation’s Beth Laird, UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe and Universal Music Publishing Group’s Cyndi Forman. Mary Ann McCready of business management firm Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy was interviewed during the event, which took place at Maggiano’s in Nashville on March 22.

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Pictured (L-R): Mary Ann McCready and Sherod Robertson


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Rising Women on the Row honorees and MusicRow staff

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MusicRow Magazine presented its 11th annual CountryBreakout Awards at Margaritaville in Nashville on Feb. 26, 2013. Entertainers at the event included Streamsound Recording artist Jaida Dreyer, whose debut album, I Am Jaida Dreyer, was released that very morning. Additionally, the showcase featured sibling trio, High Valley.

The CountryBreakout Awards recognize success at radio on the MusicRow chart during the preceding year (January to December 2012). A list of award recipients is below.
11th annual MusicRow CountryBreakout Award winners:
Male Artist of the Year– Dierks Bentley
Female Artist of the Year– Miranda Lambert
Group of the Year– Zac Brown Band
Label of the Year– Capitol Records Nashville
Breakout Artist of the Year– Kip Moore
Independent Artist of the Year – Taylor Made
CountryBreakout Reporter of the Year– Paul Ciliberto, WDNB

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Pictured (L-R): Sarah Skates, Taylor Made, Sherod Robertson


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High Valley performs


Dierks Bentley receives the MusicRow CountryBreakout Male Artist of the Year Award on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Pictured (L-R) Sarah Skates (MusicRow Senior News Editor), Sherod Robertson (MusicRow Publisher/Owner), Dierks Bentley, Steve Hodges (UMG Nashville, Sr. VP Promotions).

Dierks Bentley receives the MusicRow CountryBreakout Male Artist of the Year Award on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Pictured (L-R): Sarah Skates (MusicRow Senior News Editor), Sherod Robertson (MusicRow Publisher/Owner), Dierks Bentley, Steve Hodges (UMG Nashville, Sr. VP Promotions).

Oermann: 2013 Country Music Worth Buying

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12 stories11It’s true that most current Country music sucks (but, then, so does most current pop music). Even so, during 2013 there were actually Country records worth spending your money on. Here are 10 releases from the past year that you really should own.
1. BRANDY CLARK 12 Stories (Slate Creek)
Every song is a stunner. Perhaps the finest debut CD from a country singer-songwriter since Steve Earle.
2. BLUE SKY RIDERS Finally Home (3Dream)
Comprised of Gary Burr, Georgia Middleman and Kenny Loggins, this trio has it all – sterling harmonies, terrific energy, awesomely hooky songs.
3. VARIOUS ARTISTS The Music of Nashville (Big Machine)
How embarrassing is it that a TV soap opera about the country-music business creates better music than the real thing?
4. KACEY MUSGRAVES Same Trailer, Different Park (Mercury)
Sweet, tart, tangy and twangy in all the right places. Smart, too.
5. SHERYL CROW Feels Like Home (Warner Bros.)
What a pro. Her singing has never sounded stronger, and her country compositions ring with authenticity. Welcome to the format.
6. BOBBY BARE Darker Than Light (Plowboy)
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, Bare also put out the best folk-country collection of 2013.
ashley monroe17. ASHLEY MONROE Like a Rose (Warner Bros.)
Her Appalachian soprano melts your heart. Her charm, wit and sass tickle your brain.
8. THE PISTOL ANNIES Annie Up (RCA)
Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe prove that their first trio album was no fluke via this just-as-potent sophomore effort.
9. KELLY WILLIS & BRUCE ROBISON Cheater’s Game (Premium)
Once again, the Texans show the Tennesseans how to do it right.
10. STURGILL SIMPSON High Top Mountain (SS-HTM)
Cool, retro and country, country, country, all the way. A new honky-tonk hero is born.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Vince Gill & Paul Franklin, Amber Digby, Chris Young, Blake Shelton, George Strait, the Buddy Emmons tribute CD.
Note: The worthy Taylor Swift, Kip Moore, Little Big Town, Jim Lauderdale & Buddy Miller, Miranda Lambert and Zac Brown Band albums were all issued in 2012.

'The Voice' Returns In February For Sixth Season

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the voice

Jacquie Lee, Will Champlin, and Tessanne Chin


The Voice has crowned a new winner for the fifth season of the popular singing competition, and this time around judge Adam Levine bested buddy/fellow judge Blake Shelton for top honors this season with his team member Tessanne Chin winning the competition.
The judges are already gearing up for the next go-round, however, with Usher and Shakira returning to the realm while Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera depart for season six.
The Voice‘s sixth season premieres on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

American Music Abroad Deadline Approaching

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AV and DOSAmerican Voices’ American Music Abroad program, which is designed to communicate America’s musical contributions to the global music scene and foster cross-cultural communication with global audiences, is accepting applications through Jan. 6.
The program tours will focus on younger and under-served audiences in more than 50 countries around the world with little or no access to live American musical performances. American Music Abroad ensembles travel in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America and Eastern Europe. Prior to the respective tours, each ensemble will present a tour kick-off concert in Washington, D.C..
The American Music Abroad website features information about the ensembles selected to serve as cultural ambassadors, the countries they visit, and their journeys as they tour the globe.
Applications are being accepted at amvoices.org.

Artist Updates (12/20/13)

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Cadillac Three

Cadillac Three


The Cadillac Three is headed to the U.K. and Ireland in 2014 with Eric Church. It’s a return visit for the band, who played London’s Barfly earlier this month. Dates will include Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, and London from Feb. 24-March 2.
 

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Krystal and Toby Keith


Krystal Keith was joined by her father Toby for a special duet onstage during her performance at the Revolver Nightclub in Las Vegas at the Santa Fe Station Casino. The two performed “Cabo San Lucas,” a track written by Toby Keith and Eddy Raven that is featured on Krystal Keith’s album Whiskey & Lace.
 
 

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unnamed-2Charlie Farley’s debut Average Joe’s album Hog Heaven, will be released Jan. 14, 2014. Executive produced by Phivestarr Productions and Shannon Houchins, fans can pre-order the new album today on Itunes and immediately receive three tracks, “Backwoods Boys f/Daniel Lee,” “Jacked Up,” and the title track, “Hog Heaven.”

Charlie Cook On Air: Not Quite A Country Christmas

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Charlie Cook

Charlie Cook


Each year at Christmastime radio gets thrown for a loop because so many AC stations flip to all holiday music. If you’re in the AC format this can be a boost in the ratings for your station. If you’re in another format you take a deep breath and just get through it.
If you’re in a diary market the impact has been lessened this year as the rating book ended on Dec. 4. If your competitor started Christmas music at Thanksgiving the influence was minimal to the Fall 2013 survey. Of course, Nielsen has segregated a lot of the music’s effect in PPM markets by designing a 13th month, starting Dec. 4 and going through New Year’s Eve.
I work with Country radio station stations, but I also work with AC stations here in West Virginia and a few consulting clients for McVay/Cook. Like most programmers, I listen to about 30 hours of radio a day. Thirty hours a day? Yeah the joke around the office is that I always have at least two radios on in my office and I am listening to two stations, then sometimes air checks and new music on a third source.
What I find every year is that I really like the all-Christmas stations. Program directors talk about “Oh Wow” songs. These are songs that we haven’t heard in a while but that are still immediately familiar to us. We easily fall into singing along when these songs come on the radio. Well that’s exactly what happens with Christmas Music on the radio and why it is so appealing. Nielsen points out that AC stations that change to Christmas programming increase an average 76 percent during the holiday season.
We haven’t heard “Please Come Home for Christmas” by the Eagles in at least 11 months, but as soon as WVAF-FM starts playing it you start singing along. Christmas Music is everyone’s comfort food. There is a huge difference between Christmas music and music about Christmas. Compare “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby and “The Night Santa Went Crazy” by Weird Al.
Country radio is one of the formats that feels the heat from the format flip. Last week, Nielsen reported that Country stations take a 17 percent hit in the ratings for the Christmas period. Country is an adult format so this follows. Less than a handful of Country stations have tried the all-Christmas approach. KZLA/Los Angeles did it one year, and I don’t remember that it helped them much. In Los Angeles, KOST owns the image and KRTH has had a lot of success in the past focusing on the 60s-80’s artists doing holiday music.
In Kansas City, KFKF goes all-Christmas. I think that they are the only large market station to do so, but they have the advantage of being the only station to program all-Christmas in the city since the old AC in town dropped the format years back. Additionally KFKF’s sister station, KBEQ-FM, gives them a little cover for leaving the format for a month. If it were not for another Country station in the building they might not be likely to give WDAF the opportunity to be the alternative. And while KFKF plays Christmas music with a heavy Country music lean, they play a very wide non-Country list of Christmas music. Everything from Bruce Springsteen to TSO.
The need to stray from the format musically is probably why more Country music stations don’t attempt this format flip every year. There are one or two Country acts that release a Christmas CD every year, but there are not a ton of new Country Christmas releases each year. The most played Country-themed Christmas song this year on the chart is Phil Robertson and George Strait with “Hairy Christmas.” And, as I write this, it is only No. 68. In fact three of the top four Christmas songs are from that CD.
Not many stations are going to give up their position for Duck Dynasty. Not on the hair of your chinny chin chin.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)