Warner Music Nashville Takes in New VP of Promotion

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Kevin Herring

Warner Music Nashville announced yesterday (12/11) the appointment of Kevin Herring as Vice President of Promotion. Herring succeeds Bob Reeves and will report directly to Chris Stacey, Senior Vice President of Promotion, WMN.

“Kevin is widely respected in Nashville and throughout the industry for his promotion talents,” said Stacey via a release. “We’re confident that he’ll greatly contribute to the future success of our artists, and we couldn’t be happier to have a veteran of his stature join the Warner Music Nashville team.”

Herring joins WMN from EMI Records Nashville, where he served as Vice President of Promotion.  Prior to EMI, he spent 13 years with Lyric Street Records, and has experience promoting numerous top-shelf artists including Shania Twain, Toby Keith, and Garth Brooks. 

Created in 2009, Warner Music Nashville is home to Warner Bros. Nashville, Word Label Group, Atlantic Nashville, Elektra Nashville and the LoudMouth comedy label.

rpm entertainment Enters Revenue Sharing Agreement With Clear Channel

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rpm entertainment, headed by Scott Siman, has entered an agreement with Clear Channel Media and Entertainment to share in Clear Channel’s broadcast revenues. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but similar agreements between broadcasters and labels have included setting streaming radio royalties at a predictable amount. Similar deals have been made by Clear Channel with Big Machine Label Group, Glassnote Entertainment Group, Naxos and DashGo. These agreements are important because they are designed to drive growth and innovation in Internet radio, and because artists aren’t typically paid a broadcast performance royalty for radio airplay.

rpm entertainment, which includes rpme records, rpme music group and rpme management, was launched in May 2012 by Siman. Maggie Rose is rpme’s debut artist signed to the label, management and publishing rosters. rpme music group owns the rights to such hit songs as “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” (Alan Jackson), “I’m Movin’ On” (Rascal Flatts) and “Leave the Pieces” (The Wreckers), among others. rpme management also represents Yarn, Humming House, Carolina Story and a rising country group, The Command Sisters.

“Country music has always been a part of my life – it runs in my veins,” said Siman. “While I am immensely proud of my accomplishments so far, the future is what motivates me. This agreement represents where music is going, and I’m excited that rpm entertainment will be pioneering with Clear Channel.”

“Scott Siman knows country music inside and out,” said Bob Pittman, Chief Executive Officer of Clear Channel. “His years of experience and his reputation in the industry make him and his company an ideal choice for this partnership. His focus on emerging country artists makes this business model, which allows new acts to reach bigger, more diverse audiences, even more relevant.”

Weekly Chart Report (12/7/2012)

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Austin Webb visited Asheville’s WKSF during a radio tour for his latest, “It’s All Good” single. Pictured (L-R): WKSF's Jeff Davis, artist Austin Webb and WKSF's Brian Hatfield.

SPIN ZONE
Arista Nashville takes the top spot this week on the MusicRow Chart with Brad Paisley‘s “Southern Comfort Zone” in it’s eleventh week on the chart. Zac Brown Band‘s “Goodbye In Her Eyes” follows closely at No. 2 with only 33 spins separating the two songs. Last week’s chart-topper, Dierks Bentley‘s “Tip It On Back” now sits at No. 3 with Darius Rucker‘s “True Believers” and Kenny Chesney‘s “El Cerrito Place” at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. Gary Allan‘s “Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)” enters the Top 10 this week at No. 8, as does Randy Houser‘s “How Country Feels” at No. 10.

Carrie Underwood‘s “Two Black Cadillacs” jumped from No. 29 to No. 22 with an additional 442 spins, garnering the single the greatest spin increase on the chart this week. Other top gainers included Tim McGraw‘s “One Of Those Nights” adding 345 spins and The Band Perry‘s “Better Dig Two” with 305 new spins this week. Dustin Lynch‘s “She Cranks My Tractor” jumps to No. 36 from last week’s No. 49 spot with 305 additional spins while Lee Brice‘s “I Drive Your Truck” ups 20 spots to No. 42 with 303 addition spins.

Making its debut this week, Kix Brooks‘ “Moonshine Road” landed at No. 60 while Rascal Flatts‘ “Changed” entered at No. 72. Other debuts included Taylor Made‘s “That’s What Life Is,” Josh Abbott Band‘s “I’ll Sing About Mine,” and Richie Fields‘ “Smile.”

Frozen Playlists: KFAV, KYKX, KVAY, KXKZ, WDHR, WXXK

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

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.
Kix Brooks/Moonshine Road/Arista Nashville – 60
Rascal Flatts/Changed/Big Machine – 72
Taylor Made/That’s What Life Is/LG Records – 75
Josh Abbott Band/I’ll Sing About Mine/PDT-Atlantic-WMN – 79
Richie Fields/Smile – 80

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Rascal Flatts/Changed/Big Machine – 22
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 21
Dustin Lynch/She Cranks My Tractor/Broken Bow Records – 20
Kix Brooks/Moonshine Road/Arista Nashville – 20
Taylor Made/That’s What Life Is/LG Records – 15
Jerrod Niemann/Only God Could Love You More/Sea Gayle-Arista Nashville – 13
Carrie Underwood/Two Black Cadillacs/19-Arista Nashville – 13
Thompson Square/If I Didn’t Have You/Stoney Creek – 11

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Carrie Underwood/Two Black Cadillacs/19-Arista Nashville – 442
Tim McGraw/One Of Those Nights/Big Machine – 345
Dustin Lynch/She Cranks My Tractor/Broken Bow Records – 305
The Band Perry/Better Dig Two/Republic Nashville – 305
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 303

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Brinn Black/That Should Have Been Us/SMG – 153
Angel Mary & The Tennessee Werewolves/Cowboy/Verado – 141
Ashley Forrest/Pourin’ Over Me/Truro-GMV – 140
Lisa Matassa/Somebody’s Baby/It Is What It Is-9North – 135
Summer Schappell/It Ought To Be a Sin/615 Records – 133

Dean Alexander recently visited KFRG in support of his debut Warner single “Moments.” Pictured (L-R): PD Lee Douglas, Alexander, MD Scott Ward, WMN’s Rick Young

 

Livewire members stopped by Pittsburg, KS’ 96.9-KKOW “The Kow” in support of their debut Way Out West Records’ album, LIVIN’ and new single, “Lies.” Pictured (L-R): Danny Bell, KKOW's J-DUB, Andy Eutsler, Bobby Degonia, and Way Out West Records President Clif Doyal

Cumulus Nashville radio stations 103.3 WKDF, 104-5 The Zone, Super Talk 99.7 WTN, i106, 92Q and 95.5 FM WSM listeners helped build a field of dreams comprised of thousands of toys for Salvation Army’s “Forgotten Angels,” during the annual Toy Field event at LP Field this week (12/4)

Submissions Open For CRS Radio Humanitarian Awards

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Submissions are now being accepted for the CRS 2013 Radio Humanitarian Awards. Submissions are currently being accepted through Friday, Jan. 11.

The awards are presented each year during Country Radio Seminar to full-time Country radio stations that display outstanding effort and commitment to improving the quality of life for their communities.  Awards are given in the Large (markets 1-50), Medium (markets 51-130) and Small (markets 131+) market categories.

To apply, submit a brief written presentation (two pages maximum, including photos) to humanitarian@crb.org, summarizing the station’s community service efforts performed between Nov. 1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2012.

Charlie Cook On Air: Streaming Profitability

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Is streaming music ever going to be profitable? For anyone? Recently in Washington DC a group that is purportedly interested in ending discrimination against internet radio met with Congressmen interested in, who knows?

I could not actually find the name of the group that claims to be discriminated against. I guess they can be called, “The Companies Who Continue To Beat Their Heads Against the Wall Thinking That Consumers Are Going to Begin Paying For Things That They Get For Free.” That is kind of a long name for a business card but it best describes the group.

We could also refer to them as the group that hides behind Internet discrimination but whose real purpose is to impose a fee on Broadcast Radio.

I looked up the word discrimination. By the way I looked it up for free on the Internet. Here is what I got from Dictionary.com: Treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.

With a broad interpretation one could say that treatment is different for Internet streaming, so that they can claim discrimination but maybe that word is used more to inflame than inform. This is not exactly forcing someone to sit in the back of the bus because of their color. This is not exactly failing to hire someone because of their religion or refusing to rent an apartment to a young gay couple. This is more like, “if we use an inflammatory term Congress will have to listen to us.”

But that is not really the subject of this note. The entire meeting was a ruse to get in front of Congress and begin to bash Broadcast Radio. The meeting was supposed to address the Internet Radio Fairness Act, which does not include anything about Broadcast Fees. But in about 2 minutes, the wolf jumped out of the sheep’s clothing.

Okay, back to can anyone ever make money streaming music? Look we hear poor-mouth from the big players. They say the fees are crushing them. Well, of course they are. First, they provide a free version. Who the hell is going to pay for something that is available, with a slight modification, for free?

Second, selling commercials is hard. Broadcast radio could have told them this. Finding and training sales people is not as simple as running an ad and putting someone in a suit. You have to find people who can hear the word “no” one hundred times a day hoping to uncover the one business that thinks buying air is a good idea.

I see where 27 million people built Christmas stations last year on Pandora. Twenty- seven million is a big number. Bigger still when you take a beat and try to think of five people you know who might do this. I know one. Twenty-seven million Christmas stations, a perfect target for, well Target, and Wal-mart and on and on and still Pandora is reporting losses as recently as this week.

Broadcast radio, which already has the most professional staff on the street selling advertising, is not making money online. Most broadcasters never see the light at the end of the road. In order to make money you need to appeal to more people. As broadcasters do this online, their costs escalate past where there will ever be a profit. And by the way, this streaming is provided free to consumers, just like the broadcast side.

A recent study by Vision Critical found that Pandora users spent more time with Broadcast Radio than non-Pandora users. This should follow. We know that there are music lovers and most likely looking for new music. Additionally, radio is free.

Many broadcasters stream because they feel they are expected to. They lose money in the process, or at least do not make money. I wonder really how many broadcast stations are making money at all. Maybe 25% of a cluster?

If Congress were to impose a broadcast royalty, the stream would disappear the next day. There is no way broadcast radio is going to pay a fee on both sides with no guarantee of profit on either.

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

CMA Elects New Board of Directors

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Troy Tomlinson

The CMA announced Thursday (Dec. 6) the new Board of Directors. For the first time, the CMA conducted the Board of Directors election online. Appointments take effect Jan. 1.

Gary Overton, Sony Music Entertainment Nashville Chairman and CEO, completes his term as Chairman of the CMA Board, while current CMA Board President Troy Tomlinson, President and CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville, assumes that post. President Elect, Ed Hardy, President of Great American Country (GAC), becomes President of the Board, and Frank Bumstead, Chairman of Flood, Bumstead, McCready, & McCarthy, Inc., has been named President-elect. John Esposito, President Warner Music Nashville, will become the new Secretary/Treasurer of the CMA Board.

“It has been both a pleasure and a learning experience for me to serve alongside Gary over this past year,” Tomlinson said via a statement. “I look forward to working with Ed as he takes on his new role as President and we begin another exciting year for CMA.”

“I am proud, and deeply honored to have been selected by my peers in the Country Music industry for a leadership position on the CMA Board of Directors,” said Hardy. “I have enjoyed working under Gary Overton’s leadership, look forward to working with and learning from Troy Tomlinson and with Steve Moore and his talented team this next year to continue to grow the Country Music industry and genre to new levels.”

2013 CMA Directors and Directors-At-Large
Directors By Membership Category

Ed Hardy

Carryover Directors, who are serving the second year of a two-year term, are followed by newly-elected Directors indicated in bold.

Advertising Agency/PR/Marketing
Mary Hilliard Harrington, The GreenRoom PR
Jeff Walker, The AristoMedia Group

Affiliated
Joe Galante, Galante Entertainment Organization
Steve Buchanan, Grand Ole Opry Group

Artist
Luke Bryan
Kix Brooks, Don’t Miss This, LLC

John Esposito

Broadcast Programming and Air Talent
Blair Garner, After Midnite with Blair Garner, Premiere Networks
Mike Moore, Entercom Communications, Portland, OR

Composer
Brett James, Cornman Music
Tom Douglas, Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Entertainment Services
Stacey Schlitz, Schlitz Law
Frank Bumstead, Flood, Bumstead, McCready, &
McCarthy, Inc.

International
Bob Shennan, BBC, London
Rob Potts, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, Five Dock,
Australia

Frank Bumstead

Music Publisher/PRO
Troy Tomlinson, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Jody Williams, BMI

Musician
Biff Watson, Biff-Bangs Productions, Inc.
Kenny Greenberg

Personal Manager
Bill Simmons, The Fitzgerald Hartley Company
Clarence Spalding, Spalding Entertainment

Producer/Engineer/Studio
Jeff Stevens, Jeff Stevens Music

Radio Management
Clay Hunnicutt, Clear Channel Communications
Natalie Conner, Vice President/General Manager, WXTU,
Philadelphia, Penn.

Record Company
Mike Dungan, Universal Music Group Nashville
John Esposito, Warner Music Nashville

Talent Agent
Rob Beckham, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment,
LLC

Talent Buyer/Promoter
Brian O’Connell, Live Nation
Tony Conway, Conway Entertainment Group, LLC

Television/Video/Media
Ed Hardy, Great American Country
Lon Helton, Country Aircheck

Venue
Sally Williams, The Ryman Auditorium

Lifetime Directors
J. William Denny
Ralph Peer II, peermusic

Ex-Officio Members
Jim Free, The Smith-Free Group, Washington, D.C.
Kyle Young, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Directors at Large:
Charlie Anderson, Anderson Media Corporation, Knoxville, Tenn.
Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Label Group
Becky Brenner, Albright & O’Malley & Brenner Country Radio Specialists, Seattle, Wash.
Randy Chase, Cox Media Group, San Antonio, Texas
Pat Collins, SESAC
Charlie Cook, West Virginia Radio Corp., Morgantown, W.Va.
Jay DeMarcus, Rascal Flatts
Bob DiPiero, Love Monkey Music
Chris DuBois, Sea Gayle Music
Tim DuBois, Tim DuBois Entertainment
Ann Edelblute, XIX Entertainment
Kerri Edwards, Red Light Management
Ted Ellis, CMT Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Karen Fairchild, Little Big Town
Randy Goodman
John Hamlin, CMT – Country Music Television
Mark Hamilton, iTunes, San Bruno, Calif.
Pat Higdon, Patrick Joseph Music
Clint Higham, Morris Artists Management Group
John Huie, Creative Artists Agency
Jan Jeffries, Cumulus Media, Chicago, Ill.
Kurt Johnson, Townsquare Media, Dallas, Texas
Michael Knox, Music Knox, LLC. and peermusic Nashville
Marion Kraft, ShopKeeper Management
Daren Lashinsky, National Shows 2
Ken Levitan, Vector Management
Luke Lewis
Jon Loba, Broken Bow Records
John Marks, Sirius XM Satellite Radio
Deb McDermott, Young Broadcasting
Kevin Neal, Buddy Lee Attractions
Gary Overton, Sony Music Nashville
Jason Owen, Sandbox Entertainment
John Paul, Dial Global Radio Networks, Englewood, Colo.
Brian Philips, CMT – Country Music Television
David Ross, BossRoss Media
Victoria Shaw, Victoria Shaw Songs
Mike Vaden, Decosimo Vaden
Larry Vallon, AEG Live, Los Angeles, Calif.
Ben Vaughn, Warner/Chappell Music
Ed Warm, Joe’s Bar, Chicago, Ill.

Brad Long – Everybody Wants You

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Sometimes you hear a musician perform, and you immediately know that with hard work and a few breaks, this artist is going to make it. Brad Long’s clear, powerful, yet controlled tenor voice and rock-tinged country style absolutely shout “Nashville star.” He has the sound, the look, the style, and the songs. He has a strong work ethic and a desire to continually improve. And as a result, he is making the connections.

Hailing from Myrtle Beach, and now a resident of Conway, SC, He made the obligatory move to Nashville, where he was mentored by country-music great Teddy Gentry, co-founder and bassist of the legendary supergroup Alabama and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

After a sojourn in Nashville, Long moved back to South Carolina and kept on working, touring constantly and keeping his Nashville connections active. He has shared the stage with such luminaries as Dwight Yoakam, Craig Morgan, Little Big Town, Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Jimmy Wayne, and Justin Moore. He polished his stage performances to a high gloss and continues to strive to improve. In short, he’s doing all of the things a budding country star needs to do to gain lasting success.

MusicRow No. 1 Song

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Dierks Bentley. Photo: Jim Wright

Dierks Bentley’s latest single, “Tip It On Back,” gives him another reason to do so as it ratcheted up to the No. 1 position of this week’s MusicRow Chart.

Penned by Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, and Tully Kennedy, the song stands out from Bentley’s 19 previous singles as the first release not written by the singer. The track appears as the fourth single from his CMA-nominated Home album.

“Times are tough, so relax, drink up and let your troubles fade away,” reported Robert K. Oermann about the single for MusicRow’s DISClaimer. “His vocal has even more personality than usual, and the swirling echo of electric guitars surrounding him is a little bit of sonic magic. Intensely involving.”

Watch the Wes Edwards directed music video here.

Next month, Bentley will be featured during three primetime specials including the Grammy Nomination concert; the American Country Awards in accordance with his Album of the year nomination; and the CMA Country Christmas.

Weekly Chart Report (11/29/2012)

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Thunder 102’s GM and Marketing Mgr., Paul Ciliberto, received the 2012 SYDA Foundation Community Service Award earlier this month (11/15).

SPIN ZONE
Dierks Bentley‘s “Tip It On Back” jumps to the No. 1 spot this week on the MusicRow Chart. The Capital Nashville artist’s title track climbed into the top spot after spending only 17 weeks on the chart. Zac Brown Band‘s “Goodbye In Her Eyes” leaps five places to No. 2, followed by Darius Rucker‘s “True Believers” at No. 3. Rounding out the Top 5 is Brad Paisley‘s “Southern Comfort Zone” at No. 4, and Kip Moore‘s “Beer Money” at No. 5.

Big movers this week include Carrie Underwood‘s “Two Black Cadillacs” jumping from No. 47 to No. 29, gaining 550 spins. The Band Perry‘s “Better Dig Two” also made a big climb, adding 430 spins to reach No. 14. Jason Aldean‘s “The Only Way I Know” added 377 new spins while Toby Keith‘s “Hope On The Rocks” added 372 spins, both in their fifth week on the chart.

Making its debut this week, Lee Brice‘s “I Drive Your Truck” landed at No. 62. There were eight additional debuts, including Aaron Lewis‘ “Forever” at No. 71 and Michael Dean Church‘s “Still Not Over You” at No. 74.

Also, Captain Jack at Renegade Radio Nashville has new on-air hours (4 – 7 p.m. CT) and call times (Wednesdays 12 noon – 2 p.m. CT).

Frozen Playlists: WOKA, WAKG, KICR, WZMR, KYKK, WXXK

Upcoming Singles
December 3
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb
Jillian Kohr/What You’ve Done
Josh Pruno/23rd Psalm/Lawrence Music Group
Big & Rich/Party Like Cowboyz/Warner Bros.-W.A.R.

December 4
Doug Briney/Deja Vu All Over Again/CBM Records

December 17
The Henningsens/American Beautiful/Arista
LeAnn Rimes/Borrowed/Curb
Austin Webb/It’s All Good/Streamsound

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

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 62
Aaron Lewis/Forever/Blaster Records – 71
Michael Dean Church/Still Not Over You/MDC – 74
Luke Pilgrim/Back Road Lullaby/MMG – 75
Hillbilly Vegas/Little Miss Rough And Tumble/Red Dirt Music Company – 76
Brent Cobb/Love On Me/Carnival – 77
Craig Campbell/Outta My Head/Bigger Picture – 78
The Roys/Still Standing/Rural Rhythm – 79
Bill Gentry/Hell And Half Of Georgia/Tenacity Records – 80

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Carrie Underwood/Two Black Cadillacs/19-Arista Nashville – 33
Dustin Lynch/She Cranks My Tractor/Broken Bow Records – 26
Lee Brice/I Drive Your Truck/Curb – 25
Kelly Clarkson w/ Vince Gill/Don’t Rush/19 Recordings/RCA Nashville – 24
Love and Theft/Running Out Of Air/RCA Nashville – 15
Hayden Panettiere/Telescope/BMLG – 14
Toby Keith/Hope On The Rocks/Show Dog-Universal – 14
Aaron Lewis/Forever/Blaster Records – 14
Tim McGraw/One Of Those Nights/Big Machine – 13
Taylor Made/That’s What Life Is/LG Records – 12
Thompson Square/If I Didn’t Have You/Stoney Creek – 12
Kix Brooks/Moonshine Road/Arista Nashville – 12

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Carrie Underwood/Two Black Cadillacs/19-Arista Nashville – 550
The Band Perry/Better Dig Two/Republic Nashville – 430
Jason Aldean/The Only Way I Know/Broken Bow – 377
Toby Keith/Hope On The Rocks/Show Dog-Universal – 372
Tim McGraw/One Of Those Nights/Big Machine – 368
Kelly Clarkson w/ Vince Gill/Don’t Rush/19 Recordings-RCA Nashville – 367

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Richie Fields/Smile – 158
Josh Abbott Band/I’ll Sing About Mine/PDT-Atlantic-WMN – 141
Jason Cassidy/Ride Of Your Life / – 131
Kix Brooks/Moonshine Road/Arista Nashville – 131
Lisa Matassa/Somebody’s Baby/It Is What It Is-9North – 128

Carrie Underwood recently met up with WLHK PD Bob Richards at the Indianapolis stop of her “Blown Away” tour. Pictured (L-R): Arista Nashville promo rep Ryan Dokke, Underwood, and Richards.

Lisa Matassa visited Bill Cody at 650 AM WSM while promoting her Dec. 4 EP release Somebody’s Baby. (L-R): Cody, Matassa and Jonathan Shaffer

Painted Horse Records artist Ryan Broshear recently visited with WIFE Radio in Connersville, IN to take calls from fans and perform on the air. He is on the Lightning Bugs And Mason Jars 2012 tour through Christmas. Pictured (L-R): Broshear and WIFE PD Ted Cramer

Charlie Cook On Air: Black Friday Sales

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K-Mart and Sears had 32-inch TV sets for $97. Verizon had Samsung tablets for $99. Best Buy was selling laptops for under $200.

This year Black Friday either set records for spending or was below expectations. I have read each analysis and I don’t understand what either side is saying. According to one report, 44% of the total US population shopped Friday-Monday. I believe this is a low estimate as at least 50% of the entire population was at the Partridge Creek Mall in Macomb, Michigan on Friday. It took me until Saturday to find a parking space.

Americans spent $59 BILLION dollars over the weekend in retail sales.

Here is where the numbers get crossed up: There was either a 13% increase in total weekend sales over last year, or sales were down from a 16% growth last year over 2010.

There was a 3.5% increase in the number of store visits, but there was a 1.8% drop in revenue from those visits.

Well yeah, they were pooped out from looking for a parking space. I get that.

What scares me the most is that the average amount consumers plan to spend on gifts is $423. I did that before lunch Friday and I have 15 more people to buy for. Which means a lot of you should be looking for Christmas cards this year instead of Xboxes or fruit baskets.

The website www.blackfriday.com listed hundreds of stores and sales for last week. I browsed the coupons and the sales but failed to see one ad for music or radios. I know how hard it is to find a radio that doesn’t also include an iPod/iPhone connection.

After the east coast got hammered by Sandy, I went looking for a “simple” battery radio to throw in the car this winter. But they didn’t have it at Target, Walmart or Sam’s. And trying to find a radio in Radio Shack is like trying to find Victoria in Victoria’s Secret. She’s not there. I’ve looked.

We’ll get some numbers this week on music sales. I suspect that Red is going to be under a lot of Christmas trees. There is a new Toby Keith album this season, as well as new music from Jamey Johnson, Jason Aldean, and Jerrod Niemann, and Christmas CDs from Blake Shelton, Lady A and Scotty McCreey.

I listen to a lot of country radio each week and I didn’t hear any mention of  “Pick up some country music while you’re out shopping on Black Friday.” I didn’t hear ads about stocking stuffers while 150 million Americans were out shopping in stores or on-line this past Monday.

I don’t know anything about marketing hard goods to the American consumer, but it seems to me that getting them in the store is half the challenge. If the big guys are going to do that for you, led by the news media and the culture in this country to not be left behind, why not put a bug in their ear?

There is nothing really hot this year. I went online and looked at some sites and these are what they considered the top ten gifts for 2012:

1. iPhone Virtual Video Glasses
2. Atari iPad Arcade Console
3. Air Guitar with Laser Strings
4. Remee Mind Control Dreaming Mask
5. Retro iPhone Rotary-style Headset
6. Fog Ring Blaster
7. NFL Logo Toasters (Creates team logo on the toast.)
8. Beer Box Cowboy Hat
9. iPhone Pinball Magic Console
10. Polly the Insulting Electronic Parrot

I seriously doubt this list’s credibility, but I would like to see the Logo Toaster in action.

There are at least four goofy things on this list, though if the mind control mask works I am going to buy one. Why can’t we add a battery powered radio and a six pack of country music CDs to the list?

Heck, radio should be running ads for radios everyday. The brick and mortar stores should remind the guy with $423 in his pocket that he can get a half dozen CDs and knock off half his list… before getting himself a Polly the Insulting Electronic Parrot.

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