Easton Corbin Joins “Road to the Ram Jam”

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Mercury Nashville recording artist Easton Corbin will join previously announced artists Kellie Pickler and Brantley Gilbert for the “Road to the Ram® Jam” series and sweepstakes.

The Road to the Ram Jam, presented by the Ram Truck brand, highlights five country artists and offers exclusive video content, free music downloads and the opportunity to win prizes through participating country radio stations. Fans can enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win trips to the invitation-only 2012 Ram Jam concert event in Nashville December 29, 2012 at www.RamTrucks.com/RoadtoRamJam or on the Ram Trucks Facebook page at www.ramjamsweeps.com.

Corbin will offer fans entering the sweepstakes a chance to win a free download of his new single “Lovin’ You Is Fun” from his forthcoming sophomore album All Over the Road. The remaining Road to the Ram Jam artists will be announced throughout the year and all five participating will receive a lease on a 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn truck. The trucks will then be auctioned off in early 2013 with all proceeds going to benefit a charity of each artist’s choice.

Easton Corbin

Lipton Unveils Lady Antebellum Ad Campaign

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Lipton has unveiled its national ad campaign starring Lady Antebellum to introduce the beverage company’s new product offerings.

The celebrity partnership was reported in early March and will extend to the trio’s May 16 tornado benefit for Henryville, IN. The campaign will also include print, radio, digital, and retail integrations.

One of the TV spots has the group members transforming into translucent silhouettes before hitting the stage. In another, the band takes the Lipton to-go powders to a park for an impromptu concert.

Fans also have a chance to win a visit with the band in Nashville as part of the “Drink Positive Sweepstakes with Lady Antebellum” on Facebook.

Tuesday night (5/8) on NBC’s The Voice, Lady Antebellum debuted a new single, “Wanted You More.” The group performed just before Blake Shelton‘s teammate, Jermaine Paul was chosen as the Season 2 winner.

Weekly Register: Underwood Sales Cover The Charts

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Carrie Underwood has Blown Away everyone on the charts this week with her album debuting at No. 1 Country, No. 1 Current Digital Albums and No. 1 Top 200. Underwood’s sales of over 267k units were 40% in digital format, higher than usual for country product and reflecting her pop culture following. (Norah Jones debuted this week at No. 2 on the Top 200 chart with sales of 110k.)

The Idol alum’s last outing, Play On, hit sales bins the week of 11/08/2009 and shifted a total of 317.7k units, 20% of which were digital. The 16% drop in debut sales from 2009 to 2012 is a stark reminder of the overall trend in music sales across the board.

Cover art certainly effects and affects sales which is why I have to ask about the cover of Blown Away. Really? Ms. Underwood is one of the most stunning artists in country or any other format. The camera simply loves her. Look at the cover of Play On, for example. See how she effortlessly exudes both sophistication and girl next door approachability? Am I wrong? Leave your comment below.

And while we’re discussing Carrie’s chart topping debut, isn’t it an interesting coincidence that this was finale week for The Voice? The four Voice finalists stood on the stage whimpering about how much winning this contest means, but truthfully, over the last decade or so we have seen just how difficult it is to pick real stars. Precious few multi-album careers have come from reality TV winners, which makes Underwood’s success and her vocal talent all the more exceptional.

Albums
This week we include the current and previous week’s grid report for easy comparison. The YTD 7.1% gain in country album sales continues to grow as does the format’s digital album sales now up 42.3%.

The week’s Country Top 20 holds a few surprises worth noting. Lionel Richie continues his hot streak adding about 64k units to the claim No. 2 position and a total 680k actual sales plus an RIAA Platinum designation for shipments totaling over one million. Lady Antebellum’s Own The Night continues to remain inside the Top 10 (No. 9) adding 11k units for a 34-week total of almost 1.6 million units. In positions 4 and 5 we find newcomers Lee Brice and Kip Moore, enjoying robust second week sales. Interestingly, they both dropped off less than expected, 48% and 43% respectively. Other new faces inside the Top 20 include Brantley Gilbert (No. 11), Scotty McCreery (No. 14), Josh Abbott Band (No. 16) and Hunter Hayes (No. 20).

4-29-2012

Tracks
Country track sales remain ahead of last year, currently up 20.8%. This leads to a fat Albums + TEA increase of 10.84% (track equivalent albums; 10 tracks = 1 album). All genre track sales are only up 7.1% and all genre TEA + Albums only 1.23%.

Eric Church’s “Springsteen” completes its climb into the top spot on the Country Tracks chart with 78k downloads. Carrie Underwood’s title track “Blown Away” entered the list at No. 4 with almost 68k downloads.

Visit this link to see the upcoming albums so you can get an idea of how the next few weeks might play out for country’s album sales. Can the Music City sound remain in positive territory YTD? Will it stay ahead of the all-genre numbers… Keep your eyes here on the Weekly Register to find out!

Gilbert’s “Halfway To Heaven” Goes Gold

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(L-R): Back Row—Harry Lyons, Justin Key, Kelsey Chandler, Megan Knutson, Whitney Sutton, John Zarling, Annie Ortmeier, George Briner, Jake Basden, Erik Powell, Jimmy Chapin; Middle Row—Matthew Hargis, Jimmy Harnen, Sandi Spika Borchetta, Scott Borchetta, Brantley Gilbert, Allison Jones, Kelly Rich, Brittney McKenna; Front Row—Wayne Milligan, Andrew Kautz, Nikki Burns, Seth Hellman. Photo: Chase Reynolds

Before Saturday night’s (5/5) sold-out concert at the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, Brantley Gilbert was surprised with a gold plaque to commemorate sales of over 500,000 copies of Halfway to Heaven. His Big Machine Label Group family, and booking agency CAA hosted a pre-show celebration for the accolade.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Brantley and are not only celebrating a gold record but that Halfway to Heaven is now officially halfway to platinum,” said Big Machine Label Group President & CEO Scott Borchetta.

The album features the gold-certified, No. 1 hit, “Country Must Be Country Wide,” as well as his current Top 15 single, “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do.”

Chosen for an opening slot on Eric Church’s Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour, Gilbert played a rockin’ 45-minute set that had the crowd on their feet with their fists in the air.

For tour dates and more, visit Gilbert’s Facebook page.

Rachele Lynae Expands Single Promotion To Dance Clubs

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Rachele Lynae

Rachele Lynae’s new single “Party ‘Til The Cows Come Home” is gaining traction in dance clubs and at radio. Jamie O’Neal’s Momentum Label Group tapped Marco Club Connection to promote its flagship artist to dance clubs, and highlighted Lynae’s video with a DownCast video news release.

Nashvillechoreography.com’s Kevin Andrews created a line dance for the track, and award-winner Trey Fanjoy directed the video which showcases the dance.

“This song is a perfect vehicle to introduce Rachele into the Country dance club scene,” says Bobbe Morhiser, Marco Club Connection’s Manager/Venue Marketing. “Early testing by club DJs has been very positive, with many outlets adding the single right out of the box. Normally it might take several weeks after a song is released to radio before they add a song to their playlist. Many venue DJs work at local radio stations, and club spins can often translate into airplay on those stations and websites.”

DownCast launched a campaign this week (view it here) that showcases Lynae’s video and other artists who have benefited from dance club hits in recent years including Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Jake Owen and Gloriana. DownCast, a joint venture between AristoMedia and Travis Television, distributes EPKs and VNRs to approximately 10,000 U.S. and international media outlets.

Artists Seek Opportunity at Ad Agencies

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David Nail

The road to stardom has long been paved with radio visits and media rounds, now artists are adding advertising agencies to the mix. Musicians are courting ad agencies in hopes of scoring coveted placements in commercials, which boost exposure and the bottom line.

Brands pairing with music artists is nothing new, particularly when it comes to tour sponsorships. But as music sales have decreased, artists are more actively seeking these partnerships.

Tom Lord

Tom Lord, VP Marketing at UMG Nashville, said he’s seen the agency-visit trend grow in recent years, particularly in the country world. Citing the major cross-genre success of Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift and Sugarland, he explained, “All of the growth outside the format has made the agencies more aware of country artists and made brands interested in partnering with them.”

Television shows have also given country a nudge into the spotlight. Ratings magnet American Idol created stars Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina last season, and both landed on the UMG roster. Meanwhile, Blake Shelton’s career has been significantly elevated in the last few years, thanks in part to his coaching gig on hit show The Voice.

Another factor that makes licensing country music attractive for advertisers is its percentage of physical sales, which is higher than other genres. “Country has maintained a decent foothold with regard to physical sales,” added Lord. “And that’s appealing to brands who want to attract in-store shoppers.”

Laura Bell Bundy

When an artist is touring in a city that is home to a major agency—Dallas, Chicago and New York, for example—going to visit is a natural step in the introduction process. Laura Bell Bundy and David Nail are among the UMG artists who have wooed real-life Don Drapers. Bundy’s visit didn’t include a performance, instead the team was invited to her concert and the office meeting was so the staff could get to know her personality and interests.

“It’s all about relationship building,” said Lord. “You may not get an opportunity immediately, but you hope they will call the next time they are looking for a country artist or song.

“Agency visits help bury the preconceived notions about country music. You bring in an artist like David Nail—who I’d put up against any male vocalist—he performs and blows them away,” summed Lord. “That’s where we win.”

Topspin and TuneCore Join Forces

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TuneCore and Topspin have announced plans to integrate and offer full services under one umbrella. The integration is planned for late summer 2012.

The combined services will have the ability to pair TuneCore’s ability to distribute music to all digital platforms (iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and more) with Topspin’s fan-driven marketing capabilities, while still maintaining 100% of their rights. The service is for artists both established and independent.

Artists already using Topspin will receive a 30% discount on TuneCore distribution, and artists using TuneCore will receive a free month of Topspin Plus, a $49.99 value. These discounts are available immediately.

When the technical portion of the integration is finished, users can have their music delivered from one service to the other without having to re-upload. Topspin sales info will appear on the TuneCore artist dashboard.

More info here.

Weekly Register: Discounters Create Sales Iceberg

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This week’s quick take away is—the sky is not falling (any faster than it was last week); physical sales are weakening while digital sales get stronger; and Lionel Richie remains country’s newest and best seller.

Unfortunately, the real story, like an iceberg under water, is hidden from view. That real story is a too familiar parable of revenues and costs which is being redefined by retailers like Google with its regular $3.99 album specials. For example, this week a quick search for country in the $3.99 digital bin found found Taylor Swift’s Fearless, Sugarland’s Incredible Machine, Martina McBride’s Eleven, Alison Krauss A Hundred Miles.. and more. We’ve been told that discounters like Google, Amazon and others are still paying labels the normal wholesale value, but this activity is a ticking time bomb sure to redefine music pricing going forward which can’t be good for record label bottom lines, long term.

Average Joes Entertainment CEO Shannon Houchins, in this week’s two-part MusicRow interview says he believes music sales will no longer be a revenue stream in as soon as a few years. [Click HERE to read.] It’s hard to accept that vision might become reality in the country industry. However, as music sales from all formats converge into a single handheld mobile device, it seems likely that what happens in one format will quickly spread to all. Imagine how the Nashville landscape might look if the revenue landscape were to alter itself that dramatically!

Albums
For the week ended 4/29/12 we see the overall industry struggling to remain even with last year, and falling .9% behind. As the grid shows, if one includes YTD TEA numbers, then sales are up slightly, 1.3%. Nashville-based Jack White debuts Blunderbuss this past week and sees it sit on top of the Top 200 list with sales of almost 138k.

In the world of country, Lionel Richie remains at No. 1 scanning an additional 78k units to push his 5-week total above 615k and YTD country album sales ahead 5.9%. Debuts take spots No. 2 and 3 on the country list; Curb’s Lee Brice sells 46k with Hard 2 Love and MCA’s Kip Moore scans 37k with Up All Night.

Carrie Underwood’s Blown Away just hit bins and next week’s debut numbers will surely bump up and keep country album sales in positive territory.

Tracks
Digital track sales are ahead for all genre and for country which explains why YTD TEA album numbers are higher than pure album sales. On the country list we see the usual suspects holding court in the Top Ten; Taylor, Eric, Luke, Carrie, Kip, Jason, Lee, Miranda, a Kenny/Tim duet and Eli Young Band. Eric Church’s “Springsteen” moves up a spot to No. 2 notching sales of almost 79k units.

Church’s tough-edged attitude brought him a few media lessons this past week when he dissed TV singing contests in a Rolling Stone interview and then incurred the Twitter wrath of Miranda and Blake. Church later apologized saying it was about the shows and “not the artists themselves.” We’ll watch next week for any chart fallout.

Country track sales are doing nicely passing the 54.7 million mark and up a robust 21.7% YTD.

See you next week!

Nielsen to Host Webinar For CMA Members Today

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Nielsen SoundScan will host a webinar on the state of the country music industry for CMA Members today (4/26) at 2 pm CT. The report, which includes a look at the year 2011 in Country music and a recap of Q1 2012, will be delivered by Nielsen’s Analytics SVP, David Bakula.

Click here to join the online meeting. In addition to this afternoon, the report will be made available on the CMA member-only website.

For more info, email Nielsen’s Josh Bennett here.

Old Crow Medicine Show Celebrates Gold

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(L-R): Morgan Jahnig (OCMS), Norm Parenteau (OCMS Manager), Ketch Secor (OCMS), Mark Jowett (Nettwerk VP International A&R/Publishing), Kevin Hayes (OCMS), Terry McBride (Nettwerk CEO); Photo: Crystal Jahnig

Nettwerk Records and Nashville’s Old Crow Medicine Show recently celebrated Gold certification of the group’s breakout single “Wagon Wheel,” for sales surpassing 500,000 units. Nettwerk executives Terry McBride (CEO) and Mark Jowett (VP International A&R/Publishing) recently presented the band with Gold plaques while they were visiting Nashville.

“Wagon Wheel” was originally sketched by Bob Dylan and later completed by OCMS member Ketch Secor. It has now sold over 715k units and become a live bar band standard. The song has a fascinating history that reaches even further back than Dylan.

“‘Wagon Wheel’ is a gold record 75 years in the making,” said Secor. “Back in 1995, I first heard Bob Dylan sing that striking chorus on his unfinished 1972 studio outtake of ‘Rock Me Mama.’ Being an audacious, banjo-picking teenager, I quickly rattled off three verses and rushed it out to coffeehouses and street corners, singing it to anyone who would listen. In 2003, seeking a copyright to the song, I learned that Dylan had credited it to Memphis songster Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup, who recorded the 1950s boogie-woogie number ‘Rock Me Mama.’ From there, I learned that Crudup attributed the song to Mississippi-turned-Chicagoan Big Bill Broonzy, who recorded it way back in the late 1920s. So, from Big Bill to Big Boy to Bob and on down to me, ‘Wagon Wheel’ has become a true American folk song, borrowed, half-stolen, and sung out far and wide. The rest, as they say, is history.”