The CDs are in their digital and physical bins and there’s the bell, “We’re Off!!” Yes, it’s the start of another horse race, er, music sales year and Weekly Register remains at your side to chart the highs and lows and call the plays each week—as they happen.
However, after that exciting rave-up intro I have to admit 2013’s first week didn’t generate anything even as exciting [yawn] as news about the $11 million mansion purchased by Kim Kardashian and Kanye West so they’ll have room for a nursery. But I promise we’ll find some relevant facts, so read on…
As our grid shows the first week of 2013 is ahead of the first week of 2012 largely carried by a strong crop of post-holiday Top 5 albums: Les Miserables soundtrack (92k); Mumford & Sons (91k); Taylor Swift (69k); Phillip Phillips (63k) and One Direction (61k).
On the country list Swift led by a 3 to 1 margin followed by Carrie Underwood (23k); Florida Georgia Line (FGL) (20k); Jason Aldean (20k) and Luke Bryan (20k). Four out of the country Top 5 this week have scanned platinum or multi-platinum (Swift 3X). (FGL is the exception, but the album is only five weeks old.)
Track sales were off 38% compared with last week’s year-end, gift-card-cashing charts, but up 5% compared with the same week in 2012 (see grid). Frisky FGL topped the Digital Genre Country tracks list as “Cruise” downloaded another 103k units on its double platinum trajectory moving it to 1.738 million. No. 2 on the country tracks list was Swift’s “We Are Never Ever…” which added 96k this week for a total of 3.15 million. Ms. Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” sits at No. 1 on the all-genre Digital Tracks Current list downloading a massive 326k units for 2.367 million RTD. (This track is not also listed on the Digital Genre Country list for an unexplained reason known only to the folks that compile the Nielsen SoundScan data.)
Albums On Deck
MusicRow’s calendar for Upcoming Album releases can be found here. The next two months show dual Tim McGraw releases (Curb and BMLG) and some great projects from Katie Armiger, Randy Houser, Gary Allan, The Mavericks and power vocal trio Blue Sky Riders.
During the first two months of 2012 new offerings from Dierks Bentley, McGraw, Kellie Pickler, Martina McBride plus a soundtrack for Act Of Valor boosted unit totals. This year we have fewer top line titles, but we are blessed with a consistent tonnage title, like Red, so expect year-over-year comparisons for the next two months to remain close, even as digital percentages grow.
The Road Ahead
The new sales frontier—access—or digital streaming lacks a comprehensive measurement yardstick, but indications continue that it is gaining favor with consumers. Muve Music service, bundled by Cricket Communications announced this week that it has over one million subscribers. Muve Music customers get unlimited full track downloads, ringtones and ringback tones all included in their monthly rate plan. Muve has jumped from 600k subscribers to 1.1 million in less than a year. Spotify, an international on-demand music service now boasts five million paid subscribers with one million in the U.S. Rhapsody, another large player in the streaming on-demand market has also grown its paid base to over one million. According to research from digitalmusicnews.com, Muve, Rhapsody and Spotify have enjoyed a 340% paid subscriber growth in the last 13 months.
Pandora, also a key player in the space, is a webcaster service (users can’t pick exactly what they want to hear) with about 1.5 million subscribers.
Craig Morgan To Make Second Appearance on 'Hotel Impossible'
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto (L-R): Craig Morgan, Anthony Melchiorri
Craig Morgan is set to make his second appearance on the Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible. The episode, which features Alaska’s Glacier Bear Lodge, will air on Monday (Jan. 14) at 10 p.m. ET.
Morgan joins “hotel fixer” Anthony Melchiorri as they head north to fix the hotel dominated by commercial and sport fishermen.
The singer-songwriter previously joined Melchiorri on Hotel Impossible last summer in an episode that featured Nashville.
Primetime 'Nashville': Stones You Throw
/by Sarah Skates“Be Careful of Stones That You Throw”
Season 1 | Episode 109 | Aired 01/09/2013
Nashville shines when Juliette and Rayna share the screen. Their witty, often nipping, banter offers some of the show’s best lines, for instance, last night when Rayna assured Juliette she doesn’t hate her—”The only things I hate are sunburns and hangovers, this is just business.” Hopefully, these divas will have many more scenes together in upcoming episodes when they are on their co-headlining tour.
The five-month run will give Rayna and Teddy a break from their rocky marriage. On the downside, it will hold up recording her new album with producer Liam.
Among the episode’s highlights was seeing Teddy grow a backbone and stand up to his conniving father-in-law Lamar, who is threatening to expose the fact that Teddy is not the biological father of he and Rayna’s oldest daughter, Maddie.
The tour is also a great escape for Juliette, who eloped with football player Sean but then ditched him at the alter before the big, church wedding his mother planned. Instead, she hopped a jet during a montage backed by the episode’s only new song, “Change Your Mind.”
Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson and Troy Verges wrote the song, but on the show it was penned by Scarlett and Gunnar. Elsewhere in Scarlett-land, she hopped back in the sack with Avery long enough to realize why they broke up in the first place, particularly after he ‘fessed up that he fired his longtime band because Atlanta-based producer Dominic Wells (Wyclef Jean) wanted to sign him as a solo act. Scarlett filled in as singer with his former band, which led to one of the episode’s best moments: the look of disbelief on Avery’s face when he saw a video of the performance.
Elsewhere, Deacon was on a major tour with legendary rock band The Revel Kings, but when old flame/journalist Carmen joined them on the road, she could tell he was struggling with the new situation.
People's Choice Awards Chooses Swift
/by Caitlin RantalaAt the beginning of her speech, Munn pretended to interrupt Swift, who seemed to know it was all in good fun. “This always happens,” she sighed before going on to thank her fans.
Swift later returned to the stage to present the award for Favorite Movie, which went to The Hunger Games.
Swift wasn’t the only country artist on stage last night though. Jason Aldean, a fellow People’s Choice nominee, was among the show’s performers. Aldean sang his hit “My Kinda Party.”
A full list of the 2013 People’s Choice Awards nominees and winners can be found here.
Artist News (1/10/13)
/by Jessica Nicholson• • •
Photo (L-R): Jimmie DeRamus, a.k.a. “Big Daddy” and Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence is set to appear on the History Channel’s Cajun Pawn Stars on Thursday (Jan. 10) at 8 p.m. CT. Lawrence plays the role of a customer who stops by the shop looking to sell his 1920s Martin guitar, along with a colorful 1960s suit from singer-songwriter Hank Snow.
• • •
Photo Credit: Jeremy Cowart
Eli Young Band will perform “Say Goodnight” on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Friday (Jan. 11).
MusicRowRecess: Paisley Hearts Honey Boo Boo
/by Jessica NicholsonBrad Paisley appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday (Jan. 9), where he premiered the video for a song Paisley jokingly referred to as the “theme song” to the TLC show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. As “Mama” June would say, “It is what it is.”
Watch the video below.
http://youtu.be/11Uq3iGESYM
Patrick Joseph Music Adds Creative Manager
/by Jessica NicholsonStevie Erickson
Pat Higdon, President of Patrick Joseph Music, has added Stevie Erickson as Creative Manager. This is the first hire for the company since it re-launched in 2012. Erickson will be responsible for artist/writer development for the company’s roster, which includes Matraca Berg, George Teren and Melissa Peirce. She will also continue working the heritage catalogs, including songs from Gary Harrison, Tim Mensy, Troy Verges and Carolyn Dawn Johnson, among others.
Erickson’s business career began at EMI Music Publishing, where she worked her way from the tape room to the position of Creative Manager. She later worked for ole Songs, Inc.
“I’m really excited to have Stevie on my team!” said Higdon via a release. “She will be a real asset as we move forward and develop writers and writer/artists.”
“I feel excited and very blessed to be working with Pat and the PJM writers,” said Erickson. “I’m looking forward to what 2013 will bring for us all.”
[Updated] Staffers Exit NSAI
/by Sarah SkatesFour staffers resigned from their posts at NSAI this week. Leaving the songwriters advocacy organization are David Petrelli, Sheree Spoltore, Debi Cochran and Shawn Bowling. All had worked there for six years or longer.
David Petrelli, NSAI Director of Events, is leaving the organization on Fri., Jan. 18. His job included working on SongPosium, which will not return in 2013. Petrelli can be reached at DMPetrelli@gmail.com.
Those who have already exited include:
Sheree Spoltore served as Assistant Executive Director for Membership and Operations. She can be reached at sheree@globalsongwriters.com or www.globalsongwriters.com.
Debi Cochran was the Legislative and Workshops Director. She can be contacted at debicochran4@gmail.com.
Shawn Bowling worked as Song Evaluations Director. Reach him at shawnage@hotmail.com.
MusicRow was unable to reach NSAI leadership for comment.
(L-R): Debi Cochran, Sheree Spoltore, and Shawn Bowling
YEP Announces Board of Directors for 2013
/by Jessica NicholsonThe organization’s first event of 2013 will be YEP’s 2nd birthday bash, to be held at Tin Roof on Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. The event is open to all and free to attend.
YEP Board of Directors and advisory board for 2013:
Executive Director:
Andrew Cohen (Crush Management)
Board of Directors:
Jimmy Chapin (Big Machine)
Matt Cottingham (ICS Law Group)
Penny Everhard (BMI)
Kenley Flynn (Combustion Entertainment)
Shea Fowler (Cornman Music)
Allison Hardy (UMG/Capitol Nashville)
Michael Hausman (Puryear Hamilton Hausman & Wood)
Jarrod Holley (The Invasion Agency)
MaryAnn Keen (Razor & Tie)
Lee Krabel (HoriPro)
Kendall Lettow (Kobalt Music)
Marc Rucker (Crush Management)
Garrison Snell (Red Dog Music Group)
Jordan Stephens (CMT)
Advisory Board:
Clay Bradley (BMI)
Mark Brown (Root 49 Music)
John Grady (Crush Management)
Sara Johnson (BMG)
Beth Laird (Creative Nation)
Mark Montgomery (Flo)
LeAnn Phelan (ASCAP)
Music City Roots Opens New Season Tonight
/by Sarah SkatesEach season’s inaugural show benefits The Nature Conservancy. Tonight’s concert features performances by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russell, bluegrassers Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, East Nashville songwriter Josh Farrow, Chattanooga’s own WTM Blues Band and Memphis indie folk trio Star & Micey.
The Jan. 24 installment will be broadcast from Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia during the 41st Tamworth Country Music Festival with musical hosts Jim Lauderdale, Elizabeth Cook, David Jacobs-Strain, Kirsty Akers and Felicity Urquhart. MCR also produced 13 episodes for Australia’s Country Music Channel (CMC).
Elsewhere, the winter season will showcase The Danberrys, The McCrary Sisters, The Vespers, John Cowan, The Steeldrivers and more. On Jan. 30 Belmont University will present Josh Mirenda, Elenowen, Two Story Road, Vickie Vaughn Band and Roots of a Rebellion.
“This is an exemplary MCR lineup to start the year – legends, award-winners, newcomers and multiple genres of music all sharing a platform built on integrity,” said MCR Executive Producer John Walker. “The fact that we’re doing our first live show on another continent is a milestone on the path to our global vision.”
Weekly Register: The Start Of A New Horse Race
/by bossrossHowever, after that exciting rave-up intro I have to admit 2013’s first week didn’t generate anything even as exciting [yawn] as news about the $11 million mansion purchased by Kim Kardashian and Kanye West so they’ll have room for a nursery. But I promise we’ll find some relevant facts, so read on…
As our grid shows the first week of 2013 is ahead of the first week of 2012 largely carried by a strong crop of post-holiday Top 5 albums: Les Miserables soundtrack (92k); Mumford & Sons (91k); Taylor Swift (69k); Phillip Phillips (63k) and One Direction (61k).
Track sales were off 38% compared with last week’s year-end, gift-card-cashing charts, but up 5% compared with the same week in 2012 (see grid). Frisky FGL topped the Digital Genre Country tracks list as “Cruise” downloaded another 103k units on its double platinum trajectory moving it to 1.738 million. No. 2 on the country tracks list was Swift’s “We Are Never Ever…” which added 96k this week for a total of 3.15 million. Ms. Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” sits at No. 1 on the all-genre Digital Tracks Current list downloading a massive 326k units for 2.367 million RTD. (This track is not also listed on the Digital Genre Country list for an unexplained reason known only to the folks that compile the Nielsen SoundScan data.)
Albums On Deck
MusicRow’s calendar for Upcoming Album releases can be found here. The next two months show dual Tim McGraw releases (Curb and BMLG) and some great projects from Katie Armiger, Randy Houser, Gary Allan, The Mavericks and power vocal trio Blue Sky Riders.
During the first two months of 2012 new offerings from Dierks Bentley, McGraw, Kellie Pickler, Martina McBride plus a soundtrack for Act Of Valor boosted unit totals. This year we have fewer top line titles, but we are blessed with a consistent tonnage title, like Red, so expect year-over-year comparisons for the next two months to remain close, even as digital percentages grow.
The Road Ahead
The new sales frontier—access—or digital streaming lacks a comprehensive measurement yardstick, but indications continue that it is gaining favor with consumers. Muve Music service, bundled by Cricket Communications announced this week that it has over one million subscribers. Muve Music customers get unlimited full track downloads, ringtones and ringback tones all included in their monthly rate plan. Muve has jumped from 600k subscribers to 1.1 million in less than a year. Spotify, an international on-demand music service now boasts five million paid subscribers with one million in the U.S. Rhapsody, another large player in the streaming on-demand market has also grown its paid base to over one million. According to research from digitalmusicnews.com, Muve, Rhapsody and Spotify have enjoyed a 340% paid subscriber growth in the last 13 months.
Pandora, also a key player in the space, is a webcaster service (users can’t pick exactly what they want to hear) with about 1.5 million subscribers.