Billboard.com is reporting today (8/6) that licensing talks have broken down between MTV and Universal Music Group (UMG), resulting in the removal of videos of “most” of UMG’s artists from MTV’s online outlets, including CMT.com.
UMG had been licensing music directly to MTV for years, but is now directing all licensing negotiations to the Vevo joint venture, which also includes Sony Music Entertainment as a stakeholder, while EMI licenses music to Vevo.
According to Bilboard’s sources, MTV’s existing licensing deal with UMG had expired and Vevo was leading the renegotiation process. But an unspecified “hang-up” scuttled the talks and UMG responded by pulling its content. The impasse does not affect videos on MTV’s cable network channels, only online properties. Some UMG videos are still up, such as for those artists nominated for MTV Music Video Awards.
MTV issued the following statement when contacted by Billboard:
“For almost 30 years, we have enjoyed long and colorful partnerships with all the music labels, including UMG and their talented roster of artists on MTV, VH1 and CMT. As the industry evolves, we continue to seek out new and innovative ways to connect artists with their fans that are mutually beneficial to everyone. However, during our recent discussions with Vevo, we were unable to reach a fair and equitable agreement for rights to stream UMG artists’ music video content. As a result, UMG has elected to pull their music videos from our web sites. We are disappointed by this move and sincerely hope that UMG will work with us toward a fair resolution and allow their artists to once again connect with the millions of music fans who visit MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT.com every month.”
A UMG statement reads:
“MTVN has been unwilling to negotiate a fair syndication deal with Vevo to carry our artists’ videos and consequently our videos will not be shown on their online properties. We believe that using Vevo as our online music video syndication platform is the best way to maximize revenue for our artists, our songwriters and ourselves, while bringing our videos to the widest possible audience. In less than 8 months since its launch, Vevo has already become the web’s #1 rated video network with over 49 million unique visitors monthly, dramatically eclipsing those on MTV’s online properties, while attracting scores of major advertisers and tens of millions in advertising dollars. As a result, our artists are enjoying tremendous exposure on Vevo on YouTube and Vevo.com, and will enjoy even more as Vevo continues to complete syndication deals supplementing the existing arrangements with leading destinations as AOL and CBS Interactive.”
Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff said talks remain ongoing. “Vevo has been in negotiations with Viacom, including BET and MTV, as a syndication partner,” he says. “We are still in negotiations with them. We hope to one day power videos we have under license for MTV properties just like you can with CBS or AOL or YouTube.”
If Vevo and MTV can’t come to an agreement, Sony may pull its content as well, although there’s no indication yet that will happen.
The standoff comes only weeks after MTV finalized a deal to sell ads around music videos owned by Warner Music Group. That deal gives MTV exclusive rights to all of WMG’s ad inventory, including that on YouTube, WMG websites, and MTV. That deal also means that all WMG video spins will be counted as MTV traffic, regardless of where the views take place.
WMG is the only major label not participating in the Vevo venture, and sources say there’s no sign that the label will capitulate anytime soon.
Read the complete Billboard.com article here.
Shelton’s Second Six Pak Out Today
/by Sarah SkatesAnother advantage of the frequent release schedule can be extra media appearances. Shelton made the ABC and NBC morning show rounds in March and is scheduled to return to perform on Good Morning America, and chat with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb on The Today Show on August 12.
Beginning today, GAC is running the exclusive series, 30 Days of Blake, leading up to the 90-minute concert special Blake Shelton LIVE: It’s All About Tonight on September 8. Shelton is also set for several more appearances on GAC, as well as CMT. He is in the current issues of Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, Us Weekly and also has a four-page spread in People Country about his engagement to Miranda Lambert.
Meanwhile, Shelton’s “Take 6 Tuesday” videos continue this week with the appropriately titled “Top 6 Things That Come in 6s,” at www.blakeshelton.com. And Shelton’s new Walmart Soundcheck performance includes tracks from All About Tonight, along with a free MP3 download of the title track, available until 8/24 here.
Keith On Cover Of New “People Country”
/by Sarah SkatesClick for more.
The new issue of People Country is on newsstands, with Toby Keith grinning on the cover. Inside the star gives a tour of his 160-acre Oklahoma ranch Dream Walkin’ Farms. He and wife of 27 years, Tricia, have spent 12 years creating their dream home which includes an 8,900-sq.-ft. main house, stocked pond, eight-car two-story garage and racquetball court.
Also inside—the scoop on Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s engagement party at publicist Kathy Best’s Front Porch Farms outside Nashville. Among the guests were Trace Adkins, Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley and Martina McBride who all took turns at the karaoke mic. Lambert tells People, “Our favorite presents were matching flasks and matching shotguns (gifts from their agents). We were outside the city limits, so we went right out of the tent and tried them out—it’s a real shotgun wedding!”
Kenny Chesney wrote an article for the issue recalling his two years playing high school football and how making the team helped shape the man he is today.
The September issue also features a behind-the-scenes look at Trace Adkins’ lakeside home, Kix Brooks’ tree-house, Emily West’s decorating secrets, new photos from Carrie Underwood’s wedding, and details on Kellie Pickler’s engagement to songwriter Kyle Jacobs.
Plus, fans can get free downloads of songs from artists like Chuck Wicks, Bo Bice, Justin Moore, Miss Willie Brown, Randy Montana and more at www.people.com/free.
Weekly Debuts Drive Houser’s “Cadillac”
/by Sarah SkatesNext week (8/17) he will debut upcoming single “A Man Like Me” and “Will I Always Be This Way.”
In addition to the weekly music preview, Houser will discuss the origins of the tracks, giving fans a first-hand look at the writing and recording process.
Sneak Peek release dates:
August 10—“Lowdown And Lonesome,” “They Call Me Cadillac,” “Addicted”
August 17—“A Man Like Me,” “Will I Always Be This Way”
August 24—“Out Here In The Country”
August 31—“Here With Me”
September 7—“Somewhere South of Memphis”
September 14—“If I Could Buy Some Time,” “Lead Me Home”
Luke Bryan Brings Back “Farm Tour”
/by Sarah SkatesThe Farm Tour shows will be held in Valdosta (Sept. 28), Statesboro (Sept. 29), Carrollton (Sept. 30), and Macon (Oct. 1).
“I come from an area just like those we have chosen to perform in,” said Bryan. “I grew up working on my father’s peanut farm and know how hard these farmers work. We hope to give them a chance to take a break and enjoy themselves with a night of music.”
The idea for the outdoor Farm Tour concerts came from Bryan as a way to give back to local farming communities by celebrating the American farmer and giving them a fun night out. Deltapine® is the official sponsor of the 2010 Farm Tour.
Farm Tour tickets will be available starting today at www.lukebryan.com and through local area retail outlets soon.
Zac Brown Band Teams Up For New Music
/by Sarah SkatesZBB’s You Get What You Give will be available Sept. 21, and a preview of the single featuring Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away,” will be open for streaming tomorrow (8/10) at ZacBrownBand.com. Jackson isn’t the only superstar guest on the outing; Jimmy Buffett appears on a song called “Knee Deep.” Brown and Keith Stegall produced the album which will be available on Atlantic Records/Southern Ground Artists, Inc.
Pre-orders for You Get What You Give are being accepted and special packages include an exclusive lithograph, a ZBB t-shirt and trucker hat, the Southern Ground Cookbook, ZBB’s Southern Ground Grub – Georgia Clay Rub, and the chance to win a cabin on ZBB’s Sailing Southern Ground cruise.
Fans can hear “This Song’s For You” here. “We worked it up with Zac in rehearsals for the spring tour as something to do in the encore,” says Rory of the song. “But the response to the first time we sang it on stage took our breath away. It still does. It’s not just for the fans…it’s for all the people out there who work hard for a living, are barely getting by, and who truly love this country even though it ain’t perfect.”
A video for the single was recently shot in Joey+Rory’s community near their farm in Pottsville, TN with a cast of nearly 60 area locals. Scheduled for release mid-August, the video was directed by Darren Doane, who also directed Zac Brown Band’s live DVD and last three videos.
Overton Named Chairman of Sony Music Nashville
/by Sarah SkatesThe title of Chairman was previously held by longtime Sony Nashville leader Joe Galante.
Based in Nashville, Overton reports directly to Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, Chief Executive Officer, Sony Music Entertainment.
Sony Music Nashville is comprised of four country label operations—RCA, Columbia, BNA and Arista Nashville—and leading Christian music company Provident Music Group. Sony Music Nashville is a division of Sony Music Entertainment and is home to superstars including Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride and Brooks & Dunn.
Chris Young Offers First Streaming Concert
/by Sarah SkatesYoung recently debuted a new music video for his single “Voices.” The storyline centers around Young coming home for a special family gathering and includes appearances by his real family members. He says his mom was a bit reluctant to be on camera, and that having his dad in the video was especially meaningful because he had recently undergone treatment for lung cancer, but is doing well now.
The single “Voices” follows Young’s back-to-back No. 1 hits, “The Man I Want to Be” and “Gettin’ You Home.”
In more news from Young, he and manager John Lytle have parted ways. Lytle Management Group’s other clients include Gary Allan and Gene Watson. No word on where Young will ink next.
[wpaudio url=”http://prep.hearsomethingcountry.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/080810-chris-young-01-25.mp3″ text=”Chris Young: Mom in the Video” dl=”0″ autoplay=”0″]
Jackson To Recieve ASCAP Founders Award
/by Sarah SkatesWith album sales totaling more than 50 million, Jackson is a fitting recipient for the Founders Award, which is bestowed on songwriters and composers who have made pioneering contributions to music. During his 20-year career, Jackson has scored 34 No. 1 hits and won numerous awards, including a Grammy for Best Country Song for “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” 16 CMA Awards, and 16 ACM Awards. He is a seven-time ASCAP Songwriter/Artist of the Year and a reciepeint of the ASCAP Golden Note Award. Among his biggest hits are “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” “Chattahoochee,” “Gone Country,” “Drive (For Daddy Gene),” and “Small Town Southern Man.”
He ranks among other renowned Founders Award recipients, including musical innovators such as Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Smokey Robinson, Emmylou Harris, James Taylor and Jackson Browne.
“Alan is one of the most prolific and influential artists in country music,” said ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. “He has consistently topped the charts without compromising his artistry, style and love of tradition, captivating millions with songs that are honest, heartfelt and entertaining. He’s a genuine superstar, and we are very proud to honor him with ASCAP’s Founders Award.”
“Alan upholds the songwriting legacy of country music’s greatest icons,” said Tim DuBois, Vice President and Managing Executive, ASCAP Nashville. “The fact that he’s been celebrating chart-topping hits for 20 years is a testament to his ability to speak directly to his audience. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him for more than two decades and am proud of his remarkable career achievements.”
The ASCAP Country Awards will also salute the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed country songs from April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010. Honors will be presented for Songwriter of the Year, Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Publisher of the Year. The evening will feature performances by several award-winning songwriters and artists.
UMG Pulls Videos Off MTV Over Licensing Flap
/by contributorUMG had been licensing music directly to MTV for years, but is now directing all licensing negotiations to the Vevo joint venture, which also includes Sony Music Entertainment as a stakeholder, while EMI licenses music to Vevo.
According to Bilboard’s sources, MTV’s existing licensing deal with UMG had expired and Vevo was leading the renegotiation process. But an unspecified “hang-up” scuttled the talks and UMG responded by pulling its content. The impasse does not affect videos on MTV’s cable network channels, only online properties. Some UMG videos are still up, such as for those artists nominated for MTV Music Video Awards.
“For almost 30 years, we have enjoyed long and colorful partnerships with all the music labels, including UMG and their talented roster of artists on MTV, VH1 and CMT. As the industry evolves, we continue to seek out new and innovative ways to connect artists with their fans that are mutually beneficial to everyone. However, during our recent discussions with Vevo, we were unable to reach a fair and equitable agreement for rights to stream UMG artists’ music video content. As a result, UMG has elected to pull their music videos from our web sites. We are disappointed by this move and sincerely hope that UMG will work with us toward a fair resolution and allow their artists to once again connect with the millions of music fans who visit MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT.com every month.”
A UMG statement reads:
“MTVN has been unwilling to negotiate a fair syndication deal with Vevo to carry our artists’ videos and consequently our videos will not be shown on their online properties. We believe that using Vevo as our online music video syndication platform is the best way to maximize revenue for our artists, our songwriters and ourselves, while bringing our videos to the widest possible audience. In less than 8 months since its launch, Vevo has already become the web’s #1 rated video network with over 49 million unique visitors monthly, dramatically eclipsing those on MTV’s online properties, while attracting scores of major advertisers and tens of millions in advertising dollars. As a result, our artists are enjoying tremendous exposure on Vevo on YouTube and Vevo.com, and will enjoy even more as Vevo continues to complete syndication deals supplementing the existing arrangements with leading destinations as AOL and CBS Interactive.”
Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff said talks remain ongoing. “Vevo has been in negotiations with Viacom, including BET and MTV, as a syndication partner,” he says. “We are still in negotiations with them. We hope to one day power videos we have under license for MTV properties just like you can with CBS or AOL or YouTube.”
If Vevo and MTV can’t come to an agreement, Sony may pull its content as well, although there’s no indication yet that will happen.
The standoff comes only weeks after MTV finalized a deal to sell ads around music videos owned by Warner Music Group. That deal gives MTV exclusive rights to all of WMG’s ad inventory, including that on YouTube, WMG websites, and MTV. That deal also means that all WMG video spins will be counted as MTV traffic, regardless of where the views take place.
WMG is the only major label not participating in the Vevo venture, and sources say there’s no sign that the label will capitulate anytime soon.
Read the complete Billboard.com article here.
Starstruck Adds McIntosh in Creative Media/Marketing Role
/by adminJustin McIntosh
Starstruck has announced that Justin McIntosh has been hired to fill the newly created position of Creative Media & Marketing Director. McIntosh will develop new media and marketing opportunities for Starstruck clients such as Reba, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton and the Reba collection of retail brands at Dillards.
“I am thrilled to be joining a company with such a long standing history of success,” said McIntosh. “I have an enormous amount of respect for Reba, Narvel and the entire Starstruck team and roster of artists, and am continually inspired by the passion they possess not only for music, but the entire entertainment industry.”
Justin recently spent 2.5 years as Manager of Web Services & Marketing for the Big Machine Label Group, and prior to that was the Creative Services Director for Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. He is also a Belmont University graduate.