This week’s SoundScan action centers on the amazing power of American Idol. Execs will recall that AI featured the Grand Ole Opry last week and more specifically, Randy Travis, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley. So how did they do?
Probably no surprise to anyone, Carrie led the sales pack. Her duet with Randy Travis, “I Told You So,” performed on the show, was the week’s No. 8 most downloaded song with 106,361 sales. Carrie’s solo version of the track from her album also benefited, jumping up 24% and selling 19,445 units. Her AI theme song, “Home Sweet Home,” in its second week, sold 39,306 downloads a 65% drop, but still strong enough to be the No. 37 most downloaded track of the week. Fans also voted approval for Underwood by boosting sales of her Carnival Ride CD a healthy 59%.
Similarly, Warner Bros., took advantage of Randy Travis being on the show as “Artist Mentor.” They scheduled his CD release to coincide and were rewarded with a No. 3 showing on the Top Country Currents list for sales of 16,288 units. Travis’ fans perhaps are less digitally dominant since only 1,101 of those units were downloaded or 6.8%. (Carrie’s album downloads totaled 2,357 units or 12% of her total sales.)
Arista gambled for big results with Brad Paisley by introducing the new single “Then” on the show instead of performing a recent hit. Paisley’s song sold 64,127 units landing at No. 18 and about 42,000 units behind Carrie. However, if the AI intro helps to power the song up country radio charts then the bet will pay off.
Meanwhile off the AI beaten track, Rascal Flatts continued to get fans clicking as their second pre-release CD track, “Forever,” debuted this week with 46,551 unit sales. Bizniks will recall that last week the Lyric Street trio introduced “Here Comes Goodbye” setting a country digital debut sales record in the process. This week the song dropped 43% but still sold a whopping 72,326 units.
Wrapping up this week’s SoundScan sales pitch, country album sales are now off 16.9% YTD; overall all genre sales are off 13.6%.
ACM and CBS.com Spotlight Gloriana
/by LB CantrellAmerican Idol Powers Country Sales
/by bossrossProbably no surprise to anyone, Carrie led the sales pack. Her duet with Randy Travis, “I Told You So,” performed on the show, was the week’s No. 8 most downloaded song with 106,361 sales. Carrie’s solo version of the track from her album also benefited, jumping up 24% and selling 19,445 units. Her AI theme song, “Home Sweet Home,” in its second week, sold 39,306 downloads a 65% drop, but still strong enough to be the No. 37 most downloaded track of the week. Fans also voted approval for Underwood by boosting sales of her Carnival Ride CD a healthy 59%.
Similarly, Warner Bros., took advantage of Randy Travis being on the show as “Artist Mentor.” They scheduled his CD release to coincide and were rewarded with a No. 3 showing on the Top Country Currents list for sales of 16,288 units. Travis’ fans perhaps are less digitally dominant since only 1,101 of those units were downloaded or 6.8%. (Carrie’s album downloads totaled 2,357 units or 12% of her total sales.)
Arista gambled for big results with Brad Paisley by introducing the new single “Then” on the show instead of performing a recent hit. Paisley’s song sold 64,127 units landing at No. 18 and about 42,000 units behind Carrie. However, if the AI intro helps to power the song up country radio charts then the bet will pay off.
Meanwhile off the AI beaten track, Rascal Flatts continued to get fans clicking as their second pre-release CD track, “Forever,” debuted this week with 46,551 unit sales. Bizniks will recall that last week the Lyric Street trio introduced “Here Comes Goodbye” setting a country digital debut sales record in the process. This week the song dropped 43% but still sold a whopping 72,326 units.
Wrapping up this week’s SoundScan sales pitch, country album sales are now off 16.9% YTD; overall all genre sales are off 13.6%.
CMA Festival Adds Five More Performers
/by LB CantrellThe Country Music Association has added five more artists to the CMA Music Festival lineup for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, and Taylor Swift will join previously announced LP Field performers Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Montgomery Gentry, Brad Paisley, and John Rich. The four-day CMA Music Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 11-4, in Downtown Nashville. For more information, call visit www.CMAfest.com.
UK Songwriters Post Online Response To Google
/by LB CantrellBritish songwriters and composers have launched a new website — www.fairplayforcreators.com — to highlight concerns over the use of their work on the Internet. The site, an online forum set up by UK performing rights society PRS For Music, was created in response to the March 9 decision by Google to block access to premium music videos for U.K. users of YouTube, following a failure to agree to licensing terms with PRS. The site urges Google, who acquired YouTube in 2006, to restore music videos to YouTube, and advocates fair payment for use of their music online, stressing the importance of royalties in nurturing creative music talent.
Messina Set to “Shine” for Earth Hour 2009
/by LB CantrellNashville Earth Hour 2009 celebrity spokeswoman Jo Dee Messina will debut her new single, “Shine,” in the dark. The Curb artist will perform for the crowd gathered at Nashville’s Sommet Center Plaza moments after Nashville’s Lower Broadway and major skyscrapers go dark to celebrate Earth Hour this Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 PM/CT. More than 200 of Nashville’s landmarks, buildings and businesses will participate in World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour, the world’s largest demonstration of public concern for climate change, by going dark for one hour on Saturday night. Messina’s website, www.jodeemessina.com, will go dark for a 24-hour period. Fans logging on to the site will see a simple message about Earth Hour and hear “Shine” played throughout the day.
“Climate change is one of the most urgent issues facing the world today,” Messina said. “I’m proud to join everyone in Nashville, and millions around the world, to call on our leaders to take action.”
More Layoffs at Gibson Guitar
/by LB CantrellGibson Guitar has announced that it will lay off 70 workers. News of these additional layoffs comes on the heels of an earlier announcement that the company would lay off 50 workers worldwide. At the time of that announcement, the company pointed out that the move involved less than 5 percent of the company’s total work force. There are no details yet as to how many Nashville workers have been impacted by the latest layoffs. “No further changes at the corporate level are contemplated,” said Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. “We are reviewing every operating division at this time. We are trying hard to minimize the number of employees impacted.”
Owen Upped at Universal
/by LB Cantrell“Jason is a true professional with tremendous energy and vision, and has shown exceptional capabilities within the publicity, marketing and artist development fields,” stated Lewis. “His expertise, leadership qualities and outstanding people skills have made him an invaluable
asset to our team and artists, and we are delighted to expand the playing field for him even further.”
ACM Announces Off-Camera Winners
/by LB CantrellDolly Parton will receive the Jim Reeves International Award, presented to an individual for outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music throughout the world.
This year’s Poet’s Award, which honors songwriters for outstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their careers will go to Merle Haggard and the late Harlan Howard.
The ACM’s Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award will go to the late Jerry Reed, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, and Hank Williams Jr. The Pioneer Award honors individuals who are pioneers in the country music genre.
The ACM’s Tex Ritter Award is given each year to a movie receiving major exposure that features or utilizes country music. This year’s Tex Ritter Award goes to Beer For My Horses, produced by CMT Films and Show Dog Productions and starring Show Dog’s Toby Keith.
The Mae Boren Axton Award is given in recognition of years of dedication and service by an outstanding individual to the Academy of Country Music. This year’s Mae Boren Axton Award will go to David Young, who has been with the Academy of Country Music in various positions for 20 years, most recently as Senior Director of Operations.
The following will receive this year’s MBI (musician, band, instrumental) Awards:
Tom Bukovac — guitarist
Gordon Mote — piano/keyboard
Glen Worf — bass
Greg Morrow — percussionist/drummer
Dan Dugmore — steel guitar
Aubrey Haynie — fiddle
Eric Darken (percussion) and Jelly Roll Johnson (harmonica) — specialty instrument
Chuck Ainley — audio engineer
Tony Brown — producer
The 44th Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 7:00 PM/CT on the CBS Television Network.
Oprah Hosts Country
/by bossrossMay 19 Chesney CD release.
All four acts will perform and chat with the America’s most popular afternoon host.
Fans who answer “Yes” to both questions can apply for seats to the taping set to take place in Chicago on March 26. As yet, no official date has been determined to air the show. To apply for seats click here.
New Zealand Govt Rejects Copyright Law
/by LB CantrellThe New Zealand government has rejected legislation that would have required Internet service providers to terminate accounts of chronic copyright offenders. In a defeat for content owners, the government announced that they would scrap a key section of the legislation, which was due to be implemented this Friday (3/27). Although both the copyright owners and the New Zealand industry body the Telecommunications Carriers Forum were reportedly close to an agreement on a voluntary code of practice, commerce minister Simon Power said that passing the legislation in its current form would not be appropriate given the level of uncertainty around its operation. The concept of a voluntary code was undermined when the country’s third largest ISP, TelstraClear, announced it would not sign on. Campbell Smith, chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand, pledged to work with legislators on the revised law.
“The government acknowledges that New Zealand’s creative industries are suffering because of the impact of online piracy and it recognizes that ISPs should play a key role in helping to address the problem,” Smith said. “The delay required to implement the government’s decision is obviously disappointing, but that’s a price worth paying if the result is clear legislation that effectively addresses the problem.”