SoundExchange reports its distributions to rights holders increased 55% in 2009 to $156 million. Total revenues rose 20% to 204.2 million. SoundExchange is a non-profit performance rights organization that collects statutory royalties from satellite radio (such as SIRIUS XM), Internet radio (like Pandora), cable TV music channels and similar platforms for streaming sound recordings on […]
Perhaps country labels should consider the possibility of making album releases into first person shooter video games. According to an article in the New York Post, Acitivision Blizzard’s Call of Duty: Black Ops game has crossed the $1 billion sales threshold in only 42 days. Though not quite in Avatar territory ($1B in 20 days), […]
Shania Twain is on the cover of the latest issue of US Weekly, as her reps confirmed to the magazine that Twain is engaged to Frederic Thiebaud. Thiebaud is the ex-husband of Twain’s former friend Marie-Anne Thiebaud — the woman Robert “Mutt” Lange, Twain’s husband of 14 years, reportedly left Twain for in May 2008. […]
Josh Turner and his wife, Jennifer, welcomed their third son, Crawford Marion Turner, on Monday, December 13. He was born at 8:52 p.m. at a Nashville hospital. He weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces and was 19 inches long. Both baby and mother are doing well. “Jennifer and I are overjoyed at Marion’s arrival,” Turner says. […]
Jimmy’s holiday ballad “Drunk on Christmas” has officially become a tradition on his show. Fallon reintroduced the song (12/16) on his show with country star John Rich, who came decked out in a Santa costume with golden cowboy boots. Seasons drinkings everybody! In the wake of response to the musical pairing, the “inappropriate holiday duet” […]
Country Thunder Festival stops in Arizona and Wisconsin have added additional performers to their lineups. Joining the performance schedule for the Florence, Arizona Country Thunder Festival April 7-10 are Clay Walker, Rodney Atkins, Eric Church, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Neal McCoy. Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, and Martina McBride. Full weekend […]
I dread this column every year. It’s not that I don’t like Christmas. Far from it. It’s just that so much bad music gets recorded in its name. And, as usual, there is far more of it than I can hope to cover in a column.
A recent Wall Street Journal article by Damian Kulash Jr., lead singer and guitarist of rock band OK Go delves into some of the corners around which the new models are being built. “We once relied on investment and support from a major label,” says Kulash. “Now we make a comparable living raising money directly from fans and through licensing and sponsorship. Music isn’t going away. We’re just moving out of the brief period—a flash in history’s pan—when an artist could expect to make a living selling records alone.”
The 140,000 concertgoers turning out this week for Garth Brooks’ Nashville shows haven’t been disappointed. His infectious energy radiated through the sold-out Bridgestone Arena last night (12/19) as the headset-wearing hit machine ran through two hours of material. Dubbed Nashville 10: The Rescue Party, the series of shows benefiting flood relief has raised $5 million to date.
Schatzi Hageman, President and founder of Hot Schatz PR, has announced that her long-term professional relationship with Trace Adkins will be ending at the end of the year. Hageman and Adkins have worked together since 1998. “Changes like these are difficult, but they can be very invigorating and energizing, as well,” Hageman continues. “I’m really looking forward to […]