1. House of Blues Sees U.S. Northeast Corridor as Template for National Strategy

    April 10, 2013 8:25 PM EDT An organizational retooling and surge in venue growth for House of Blues Entertainment (HOBE) in the Northeast corridor is serving as a microcosm for a national synchronized marketing and club/theater touring strategy that is selling tickets and ...

  2. Questions Answered: Bob Morelli, President of RED Distribution

    April 10, 2013 4:00 PM EDT Bob MorelliPresident, RED Distribution What did you wake up thinking about this morning? Broadly speaking, I wake up every morning thinking how I and the RED team can assist our labels in developing and marketing records and ultimately selling m ...

  3. My Day: Ty Roberts, Co-Founder/Chief Technology Officer of Gracenote/Sony Corp.

    April 10, 2013 3:05 PM EDT As chief music nerd at Gracenote, Ty Roberts gets involved in some of the industry's more experimental efforts to leverage technology and deep data to drive music discovery and sales. Gracenote provides a treasure trove of information for e ...

  4. Pop Single Review: "Here's to Never Growing Up" Avril Lavigne

    April 10, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Lavigne Still Refusing To 'Grow Up' "We don't ever stop--and we're never gonna change," Lavigne gleefully intones during the first verse of her comeback single. But some things have indeed changed for her: Now engag ...

  5. Live Review: Alicia Keys at Barclays Center, Brooklyn

    April 10, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Artist: Alicia Keys Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn Date: April 5 Clad in black tuxedo pants, a sheer blouse and a dark, wide-brimmed hat recalling Diana Ross in "Mahogany," Alicia Keys immediately put the sold-out Barclays Center cro ...

  6. Album Reviews: James Blake, The Knife, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Iron & Wine, Granger Smith & Brad Paisley

    April 10, 2013 1:45 PM EDT FOLK Iron & Wine "Ghost on Ghost" Producer: Brian Deck Nonesuch Records Release Date: April 16 Ambitious alt-folk act Iron & Wine dips into jazz and blue-eyed soul on its Nonesuch debut. A horn section wails in "Lovers ...

  7. Single Reviews: Jonas Brothers, Justin Moore, Dale Earnheardt Jr. Jr., Chris Brown and Robert Junior Y Su Z

    April 10, 2013 1:45 PM EDT ROCK DALE EARNHARDT JR. JR. "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't on the ­Dancefloor)" (4:37) Producers: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Ben West Writers: Joshua Epstein, Daniel Zott Publishers: Johnny Panic Music/DNZ Music (ASCAP ...

  8. App Review: Soundcloud's Playlist Feature

    April 10, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Last month, the free, 15 million-user recording/sharing app SoundCloud added "sets," or playlists, to its iPhone and iPad apps, making it easier to curate gems from SoundCloud's vast treasure trove of music. Everyone from Daedelus ...

  9. R&B Album Review: 'Side Effects of You' Fantasia

    April 10, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Fantasia eschews the de rigueur boatload of producers for her fourth album, focusing on a sound she's dubbed in press materials as "rock soul." Produced primarily by Harmony Samuels, the set finds the singer also flexing her songw ...

  10. Gear: Young Guru Delivers the Perfect Sound No Matter What Studio

    April 10, 2013 1:10 PM EDT 2 4 0 0 Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton doesn't need Shirley Bassey, Kanye West or Jay-Z to tell him diamonds are forever--as his connection to the glory days of Roc-a-Fella Records is proving to be equally timeless. The esteemed engineer/DJ/pr ...

  11. Buble's Beautiful Day: Crooner Finds His Voice on Eighth Album 'To Be Loved'

    April 10, 2013 1:10 PM EDT Michael Buble got his start in his 20s paying homage to great crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin and Dean Martin, and making a pretty decent living at it--he sold 20 million albums worldwide before releasing 2009's " ...

  12. Soundscan Q1 2013 Report: Taking Share

    April 04, 2013 7:35 PM EDT As the industry consolidates, ­questions about the wisdom of market-share ­rivalry crop up. Looking under the hood of 2013's first-quarter salesBy Ed Christman While it's never wise to read too much into first-quarter sales data, man ...

  13. Summer Tour Festival Preview -- Maroon 5's Touring Surge

    April 04, 2013 7:15 PM EDT 5 0 0 Maroon 5 touring surge At a point on the career arc when many pop-rock bands hit a wall, Maroon 5 is in the improbable position of having its biggest touring year ever. The 2005 best new artist Grammy Award winner went clean on all 31 dates of t ...

  14. Summer Tour Festival Preview -- The Startup Fests

    April 04, 2013 7:15 PM EDT From rock and wine in California to country in Michigan, first-time festivals aim to find their place Inaugural festivals like BottleRock Napa Valley in California (May 9-12), Boston Calling (May 25-26) and Faster Horses Festival in Brooklyn, Mi ...

  15. Summer Tour Festival Preview -- Artistic Control

    April 04, 2013 7:15 PM EDT Artist-run festivals offer big rewards and challenges In mid-September, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals will take over Burlington, Vt.'s Waterfront Park for two days for the third annual Grand Point North Festival. Grand Point North is an ...

  16. Summer Tour Festival Preview -- The Live Business Brings the Heat

    April 04, 2013 7:15 PM EDT With the summer festival and touring season about to open, booming business across genres could drive record numbers Is the stage set for the live music business to return to the record levels the industry saw in the first part of this decade? A ...

  17. Summer Tour Festival Preview -- Glastonbury, The Big Daddy

    April 04, 2013 7:15 PM EDT Still tied to its hippie roots, Glastonbury-the inspiration for Bonnaroo, Coachella and Lollapalooza-pays less and accomplishes more than any other festival. Here's how On Sept. 19, 1970, one day after Jimi Hendrix's death, Michael Eav ...

  18. Summer Tour Festival Preview -- The Big Four

    April 04, 2013 7:15 PM EDT Long a mainstay in Europe, music festivals are now the most robust sector of the U.S. touring market, with fans embracing the immersive experience and opportunity for music discovery and the industry tapping into massive audiences and proven art ...

  19. Summer Tour Festival Preview -- Believe in Dragons

    April 04, 2013 7:15 PM EDT Imagine Dragons are rock's 2013 live breakout Imagine Dragons sold out their May amphitheater play in the Denver market before their March theater play ever came off. This is what a rock band blowing up looks like. The Las Vegas-based band, ...

  20. The Action: Redigi Rebuffed

    April 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT ReDigi, a company that sought to allow customers to resell "used" copies of digital songs, is up against the ropes after a U.S. District Court judge declared its business model illegal. Judge Richard J. Sullivan says the "first sa ...

  21. The Action: Rdio Welcomes Vdio

    April 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT Rdio has become the first independent music subscription company to get into the video business with a new on-demand movie and TV streamer called Vdio. The service is exclusively available to subscribers of Rdio's paid unlimited tier at lau ...

  22. The Action: Motown's New Soul

    April 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT Motown Records and Capitol Christian Music Group plan to shake up the gospel world with new joint venture Motown Gospel, which replaces Capitol's EMI Gospel label. That label's president, Ken Pennell, will lead the new entity, which st ...

  23. The Action: Jay-Z's Big Play

    April 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT Jay-Z has taken his love of sports to the next level by expanding his Roc Nation label and management group to include a sports agency, Roc Nation Sports. The new company made waves by naming New York Yankee Robinson Cano, who had previously bee ...

  24. Starwood Hotels & Live Nation Bringing Even More Artists to VIP Guests

    April 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT Bands and hotels used to be synonymous with trashed rooms and debaucherous partying, the kinds of behavior that could get an artist banned from certain establishments. Yet a partnership between Live Nation and Starwood Hotels & Resorts World ...

  25. AEG Live's Eleventh-Hour Surge to Promote Rolling Stones in U.S.

    April 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT AEG Live could add as much as $100 million in gross revenue in 2013 after being confirmed as the North America promoter on the Rolling Stones' 50 and Counting tour in a last-minute deal reached just four days after the promoter's paren ...

  26. Phil Ramone: 1934-2013

    April 04, 2013 6:40 PM EDT 2 0 4 0 0 The outpouring of affection that followed news of the death of producer/engineer Phil Ramone told a unique story about the character of a leading light in the field of recording. He was beloved by all who worked with him, whether their connectio ...

  27. Accelerated In-Dash Infotainment Systems to Drive Opportunities for Digital Music

    April 04, 2013 6:20 PM EDT It's safe to say that the vast majority of drivers aren't streaming Spotify, Pandora or most other digital music services through their car audio systems. But that's likely to change as in-dash infotainment systems become more wid ...

  28. Over the Counter: Easter Arrives While Timberlake's Still Tops

    April 04, 2013 6:05 PM EDT 'The 20/20 Experience' holds at No. 1 for a second week, with a moderate 67% decline The Easter Bunny hipped and hopped all over the Billboard 200 chart this week, leaving behind baskets full of sales gains. While Justin Timberlake ...

  29. Paramore: The Remaining Trio Blaze Back With Newfound Purpose

    April 04, 2013 4:15 PM EDT After a bitter breakup with two long-term members, the remaining trio blazes back with newfound purposeBy Emily Zemler The three members of Paramore--singer Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and bassist Jeremy Davis-are gathered around a lo ...

  30. Gear: John Hill's Playground of Sound

    April 04, 2013 4:10 PM EDT "So many studios are very sterile," John Hill says during a tour of his working environment that is anything but. Vintage instruments, analog outboard gear and the occasional skateboard clutter his Los Angeles digs: Its feng shui prove ...

  31. App Review: Fusic

    April 03, 2013 9:55 PM EDT The sneaky-fun app Fusic lets music fans from all over the world become a part of their favorite videos. With the Fusic desktop or iOS/Android app and a webcam, users can create their own video mashups by singing (or lip-synching) along with doz ...

  32. Album Reviews: Paramore, New Kids on the Block, Lil Wayne, Hem, Killswitch Engage

    April 03, 2013 9:55 PM EDT ROCK Paramore "Paramore" Producer: Justin Meldal-Johnsen Fueled by Ramen Release Date: April 9 Following singer Hayley Williams' 2010 split with co-founders Josh and Zac Farro, there's a defiant tone to the reconfigured band& ...

  33. Pop Review: "#thatPOWER" Will.i.am featuring Justin Bieber

    April 03, 2013 9:55 PM EDT There's nothing about Will.i.am's "#thatPOWER" that doesn't sound familiar: From the Justin Bieber-sung chorus that manages to reference both Chris Brown's "Beautiful People" and Daft Punk's "Har ...

  34. Live Review: Taylor Swift at Prudential Center, Newark

    April 03, 2013 9:55 PM EDT Artist: Taylor Swift Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J. Date: March 27 Swift's devotion to her most radio-friendly album to date, last year's "Red," came to life during the first of three sold-out shows at the Prudential ...

  35. Rock Album Review: "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" Volbeat

    April 03, 2013 9:55 PM EDT Historical hindsight will likely compare Volbeat's fifth studio album, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies," to Metallica's 1991 "Black Album"--the breakthrough moment when a heavy rock acts crosses from cult statu ...

  36. Single Reviews: 30 Seconds To Mars, Juicy J, Vampire Weekend, King, Majical Cloudz

    April 03, 2013 9:55 PM EDT ROCK 30 SECONDS TO MARS "Up in the Air" (4:35) Producers: Steve Lillywhite, Jared Leto Writer: Jared Leto Publishers: Apocraphex Music/Universal Music-Z Tunes (ASCAP) Virgin Records "Is this the end I feel?" Jared Leto cries ...

  37. Charli XCX In Charge

    April 03, 2013 9:50 PM EDT It's the first day of South by Southwest's music portion and Charli XCX is about to play her second of what will be 10 shows in a four-day span. It's a daunting itinerary that can fry many buzzworthy hopefuls' nerves (not to ...

  38. Road Work: Keith Urban, Sigur Ros, Ghostface Killah, Barenaked Ladies

    April 03, 2013 9:50 PM EDT Amping Up: After he wraps his first season as an "American Idol" judge, country star Keith Urban will jump into a new leg of dates for his Light the Fuse tour, featuring Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch. Booked by the Richard de la Fon ...

  39. Talib Kweli Expands His Musical Identity on Fifth Solo Set

    April 03, 2013 9:50 PM EDT Talib Kweli always has something insightful to say on the social and political fronts. But "Prisoner of Conscious," due May 7 on Javotti Media/Caroline Distribution, travels beyond the issues that established Kweli as a rap pioneer and ...

  40. Scouting Report: von Grey

    April 03, 2013 9:50 PM EDT von Grey On Feb. 19, von Grey found itself in an enviable position: making its network TV debut on "Late Show With David Letterman" while still unsigned. That's just one of several profile-building appearances the Atlanta-based, i ...

  41. In the Studio With Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

    April 03, 2013 9:45 PM EDT It's an unusual sight: A pair of new tap shoes sitting next to a floor tom on a throw rug in Hollywood's Ocean Way studio's largest room. Alex Ebert, founder of Southern California band Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, was ...

  42. Soundtracks: Cutting the Fat

    April 03, 2013 9:45 PM EDT Were the Cutting Edge Group to place a "help wanted" ad for film composers, it might sound like an unrealistic come-on: "No experience necessary. Work from home. Five-figure income. Unlimited potential future earnings." Cutti ...

  43. Questions Answered: Jeff Castelaz, President of Elektra Records

    April 03, 2013 9:35 PM EDT Jeff CastelazPresident, Elektra Records What did you wake up thinking about this morning? The journey that I have been on with Fitz & the Tantrums--all the things we have to do to get them to where they need to be. We're on the eve of t ...

  44. My Day: Tom Windish, President of The Windish Agency

    April 03, 2013 9:30 PM EDT Tom WindishPresident, The Windish Agency The Windish Agency has seen rapid growth in the past year, adding a tour marketing department and performing arts division, relaunching its licensing company in partnership with Hidden Track Music and hir ...

  45. Special Feature: Support Acts

    April 03, 2013 9:25 PM EDT Travel, transportation and production companies--the backbone of the touring industry--offer a unique perspective on the state of the business The show can't go on without them. The companies that provide the means of travel for touring art ...

  46. Special Feature -- Safety First

    April 03, 2013 9:25 PM EDT The creation of the first safety handbook for concert production professionals and a new severe weather alert system for the outdoor touring business are among the accomplishments in the past year of the Event Safety Alliance, which was created ...

  47. Special Feature: Winning Clients, Growing Business

    April 03, 2013 9:25 PM EDT WINNING CLIENTS, GROWING BUSINESSBY KEN TUCKER Their high-end clientele are the artists and agents who drive the global touring business. So how do leading travel, transportation and production companies live up to the expectation of their custo ...

  48. Digital Domain: The Long Game

    April 03, 2013 9:20 PM EDT Had Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield looked at the RIAA's latest industry numbers, they may have written the song "Breaking Even Is Hard to Do." U.S. recorded-music revenue dipped 0.9% in 2012 after rising a slight 0.3% a year ea ...

  49. Latin Notas: Spanglish Voice

    April 03, 2013 9:20 PM EDT NBC premiered its new season of "The Voice" on March 25 and ended up with the top ratings of its time slot--4.7 for 18- to 49-year-olds--totaling 13.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen. One of the two new coaches is Shakira, the fi ...

  50. Publishers Place: The Royalty Error

    April 03, 2013 9:20 PM EDT Just because the Copyright Royalty Board on Feb. 14 issued its final determination for the royalty rates that satellite radio and subscription services must pay to SoundExchange on behalf of artists and labels, that doesn't mean it's a ...

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