1. Chart Moves: Imagine Dragons’ ‘Night Visions’ Celebrates One-Year Anniversary on Billboard 200

    September 06, 2013 8:55 PM EDT This week on the Billboard 200, rock band Avenged Sevenfold claimed its second No. 1 album as "Hail to the King" started atop the list with 159,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It was one of four new arrivals into the top 10, ...

  2. Ariana Grande vs. Tamar Braxton In Battle for No. 1 on Billboard 200

    September 06, 2013 8:21 PM EDT New albums from Ariana Grande and Tamar Braxton are battling it out in a race for No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart next week. Industry sources suggest that Grande’s debut effort, "Yours Truly," may sell between 115,000 and 120,000 copi ...

  3. Biz Stock Ticks: This Week's Entertainment Indices 8/31 - 9/6

    September 06, 2013 7:24 PM EDT Biz Stock Ticks looks at publicly traded entertainment stock prices over the last week by Apple, Best Buy, Facebook, Google, Live Nation, Pandora, Sony, SiriusXM and Sony. Below each 5-day stock graph are relevant .Biz news stories from this pas ...

  4. Business Matters: Apple iTunes Radio Vs. Downloads and The Innovator's Dilemma

    September 06, 2013 6:26 PM EDT Nearly all companies must eventually embrace innovation or risk injury. As the music business follows consumers' shift to streaming media, Apple will eventually abandon part of what made it successful. iTunes Radio, expected to launch Tue ...

  5. Cassette Store Day: Indie Artist Shares Passion For the Forgotten Format (Q&A)

    September 06, 2013 6:22 PM EDT Cassette tapes aren't completely on the comeback trail, but the semi-forgotten format has recently been making inroads. This year alone, artists like She & Him, MGMT and Rilo Kiley have issued cassette releases -- albeit in very limited ...

  6. Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake Lead MTV VMA-Related Music Sales Up 37% In Week After Show

    September 05, 2013 6:44 PM EDT Get More: 2013 VMA , Artists.MTV , Music , Miley Cyrus   Now that a full week has passed since MTV's Video Music Awards (VMA), both the Hot Digital songs and Billboard 200 albums charts swell with gainers thanks to the show. In the week end ...

  7. Super D's Acquisition of Alliance Entertainment In Context

    September 05, 2013 12:10 PM EDT In a minnow-swallowing-a-whale-like deal, Super D has acquired Alliance Entertainment in a move that will make it the fourth-largest U.S. music account behind iTunes, Amazon, and Anderson Merchandisers, which racks Walmart and Best Buy. Super D ...

  8. Super D Acquires Alliance Entertainment, Creating Second Largest US Music Wholesaler (Sources)

    September 04, 2013 9:00 PM EDT Super D has acquired Alliance Entertainment in a move that will create the second largest U.S. wholesaler with revenues of about $920 million, sources tell Billboard. The deal closed earlier Wednesday (Sept. 4) and Super D principals Bruce Ogil ...

  9. Team 8 Founder Rich Cohen Joining Mick Artist Management as Partner

    September 04, 2013 4:07 PM EDT Rich Cohen, founder of Team 8 Management, is joining Mick Artist Management as a partner, joining Mick founder Michael McDonald and general manager Jonathan Eshak in the partnership, Billboard.biz has learned. Cohen founded Team 8 in 2007 and re ...

  10. Cassette Store Day Co-Founder Steve Rose on Top 5 Exclusive Tapes, 'Cassette Stores' (Q&A)

    September 04, 2013 3:27 PM EDT A month and some change ago, a small corner of the web was alight with the news of " Cassette Store Day ." It was something that, at the time, no one could be sure whether they were looking at a time-consuming troll or a promising, if ...

  11. Six Senior-Level Execs' Thoughts on the Fourth-Quarter Album Release (From the Magazine)

    September 04, 2013 11:39 AM EDT "Seasonality is important for us with our Latin artists. Yes, end-of-year sales are important. Yes, Valentine's Day sales are important. Yes, Mother's Day sales are important. But do you know what is more important? That you have ...

  12. Appeals Court Won't Revive Class Action Over Apple's Digital Music Sales

    September 03, 2013 4:15 PM EDT Most consumers don't like the type of digital rights management software that makes music purchased on Apple's iTunes Store only compatible on Apple devices. Unfortunately for one consumer who attempted to bring a class action lawsuit ...

  13. BPI Announces Auto-Updating Gold, Platinum Certification

    September 03, 2013 11:41 AM EDT The British Phonographic Industry has altered its sales award rules to include automatic certification -- big news for classic acts such as the Beatles. The BPI will now include automatically-updated sales data for the first time in its history, ...

  14. Microsoft's Nokia Deal Adds Pre-Show Momentum to Berlin Consumer Electronics Fair

    September 03, 2013 10:30 AM EDT Microsoft’s deal to pay more than $7 billion for Nokia’s devices and services business is amping up the buzz ahead of IFA, the world’s largest consumer electronics fair, which kicks off Friday in Berlin. Microsoft announced the mega-deal Monday ...

  15. Business Matters: What If Musicians Went on Strike Against Digital Services Like Spotify? It’s Possible

    August 30, 2013 7:23 PM EDT What if musicians went on strike and refused to make their music available on the digital services that have attracted so much negative criticism in recent years? It's not an entirely pointless thought exercise. People go on strike all ...

  16. Big Sean, Juicy J and Alabama Tribute Heading for Top 10 on Billboard 200

    August 30, 2013 6:52 PM EDT Rappers Big Sean and Juicy J, along with a new tribute album to country band Alabama, are headed for the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart next week. Industry sources suggest Big Sean's new "Hall of Fame" could sell approximat ...

  17. Clear Channel Taps Emeli Sande, Jake Bugg, Rita Ora For Bloomingdale's U.K. Style Campaign, NYC Concerts

    August 30, 2013 4:42 PM EDT Clear Channel has teamed with Bloomingdale’s to celebrate the fashion retailer’s celebration of Great Britain style with a multi-platform campaign that will include live shows, online radio and exclusive interviews. The custom partnership kicked ...

  18. Our Startup Could Be Your Band’s Life: Dismemberment Plan’s Travis Morrison Launches Shoutabl

    August 30, 2013 4:30 PM EDT When the last Dismemberment Plan album came out in 2001, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and smartphones didn’t exist. But technology isn’t the only thing that’s changed; over the course of those same 12 years, band frontman Travis Morrison joined a ...

  19. Warner Music Group Promotes Sara Nemerov to SVP/Head of Global Consumer Products and Brand Licensing

    August 30, 2013 1:57 PM EDT Warner Music Group promotes Sara Nemerov to senior VP/head of global consumer products and brand licensing, Billboard has learned. In addition to overseeing consumer products and brand licensing, Nemerov will develop retail partnerships and new ...

  20. New Signings: Boy George Signs with Kobalt, Rick Ross to ICM Partners, BMG Chrysalis US Land the Orwells

    August 30, 2013 7:30 AM EDT Here’s a look at the latest artist signings across the music industry, which include label, management, publishing and booking agency deals. Billboard.biz is interested in your company’s new signings. Please send announcements to Mitchell.Pete ...

  21. MTV VMAs Spur Early Gains for Miley Cyrus, NSYNC, Justin Timberlake, and More

    August 29, 2013 8:38 PM EDT Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake were all big winners during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), even though only Timberlake actually won any awards. Cyrus and Thicke paired for a buzzed-about performance during the Aug. 25 s ...

  22. Nathan Hubbard, Ex-Ticketmaster CEO, On Bringing Commerce To Twitter: ‘The Music Industry Should Be Tremendously Excited' (Q&A)

    August 28, 2013 4:57 PM EDT In a move that could have huge implications for the music industry, former Ticketmaster CEO and president Nathan Hubbard was named as Twitter’s first head of commerce on Aug. 27 , a move that heralds a broadening for the social networking behemo ...

  23. Luke Bryan Spends Second Week Atop Billboard 200 Followed by John Mayer, TGT Debuts

    August 28, 2013 11:01 AM EDT As expected, Luke Bryan's "Crash My Party" spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as it sells 159,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan (down 70%). Out of 29 chart-toppers, it's only the sixth album this yea ...

  24. Rick Nowels, Lana Del Rey Co-Writer, Talks 'Summertime Sadness' and His Catalog Of Hits

    August 27, 2013 12:41 PM EDT Rick Nowels has penned some of the most melodic pure-pop hits of the last quarter-century-plus. Chart Beat goes one-on-one with one of pop music's master tunesmiths For more than 25 years, Rick Nowels has crafted some of the most memorable ...

  25. Miley Cyrus Sees Social Media and Digital Sales Benefits from MTV VMAs Performance

    August 26, 2013 7:51 PM EDT Miley Cyrus is reaping the benefits of her buzzed-about performance on the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Aug. 25 -- both in sales and social metrics. During the VMAs telecast, Cyrus performed her Billboard Hot 100 top 10 single "We Can& ...

  26. Earl Sweatshirt, Jimmy Buffett and TGT Top 10 Bound on Billboard 200

    August 23, 2013 8:04 PM EDT After a week where only two albums debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200, next week should provide a healthy influx of new releases to the region. The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on the morning of Aug. 28. John Ma ...

  27. New Signings: August Alsina to Def Jam, Windish Agency Wins Bobby Womack, Frankie Rose Goes and Labrinth to Paradigm

    August 23, 2013 4:03 PM EDT Here’s a look at the latest artist signings across the music industry, which include label, management, publishing and booking agency deals. Billboard.biz is interested in your company’s new signings. Please send announcements to Mitchell.Peters ...

  28. Cheer for Chesney: Country Star Tops Hot Tours with $15 Million in Ticket Sales

    August 23, 2013 2:32 PM EDT Kenny Chesney leads the rest of the field this week, earning the top slot on the Hot Tours tally with box office totals reported from six venues on his No Shoes Nation tour. Concerts at three outdoor amphitheaters and three stadiums generated ti ...

  29. Chart Moves: Washed Out, Valerie June Debut on Billboard 200, Wild Feathers Fly In at No. 1 on Heatseekers

    August 23, 2013 9:15 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Luke Bryan charged in at No. 1 , selling an impressive 528,000 copies of his latest album, "Crash My Party." It marked the second chart-topper for the country star, who logged a No. 1 earlie ...

  30. Chart Moves: Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' Tops R&B/Hip-Hop Songs; Luke Bryan Scores Fifth No. 1 on Hot Country Songs

    August 23, 2013 9:00 AM EDT As previously reported , Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" (featuring T.I. and Pharrell) spends an 11th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while Katy Perry's "Roar" blasts 85-2, and Lady Gaga's "Applause ...

  31. Norman Winter, Music Publicist for Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Dr. Dre and MCA/Universal Records, Dies

    August 22, 2013 9:16 PM EDT Norman Winter, who in his long Hollywood career as a music publicist represented Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan,  Janet Jackson, Garth Brooks, Paul Anka and many  others, died Thursday in Las Vegas due to complications from Lewy Body disease, accord ...

  32. Getting Out The Vote: Round Two of CMA Awards Online Balloting Underway

    August 22, 2013 1:04 PM EDT The 24-hour period beginning at 8 p.m. on Aug. 19 saw a wealth of country events in Nashville: No. 1 parties for Jake Owen, Brad Paisley and Tim McGraw, and a dinner/listening party for Keith Urban’s forthcoming album "Fuse." There’s a ...

  33. Gerardo Ortiz, Jenni Rivera, Arrolladora Banda El Limon Lead Billboard Mexican Music Award Finalists

    August 22, 2013 9:17 AM EDT Young norteño star Gerardo Ortiz, the late Jenni Rivera and ever-popular Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho lead the list of finalists for the third annual Billboard Mexican Music Awards, set to air live on the Telemundo Network Oct. 9 a ...

  34. John Mayer Aiming for No. 2 Debut on Billboard 200

    August 21, 2013 8:33 PM EDT John Mayer is on course for a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200 next week with his sixth studio album, "Paradise Valley." Industry sources suggest the set could sell around 150,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Aug. 25. The ...

  35. Luke Bryan Nets No. 1 Album; Katy Perry's 'Roar' Tops Digital Songs

    August 21, 2013 10:58 AM EDT As reported yesterday, country star Luke Bryan nabs his second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with "Crash My Party." The album bows atop the list with nearly 528,000 sold in the week ending Sunday, Aug. 18, according to Nielsen Sound ...

  36. Luke Bryan's 'Crash My Party' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200

    August 20, 2013 9:14 PM EDT It's Official: Luke Bryan's "Crash My Party" has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with the third-largest sales week of the year. The country star's new album sold slightly fewer than 528,000 copies in t ...

  37. Business Matters: Behind Apple iTunes Radio’s Launch Strategy

    August 20, 2013 6:37 PM EDT Don't expect a soft launch for iTunes Radio. Apple has lined up blue chip advertisers for its upcoming launch next month of iTunes Radio, according to an Ad Age report . McDonald’s, Nissan, Pepsi and Procter & Gamble were named as ad ...

  38. Best Buy's Retail Strategy Boosts Company Shares 10.5%, Marking Two-Year High

    August 20, 2013 11:29 AM EDT Best Buy's net income rose sharply in the second quarter, as the struggling electronics retailer slashed costs and worked to make its website more competitive. The nation's biggest specialty electronics company beat Wall Street expecta ...

  39. Katy Perry Aiming to Sell 450k Downloads of 'Roar,' Lady Gaga's 'Applause' Set for 225k Debut

    August 18, 2013 3:03 PM EDT Katy Perry's "Roar" just keeps getting bigger. Industry sources now suggest that her new single "Roar" could debut with between 525,000 and 550,000 downloads sold by the end of the tracking week on Aug. 18. Three days ag ...

  40. Luke Bryan's 'Crash My Party' Sales Forecast Grows to Half-Million

    August 16, 2013 5:12 PM EDT The sales forecast for Luke Bryan's new album just keeps getting brighter. Two days ago, industry prognosticators suggested Bryan's "Crash My Party" album might sell 450,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, A ...

  41. Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' Hits 1 Million Sales Mark in U.K.

    August 16, 2013 10:30 AM EDT Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" has crossed the sales milestone of one million copies in the U.K., making it the music star's second single to do so. The 2009 release joined her hit "Poker Face" in the million-seller club ...

  42. Chart Moves: Lorde's 'Love' Rises, Cody Simpson Surges, the Supremes Return to Billboard 200

    August 16, 2013 9:00 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart, the Civil Wars snared its first No. 1 album as its self-titled set bowed in the top slot. The release sold 116,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It was one of four debuts i ...

  43. Biz Poll: Why Have Album Sales Hit Historic Lows?

    August 15, 2013 4:10 PM EDT As Billboard’s Ed Christman reported on Aug. 2, U.S. album sales hit new historic lows, marking the longest consecutive stretch in the Nielsen SoundScan era that the music industry has gone without scanning more than five million units.   For th ...

  44. Country Icon George Strait Tapped for Billboard's Legend Of Live Award

    August 15, 2013 12:00 PM EDT George Strait will be honored with the Legend Of Live Award at the 10th annual Billboard Touring Awards , to be held Nov. 14 at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York. Strait -- who has forged a reputation as a record-breaker -- becomes the first count ...

  45. Luke Bryan Heading for Big Sales Week, Second No. 1 Album on Billboard 200

    August 14, 2013 8:42 PM EDT Luke Bryan's "Crash My Party" is set to crash in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart next week with a very big bow. Industry sources say the country star's latest album to sell least 450,000 copies by the end of the tracking ...

  46. Business Matters: Rhapsody's Financials Show Subscription Music Isn't Easy

    August 14, 2013 7:55 PM EDT Music subscription service Rhapsody is growing, shrinking and losing money. Breaking even would probably require a substantial, but not improbable, growth in subscribers in the midst of increased competition.   In the first half of 2013, Rhapsod ...

  47. Martin Hanaka, Interim Chief for Guitar Center, Appointed to Trans World Entertainment's Board of Directors

    August 14, 2013 11:42 AM EDT Trans World Entertainment has appointed Martin Hanaka, interim chief executive officer of Guitar Center, Inc., to its board of directors. According to a press release, Hanaka previously served on the company's board from 1998 to 2009.  &quo ...

  48. Dave Lombardi Appointed VP of Promotion for Caroline, CMG's Independent Services Division

    August 13, 2013 5:11 PM EDT Dave Lombardi has been ptomoted to VP of promotion for Caroline, the independent services division of Capitol Music Group. In his new position, Lombardi will be responsible for Caroline's promotion department, which includes conceiving and ...

  49. Lady Gaga vs. Katy Perry: Superstar Digital Song Sales Showdown

    August 12, 2013 7:14 PM EDT This week could be a historic one for digital song sales. New singles from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry are heading for big debuts on Billboard's Digital Songs chart next week -- and both should rack up major sales. Perry's new single &q ...

  50. Asking Alexandria, Tye Tribbett Heading for Top 10 on Billboard 200

    August 09, 2013 8:53 PM EDT As previously reported, folk-rock duo the Civil Wars seem to be set for its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart week with its new self-titled release. Industry sources suggest the album might bow with 105,000 copies sold through the wee ...

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