1. Bon Jovi Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200, David Bowie Trails at No. 2

    March 19, 2013 9:19 PM EDT 25 9 0 0 Bon Jovi scores its fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as What About Now debuts with 101,000 sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It's the act's third straight studio album to debut at No. 1, following Th ...

  2. Business Matters: What the Music Business Can Learn From March Madness

    March 19, 2013 9:10 PM EDT The annual Division I men’s college basketball tournament started Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. eastern time. The music business could take a few pointers. Known as March Madness, the Division I tournament understands how to reach people online, how to d ...

  3. Q&A: Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning on 'Downloaded,' The Napster Revolution

    March 19, 2013 10:50 AM EDT They were wiry teenagers when they ignited the digital revolution, altering the music landscape forever with a little program called Napster in 1999. Now, 14 years later, Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker are older and wiser, but no less passionate ...

  4. Justin Timberlake Manager Johnny Wright on Secret Plans Around ‘20/20 Experience,’ Touring, Myspace, More

    March 19, 2013 8:00 AM EDT 2 54 19 3 0 Justin Timberlake has a rare ability to seem to be everywhere without actually being in that many places. In a way, the marketing around his new album,  The 20/20 Experience – out on RCA today – has taken a note from the way he managed to keep ...

  5. Business Matters: European Study on Piracy Conflicts With Conventional Wisdom

    March 18, 2013 8:49 PM EDT A new European Commission study based on Nielsen data from five European countries found that online music piracy did not hurt digital music purchases. In fact, the study found a slight, positive relationship between visits to illegal download s ...

  6. Hastings Reports $1.2 Million in Q4 Earnings, Plans to Reduce Music in Stores

    March 18, 2013 7:30 PM EDT Hastings Entertainment cut its red ink in half for the year by posting net income of $1.2 million, or 15 cents per diluted share, on sales of $141.6 million, for the fourth-quarter ended Jan. 31. That performance contrasts with $8.4 million in r ...

  7. Could Pop Radio’s Next Hit Be A Cover Of A... 1930s Appalachian Folk Song?!

    March 18, 2013 2:04 PM EDT Although it’s spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold almost half a million (498,000) downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan, Anna Kendrick’s quirky single "Cups" (UME/Republic) is just now adding a new element to its succe ...

  8. #SXSW Instagr.am: Check Out the Photos You Sent Us!

    March 17, 2013 5:15 AM EDT 2 14 0 0 HEAD HERE TO SEE ALL OUR INSTAGRAM GALLERIES: Our new audience-generated Instagr.am gallery got a bumper crop of photos from #SXSW this year -- check out pics of Scooter Braun, Kendrick Lamar, Dave Grohl, Raekwon, Usher Pharrell, the Flaming Li ...

  9. Bon Jovi, David Bowie Eye One-Two Finish on Next Week's Billboard 200 Chart

    March 15, 2013 8:07 PM EDT As reported earlier this week, Bon Jovi and David Bowie were vying for the No. 1 slot on next week's Billboard 200 albums chart. Bon Jovi has now pulled ahead, and it seems like the band's new album, "What About Now," is a lo ...

  10. Justin Timberlake's Promotional Run-Up to 'The 20/20 Experience': A Timeline

    March 15, 2013 4:53 PM EDT 18 78 115 0 0 They say hindsight is 20/20, but when it comes to Justin Timberlake's comeback, they're not taking any chances. Next week's release of Timberlake's beyond-highly-anticipated new album The 20/20 Experience is riding on one ...

  11. Chart Moves: P!nk Roars, Justin Timberlake’s Post-‘SNL’ Gains; Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert Cozy Up

    March 15, 2013 10:43 AM EDT As previously reported, "Harlem Shake," the viral smash from Baauer, logs a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' former four-week Hot 100 No. 1 "Thrift Shop," featuring Wanz, re ...

  12. Chart Moves: Boz Scaggs Returns, Colton Dixon Gains, How to Destroy Angels Debuts, Replacements Return

    March 15, 2013 10:29 AM EDT This past week on the Billboard 200 , Luke Bryan claimed his first No. 1 with Spring Break . . . Here to Party , while Jimi Hendrix notched his highest charting album in 44 years with the No. 2 debut of People, Hell and Angels . Outside the top ...

  13. Consumer Data Shows Old Ways Still Most Profitable, SXSW Panel Says

    March 14, 2013 10:19 PM EDT 8 34 75 4 0 In a panel led by representatives of EMI’s Global Insights department at SXSW Thursday, researchers poured cold water on what you might call the irrational exuberance of the digital music industry (not to mention SXSW attendants).   Independen ...

  14. Downtown Music’s Josh Deutsch Talks ‘Harlem Shake’ Success, Future Business Plans at SXSW

    March 13, 2013 9:00 PM EDT Earlier this year, Downtown Music -- which comprises Downtown Records, Downtown Publishing and other businesses -- announced that it was selling its records division to founders Josh Deutsch and Terence Lam, who would run the business independen ...

  15. Amanda Palmer Talks New Business Models, Plays Ukulele at SXSW

    March 13, 2013 8:18 PM EDT 1 0 16 0 0 There's much more to crowdfunding than meets the eye, and that requires partnering with companies for distribution to reach retailers and fans, music Amanda Palmer said at SXSW on Wednesday. But Palmer could not say if this exciting new bu ...

  16. David Bowie vs. Bon Jovi For No. 1 on Next Week's Billboard 200 Chart

    March 13, 2013 4:00 PM EDT On next week's Billboard 200 chart, rock legend David Bowie is in the hunt for his first No. 1 album, while veteran group Bon Jovi could nab its fifth chart-topper. The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on the morning o ...

  17. Baauer Leads Hot 100 Again, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Rule Hot 100 Airplay

    March 13, 2013 1:30 PM EDT Baauer commands the Billboard Hot 100 for a fourth week with "Harlem Shake," although the viral sensation logs a second straight week of declines in YouTube streaming. The chart's No. 2 song, and former four-week No. 1, Macklemore ...

  18. Luke Bryan Debuts At No. 1, Jimi Hendrix at No. 2 On Billboard 200

    March 13, 2013 11:00 AM EDT 2 396 29 0 0 Country star Luke Bryan logs his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 as his new compilation, Spring Break . . . Here to Party , debuts atop the list. It sold 150,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and marks his b ...

  19. 'Good Vibrations' Revisits the Irish Punk Explosion Via Its Belfast 'Godfather'

    March 12, 2013 9:29 PM EDT 1 1 20 0 0 "Good Vibrations" is the story of the Belfast record shop that begat the label of the same name, releasing crucial 45s and LPs from the Undertones and other Irish punk bands in the 1970s. Based on the memories of founder Terri Hooley, ...

  20. SXSW 2013: Deadmau5, Kat Von D, Surfer Blood at the Sonos Studio

    March 12, 2013 8:51 PM EDT Sonos is getting some attention for putting on one of the coolest experiences at SXSW. Located down an alley near the Convention Center, the Sonos Studio is a large compound that includes a courtyard, a performance stage, two houses and an inter ...

  21. Nielsen Study: Music Industry Could Add $450 Million to $2.6 Billion in Incremental Revenue With Premium Content

    March 12, 2013 8:07 PM EDT The music industry has lost billions of dollars in revenue over the last decade. Nielsen says the industry can use generated at least a half billion in incremental revenue by allowing fans to better connect with artists.   Nielsen's study w ...

  22. Wisin & Yandel Team with Panasonic in Latin America

    March 12, 2013 8:06 PM EDT 1 50 19 0 0 Latin urban act Wisin & Yandel have signed on to be the official spokespersons for a Panasonic line of audio equipment that will see a major promotional campaign in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Register today for the Billboard Lat ...

  23. Weak Release Schedule Blamed For 12% Drop In U.K. Entertainment Market; Music Sales Fell $90 Million In 2012

    March 12, 2013 10:53 AM EDT Combined sales of music, video and games products in the United Kingdom fell 12% in 2012 to £4.21 billion ($6.26 billion), with music sales declining by £59 million ($87.8 million) from the previous year, according to the annual Entertainment Re ...

  24. !K7 Brings Seminal Electronic Label R&S to the U.S. (Exclusive)

    March 11, 2013 9:35 PM EDT The !K7 Label Group has announced a North American partnership with 30-year-old R&S/Apollo Records, a pivotal imprint in electronic music’s history. “The aim of our label to create synergy with like-minded labels and we think R&S is a pe ...

  25. Justin Timberlake's 'The 20/20 Experience' Eyeing Half-Million Debut Sales Week

    March 11, 2013 8:25 PM EDT 1 4 32 0 0 Justin Timberlake's long-awaited album "The 20/20 Experience" doesn't go on sale for another week, but industry sources say it's going to have a blockbuster debut on the Billboard charts. Those in the know suggest the a ...

  26. BandPage Unveils New 'Experiences' Service

    March 11, 2013 11:00 AM EDT Want to hang with George Clinton? Need a personal guitar lesson from Zakk Wylde? How about an 8-mile run with Dead Prez’s Stic.man while he teaches you beatboxing? BandPage on Monday is unveiling a platform allowing bands to design and sell cust ...

  27. Jimi Hendrix Set For Highest-Charting Album on Billboard 200 in 44 Years

    March 08, 2013 9:57 PM EST Rock legend Jimi Hendrix's new archival album, "People, Hell and Angels," is set to debut at No. 2 on next week's Billboard 200 chart, according to industry sources. The album might sell around 70,000 copies by the end of the ...

  28. Chart Moves: Bruno Mars' Slow Climb to No. 1, Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side' Turns 40

    March 08, 2013 9:48 PM EST This past week on the Billboard 200 , Bruno Mars' "Unorthodox Jukebox" jumped to No. 1, thanks largely to sale pricing by Amazon MP3. The move gave Mars his first No. 1, and an unusual achievement: It was the slowest climb to No. ...

  29. Trans World Profits Up in 2012, Company Plans to Open 20 New Stores

    March 07, 2013 8:31 PM EST For the second year in a row, Trans World Entertainment has produced black ink. More importantly, the company says it will return to growth mode, with plans to open 20 stores in the fiscal year. For the fourth quarter ending Feb. 2, 2013, Trans ...

  30. Oscars Send Adele Flying Back Up Charts

    March 07, 2013 5:02 PM EST Thanks to the Academy Awards, Adele is flying high on the Billboard charts this week. Her "21" album jumps four slots to No. 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 27,000 with a gain of 17% in the week ending March 3. While the ...

  31. Jason Aldean, Songwriters Ben Hayslip David Lee Murphy Celebrate 'The Only Way I Know' No. 1 with ASCAP

    March 06, 2013 6:10 PM EST Songwriters David Lee Murphy and Ben Hayslip were hoping for a Jason Aldean cut when they wrote "The Only Way I Know." Little did they know they would get a triple cut, because when Aldean hard the song he knew it was exactly the tune ...

  32. Bruno Mars Scores First No. 1 Album On Billboard 200, Atoms For Peace at No. 2

    March 06, 2013 10:18 AM EST As forecasted last week, Bruno Mars claims his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, as Unorthodox Jukebox jumps one slot to the top of the tally. The set, largely fueled by Amazon MP3 sale pricing, sold 95,000 copies in the week ending March ...

  33. David Bowie Streams 'The Next Day': Listen

    February 28, 2013 8:58 PM EST David Bowie's "The Next Day" is here already. The March 12th-due album, the music legend's first in 10 years, is streaming on iTunes. Touching on Bowie's long musical history, the 14-track set ranges from "The Next Da ...

  34. Chart Moves: Nick Cave Scores Highest Charting Album, Eagles Fly Back Onto Billboard 200

    February 28, 2013 8:17 PM EST It was a slow week on the Billboard 200, where not a single album debuted in the top 10. That said, Mumford & Sons' "Babel" held on to the No. 1 slot for a fifth non-consecutive week, making it the longest-running No. 1 album by ...

  35. Bruno Mars Eyeing First No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart

    February 27, 2013 8:08 PM EST Bruno Mars could notch his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 next week, thanks to Amazon MP3. On Feb. 26, the digital retailer offered a bevy of albums for just $1.99, including Bruno Mars' latest, "Unorthodox Jukebox." Sources ...

  36. Chart Alert: Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' No. 1 For Fifth Week On Billboard 200

    February 27, 2013 10:57 AM EST While there was a lot of excitement on last week's Billboard 200 thanks to the impact from the Grammy Awards, things get back to a (dreary) normal on this week's tally. Mumford & Sons' Babel remains at No. 1 for a fifth nonconse ...

  37. Business Matters: Inside the IFPI's Digital Music Report 2013

    February 26, 2013 8:41 PM EST 6 7 30 0 The 2013 edition of the IFPI's annual Digital Music Report has 31 pages of informative reading. Two things came to mind when reading it. I wondered how much digital revenue is coming from big, developed markets and I wondered how much revenu ...

  38. Oscars: Adele, Shirley Bassey, Streisand Set for Big Sales Gains

    February 25, 2013 5:00 PM EST Music from Adele, Dame Shirley Bassey, Jennifer Hudson and more are all due to see huge sales increases on this week's Billboard charts thanks to last night's Academy Awards (Feb. 24). Sources suggest "Skyfall," which won Adele ...

  39. Emeli Sande, One Direction Top UK Charts With Brit Awards Bounce

    February 25, 2013 8:50 AM EST Emeli Sandé followed her double BRIT Awards triumph Feb. 20 by returning to the top of the album chart yesterday (Sunday) with “Our Version of Events” (Virgin/Universal). As many other winners and performers from the ceremony reaped sales benefits ...

  40. Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' Set for Fifth Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200

    February 22, 2013 8:37 PM EST After this week's Grammy Awards-charged Billboard 200 albums chart, where many albums saw large gains in the wake of the show, next week's list will be very sleepy. Next week's likely No. 1 album, Mumford & Sons' Grammy-win ...

  41. Baauer's 'Harlem Shake' Debuts Atop Revamped Hot 100

    February 20, 2013 7:15 PM EST 54 94 0 The Billboard Hot 100 undergoes a major shakeup this week, as YouTube streaming data joins the chart's methodology. Fittingly, "Harlem Shake," the viral smash from Brooklyn producer Baauer, roars onto the ranking at No. 1.   As an ...

  42. Brit Awards 2013: Emeli Sande, Mumford & Sons, Adele Win Big

    February 20, 2013 7:13 PM EST 8 0 Female artists dominated the 2013 Brit Awards with Emeli Sandé and Adele taking home two of the biggest prizes. Sandé won best British female and the highly coveted British album title for her 2012 debut "Our Version of Events," while Ad ...

  43. Sony Music, BandMerch Ink Retail Partnership

    February 20, 2013 10:40 AM EST 1 0 14 0 Sony Music Entertainment has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with BandMerch, the merchandising division of promoter AEG Live, to expand and develop Sony’s merchandising programs in the North American retail market in conjunction wi ...

  44. Clive Davis Responds in War of Words With Kelly Clarkson

    February 19, 2013 9:18 PM EST 1 6 54 0 Sony Music chief creative officer Clive Davis has issued a statement responding to Kelly Clarkson's claims of revisionist history is his just-released book, "The Soundtrack of My Life." Among her allegations, the "American Ido ...

  45. Staples Center to Go All Vegetarian for Morrissey Show

    February 18, 2013 3:30 PM EST Morrissey's upcoming concert at Los Angeles' Staples Center will mark the first time the 20,000-capacity venue goes all-vegetarian. All vendors at the March 1 show were mandated to ban "flesh as food" by the singer, a long-time ...

  46. Taylor Swift, Fun. Aiming For Top 10 Return on Next Week’s Billboard 200 Chart

    February 15, 2013 9:56 PM EST 2 6 19 0 In the wake of the Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, few major artists opted to release new albums this past week. So on next week's Billboard 200 chart, expect to see a lot of familiar faces at the top of the list -- with many sporting big sales in ...

  47. Analysis: BMG Poised to Become a Top Indie Catalog Following Sanctuary Acquisition

    February 15, 2013 7:54 PM EST 3 9 13 0 Once completed, the pending acquisition of the Sanctuary Records catalog will catapult BMG Rights Management into one of the industry's top independent catalog labels. Universal Sells Sanctuary Label to BMG The Sanctuary catalog has about 17 ...

  48. Chart Moves: Soundtracks Sales Sizzle Thanks to 'Pitch Perfect,' ‘Les Miserables’

    February 14, 2013 9:10 PM EST 205 22 0 Josh Groban crowned the Billboard 200 this week with "All That Echoes," his third No. 1 album . The pop singer sold 145,000 copies of the set in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Elsewhere in the top 10: Tim McGraw arriv ...

  49. Chart Moves: Are the Lumineers and Mumford & Sons Bringing a Folk-Rock Wave to Country Radio?

    February 14, 2013 6:37 PM EST 1 1 21 0 As previously reported, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop," featuring Wanz, logs a fourth week at No. 1 the Billboard Hot 100, while the latest singles by Maroon 5 and Bruno Mars enter the top 10. Who else makes notable mov ...

  50. Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' Set for Return to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart

    February 13, 2013 7:13 PM EST 1 1 28 0 In the glow of its Grammy Awards win for album of the year, Mumford & Sons'  Babel is set to return to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart next week. Industry sources suggest that the album could sell 150,000 copies by the end of the tracki ...

Pages