Music Week articles from April 2007

Music Week archives from April 2007

Podcast licence go-ahead.
April 7, 2007... PPL gives green light for radio trial By Ben Cardew PPL and the UK's commercial radio sector have signed a groundbreaking blanket licence deal to allow the use of music in station podcasts for the first time. The licence, which...

Pigeon Detectives to head MW stage.
April 7, 2007... The Pigeon Detectives will help to bring the second annual Great Escape Festival to a rollicking conclusion this May, headlining the final night of the event on the new Music Week stage. The Leeds outfit, whose debut album will be released...

IN BRIEF: CGap announces trading losses.
April 7, 2007... GCap Media has announced a tough trading update ahead of results due to be released on May 30. The group says revenues for the 12 months to March 31 will be down by 9% against the previous year. Meanwhile, the group has announced the...

IN BRIEF: EMI and Bertelsmann agree to settle lawsuit.
April 7, 2007... EMI Group and Bertelsmann AG have agreed to settle a copyright lawsuit over the German media giant's investment in the one-time file-sharing company Napster, with reports that the figure paid out is between $50m (#25.5m) and $100m (#51m). ...

IN BRIEF: Iconic to open third London Store.
April 7, 2007... Iconic independent record shop Rough Trade is to open its third London store. While contracts have yet to be signed, Rough Trade management says plans are in place to open a 5,000 sq ft shop in Brick Lane in London's East End, selling CDs and...

IN BRIEF: BMI Icons.
April 7, 2007... The Bee Gees are to be named BMI Icons at the performing rights organisation's 55th annual Pop Awards, to be held on May 15 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Rondor Music added to list.
April 7, 2007... Rondor Music has been added to the list of significant catalogues that Universal is offering to dispose of in order to win approval for its takeover of BMG Music Publishing. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Napster and Channel 4 team up.
April 7, 2007... Napster and Channel 4 Radio have teamed up to broadcast a five-part series of live music shows. Fronted by T4 presenter Alex Zane, Napster Live will offer music fans live performances and interviews recorded exclusively for Napster and Channel...

IN BRIEF: Electronic Arts team up with Nettwerk One Music.
April 7, 2007... Computer games developer Electronic Arts has teamed up with Nettwerk One Music to create a record label. The label is called Artwerk, and has already signed Junkie XL as its first artist. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Brits album best selling.
April 7, 2007... The BPI has revealed that this year's Brits album was the best-selling for a decade. The double album, which is compiled and marketed by Universal Music TV, has now topped 100,000 sales, surpassing gold status. Copyright: CMP Information...

IN BRIEF: Universal invests in Alliance Trace.
April 7, 2007... Universal Music Group is to invest in Alliance Trace Media, parent company of Trace TV. The deal will offer UMG a board seat and minority equity stake in Trace. In return, Universal will provide Trace with global music/video rights, a weekly...

IN BRIEF: eListeningPost viral music.
April 7, 2007... Warner, V2 and Independiente have signed up to use the eListeningPost viral music preview and sales service. Previews of artists' tracks are played on relevant websites, such as music blogs and users are given the option to click through and...

IN BRIEF: EMI signs Figure 5.
April 7, 2007... EMI Music Publishing has signed Glasgow band Figure 5. The band was signed by senior VP A&R Kenny McGoff, whose previous signings include Kasabian, The Feeling, The Fratellis and The Enemy. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: 7digital and Bebo agree deal.
April 7, 2007... 7digital and Bebo have agreed a deal which will allow Bebo's 31m worldwide users to download music directly from the social networking site via 7digital's Indiestore application. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Gallows conclude deal.
April 7, 2007... Following significant label interest, Gallows have concluded a deal with Warner Bros that will see their debut album Orchestra Of Wolves re- released through the major this summer. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: EMI agree deal.
April 7, 2007... EMI has agreed a deal to make music from the major's catalogue available via Playlouder's bundled subscription and ISP service. Playlouder MSP subscribers will be able to access and share DRM- protected music from EMI as part of their single...

IN BRIEF: TheJazz DJ line-up announced.
April 7, 2007... DAB national radio station TheJazz has announced a list of its presenters ahead of a new schedule launch on April 6. Jamie Cullum will host a two-hour show on Saturdays from 11am, while other weekend presenters include Mike Chadwick, Claire...

IN BRIEF: Steve Redmond leaves.
April 7, 2007... BPI director of communications and development Steve Redmond has left the organisation. His departure follows that of executive chairman Peter Jamieson, who left at the start of March. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Kate Nash signs to Fiction.
April 7, 2007... Kate Nash has signed to Jim Chancellor's Polydor imprint Fiction. Nash signed a publishing deal with Universal toward the end of 2006 and is managed by Ollie Slaney from ATC Management. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Ringleader sentenced to two years in prison.
April 7, 2007... The ringleader of a CD and DVD counterfeiting operation in County Durham has been sentenced to two years in prison. In a private prosecution brought about by the BPI, 41-year-old James Cowan was convicted of conspiracy to defraud. ...

IN BRIEF: Joss Stone latest to make splash in the US.
April 7, 2007... Joss Stone has become the latest UK artist to make a big splash in the US, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart last week. Introducing arrives with 118,000 sales, and is the highest entry achieved by a UK female solo artist...

Woolworths boss in attack on labels.
April 7, 2007... Group chief executive hits out as retail arm reports first ever UK loss in its 98-year history by Ben Cardew Woolworths Group chief executive Trevor Bish-Jones has launched a heated attack on record labels, who he accuses of destroying...

Minister hints at U-turn over legislation on ticket touting.
April 7, 2007... Creative industries minister Shaun Woodward has thrown a crumb of comfort to concert promoters by suggesting that the Government might introduce legislation to outlaw ticket touts. Live music representatives have been frustrated at the...

THE PLAYLIST: 07.04.07.
April 7, 2007... MAROON 5 Makes Me Wonder (A&M) There are very few bands making pop music with as much class as Maroon 5 right now. A big start for the second album. (single, May 14) N-DUBZ Feva Las Vegas (LRC) Support from Kiss, Choice...

Major offers total Ricall access.
April 7, 2007... Online licensing service Ricall has signed a deal with Sony BMG which will see the major placing almost its entire catalogue onto a new, separately branded section of Ricall's website. As well as significantly expanding Ricall's catalogue...

SNAP SHOT: Simian Mobile Disco.
April 7, 2007... It is four years since the We Are Your Friends by Justice Vs Simian turned an unknown French duo and four students from Manchester into one of the most bankable currencies in clubland. Today, as the song continues to win new fans, Wichita...

Universal joins growing list of online A&R talent spotters.
April 7, 2007... The days of A&R offices cluttered with demo CDs look set to become a thing of the past, in the wake of the third major to adopt new submission policy by Stuart Clarke Universal Classics & Jazz has become the latest record company to...

Busted court case imminent.
April 7, 2007... Original members to claim royalties by Robert Ashton Nearly 18 months after launching a multi-million pound royalties battle with his former band mates, original Busted member Ki Fitzgerald will get his day in court on April 19. ...

Keeping an open house: promoting the blogging culture at Sony BMG.
April 7, 2007... For Sony BMG, taking the A&R submission process online is just a small part of a wider "opening up" of the company as it takes its day-to-day operations into the blogosphere. All 400 of its UK staff are now being encouraged to establish...

Acts line up to christen Indigo Club.
April 7, 2007... Elvis Costello, Hall & Oates and Gladys Knight are among the first acts being lined up to play The 02 Arena's sister venue this summer. The acts will be part of an initial programme of July and August performances to be announced on April...

Green light for AMG takeover.
April 7, 2007... Live Nation and Gaiety Investments buy 56% stake in venue company by Jim Larkin Academy Music Group has secured additional buying power in its effort to bring new venues to towns around the UK, after Live Nation and Gaiety Investments...

MIF 2007: bigger and better than ever.
April 7, 2007... Quickfire The Manchester International Festival, which in 2005 witnessed the first Gorillaz live performance without their animated personas, is back this year. Festival director Alex Poots talks about the plans for the 2007 event. ...

JEFF SMITH: A LIFE IN RADIO.
April 7, 2007... Jan 1989: made Metro Radio Group programme manager Oct 1990: creates and produces Radio One's Evening Session Jun 1993: becomes Radio One mainstream programmes editor July 1995: joins Wise Buddah independent production as director...

Profile: Smith returns to the Beeb.
April 7, 2007... Jeff Smith finds himself in the middle of his own target demographic on returning to his "heartland" as Radio Two's new head of music, and is relishing the challenges ahead by Paul Williams Had Jeff Smith followed in the footsteps of...

Channel Four looks to turn radio on its head.
April 7, 2007... Next year will see Channel Four Radio make its first appearance on the UK's airwaves - Music Week looks at the broadcaster's plans in its effort to transform radio, and take on the BBC by Paul Williams Channel 4 was just three days old...

New national digital multiplex licence and impact on radio sector.
April 7, 2007... Whoever Ofcom awards the new national digital multiplex licence to this summer, one thing is certain - that Channel Four Radio will make its debut on the UK airwaves. Ofcom confirmed last week that only two bids have been received: the...

C4 Radio bid: getting the pitch right.
April 7, 2007... As well as securing partnerships and the likes of former Radio Two controller Jim Moir, a key plank of Channel 4's strategy in the run-up to this licence application has been the creation of a website (www.channel4radio.com) where it has been...

Out with the old, in with the new?
April 7, 2007... Future of physical singles market hangs in the balance as retail giant blames labels for decline Many of us bought our very first singles in Woolies, but future generations might be robbed of such an opportunity it seems. For the...

The one-stop shop for artists.
April 7, 2007... Two senior industry figures have launched Big Print Music, a new type of music company offering almost all the business services an act could require. What's this all about then? Well, popular recording artists are busy people. They've...

Life at the top for Kerrang!
April 7, 2007... Music Week Award-winning radio programmer Emma Scrafton - now Newman - explains why rock, and rock radio, is all the rage You weren't at our awards last month because you were out at SXSW. How was it and which new bands did you get excited...

Vote for The Broadcasters' Broadcaster.
April 7, 2007... VIEWPOINT TIM BLACKMORE The Sony Radio Academy Awards is marking its 25th year with a one-off award, The Broadcasters' Broadcaster, for which it is asking UK broadcasters to choose their three favourites from a shortlist of 25 outstanding...

FAST CHART: 07.04.07.
April 7, 2007... SINGLES NUMBER ONE: THE PROCLAIMERS/BRIAN POTTER/ANDY PIPKIN (I'M GONNA BE) 500 MILES (EMI) Outselling the rest of the Top Five added together, the Comic Relief song has now sold more than 226,000 copies and sprints to second...

Elton John rockets up albums list.
April 7, 2007... The albums market recovered marginally from its 41-week low last week, with overall sales of 2,129,675 being 0.9% up on the previous frame. Despite this, sales at the top of the chart were subdued, with Take That's Beautiful World securing...

THE SCHEDULE - 07.04.07: Albums.
April 7, 2007... This week Fields Everything Last Winter (Atlantic); Maximo Park Our Earthly Pleasures (Warp); Kings Of Leon Because Of The Times (Columbia); Timbaland Shock Value (Polydor); Macy Gray Big (Polydor); Melanie C This Time (Red Girl); The...

THE SCHEDULE - 07.04.07: Singles.
April 7, 2007... This week Christina Aguilera Candy Man (RCA); Natasha Bedingfield I Wanna Have Your Babies (RCA); My Chemical Romance I Don't Love You (Warner Bros); Bright Eyes Four Winds (Polydor); Arctic Monkeys Brianstorm (Domino); The Good, The Bad...

THE SCHEDULE - 07.04.07: NEW ADDITION.
April 7, 2007... Nine Inch Nails will release their anticipated fifth Studio album on April 16, titled Year Zero. The album has been preceded by an innovative viral marketing campaign which promotes the album's concept, leading fans to discover...

Cribs surprise assault planned.
April 7, 2007... Kapranos-produced album expected to elevate band to loftier commercial heights THE CRIBS MEN'S NEEDS, WOMEN'S NEEDS, WHATEVER (WICHITA) One of indie pop's best-kept secrets will soon be let out of the bag, as Wichita Recordings...

UPFRONT - 07.04.07: TASTEMAKERS TIPS.(Concert review)
April 7, 2007... 1990s See You At The Lights (Rough Trade) Janice Long, BBC Radio TWO "1990s played this when they did a session for my Radio Two show in May 2006. I booked them on the strength of a demo and the Glaswegian three- piece turned in a...

The Insider: MusFlash TV.
April 7, 2007... The business plan behind MusFlash, a new TV station which launched in March on Sky's free-to-air platform, is both simple and ingenious. "75% of CDs bought are by the 20- to 60-year old demographic," says MusFlash chairman and managing...

Unsigned iTunes success story aims sights at physical market.
April 7, 2007... Her debut album was recorded for just #250, but the low budget is not hindering UK artist Kate Walsh's rise to the top. Walsh was last week celebrating becoming the first unsigned artist to hit the number one spot on the iTunes albums...

Upfront - 07.04.07: Radio playlists.
April 7, 2007... Radio 1 A list Alex Guadino Destination Calabria; Arctic Monkeys Brianstorm; Bloc Party I Still Remember; Camille Jones The Creeps; Clavin Harris Acceptable In The 80s; Fall Out Boy Thanks For The Memories; Gwen Stefani The Sweet...

Upfront - 07.04.07: In-store next week.
April 7, 2007... ASDA Instore: Ciara, Aretha Franklin, Bright Eyes BORDERS Instore: The Doors, The Bees, Elton John, Brett Anderson; Campaigns: Decades, Le Cool CWNN Album Of The Month: Maximo Park; Instore: Good Shoes, Brett Anderson,...

My Top 10: Firin Squad.
April 7, 2007... Firin Squad DJ team 1. Roll Deep Celebrate (Roll Deep) 2. N-Dubz Feva Las Vegas (LRC) 3. Digga Let's Creep (Blaquesheep) 4. No Lay Swagger (No Lay's World/Astab Inc) 5. JME Serious Remix (Boy Better Know) 6. A-Tola Soundbwoy...

Upfront - 16.04.07: Also out this week.
April 7, 2007... Singles Michael Buble: Everything (Warner Brothers); Hanson: Go (Cooking Vinyl); Incubus: Love Hurts (Columbia) Albums Avril Lavigne: The Best Damn Thing (Arista); Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero (Island) The Mighty...

Upfront - 16.04.07: SINGLE of the week.
April 7, 2007... Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Weapon Of Choice Island 1732965 BRMC's move to Island has clearly given them a new lease of life, because this taster for their April 30-released album Baby 81 is an amazing return to form. It is a...

Upfront - 16.04.07: ALBUM of the week.
April 7, 2007... Mark Ronson Version Columbia 88697080032 Music Week's producer of the year, Ronson - also an artist in his own right - releases this hotly-anticipated collection of funked-up covers. With big names - Robbie Williams, Lily Allen,...

Upfront - 16.04.07: Singles.
April 7, 2007... 120 Days Come Out, Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone (Smalltown Supersound STS112CD) This is a staggering debut UK release; a swirling and utterly euphoric nine-minute krautrock epic which feels like travelling at supersonic speed along an...

Upfront - 16.04.07: Albums.
April 7, 2007... Blonde Redhead 23 (4AD CAD2717CD) For all those shoegazing watchers, 23 sounds pretty much exactly how you would imagine Rachel from Slowdive fronting Loveless-era My Bloody Valentine would turn out - pretty damn fantastic. As you...

TV AIRPLAY CHART - 07.04.07: ON THE BOX THIS WEEK.
April 7, 2007... ITV This Morning: Engelbert Humperdink (Mon) Loose Women: Macy Gray (Tues) ITV At Reading: The Killers, Iggy and the Stooges, Biffy Clyro, Marilyn Manson, Dinosaur Jr GMTV Macy Gray (Mon) Gareth Gates (Tues) ...

TV Airplay Chart - 07.04.07: My Chemical Romance.
April 7, 2007... My Chemical Romance take the number one spot with a colour-free clip for I Don't Love You, which surprisingly topples the raunchy new Beyonce & Shakira feature Beautiful Liar. MCR's track was aired 440 times last week, with top tallies of 72...

TV Airplay Chart - 07.04.07: Ciara.
April 7, 2007... Ciara's Like A Boy is another of the current crop of black and white videos favoured by TV programmers and leaps 19-10 to earn the 21-year- old R&B singer her third Top 10 entry on the TV airplay chart. True to its title, the clip for the song...

Radio Airplay - 07.04.06: Mika.
April 7, 2007... Grace Kelly has been in the airplay Top 20 for 14 weeks and remains unmoved at number 11, while a second Mika single, Love Today, is the star performer this week, exploding 81-16. Some 12 plays from Radio Two and seven from Radio One were very...

Radio Airplay - 07.04.06: Christina Aguilera.
April 7, 2007... Any fears that its Forties style execution would result in poor airplay for Christina Aguilera's Candyman can be laid to rest, as the track catapults 48-15 on the airplay chart. Its 506 plays were shared around 73 stations and earned it an...

Radio Airplay - 07.04.06: Bloc Party.
April 7, 2007... The Prayer was the first single from Bloc Party's current album, A Weekend In The City and, although it reached number four on sales, it struggled for radio support, peaking at number 27 in the airplay chart. Follow-up I Still Remember passes...

Radio Airplay - 07.04.06: Michael Buble.
April 7, 2007... Michael Buble has the highest new entry of the week on Billboard's Hot 100 with his single Everything debuting at number 45, thanks largely to airplay. The Canadian jazz singer makes a big splash in the UK too, with the track debuting at number...

RADIO AIRPLAY - 07.04.06: ON THE RADIO THIS WEEK.
April 7, 2007... RADIO ONE Sara Cox Record Of The Week - Amy Winehouse: Back To Black Edith Bowman Record Of The Week - Jamie T: Shiela Scott Mills Record Of The Week - Groove Amerie feat. Cee-Lo: Take Control Weekend Anthem - The Enemy: Away...

New releases - 07.04.07: REVIEWS CATALOGUE.
April 7, 2007... The Supremes This Is The Story: The 70s Albums Vol 1: The Jean Terrell Years (Motown 8593802) When Diana Ross left The Supremes to pursue a solo career, most of the spotlight went with her, but the balance is belatedly redressed by...

Singles - 07.04.07: Kings Of Leon.
April 7, 2007... As a prelude to their eagerly awaited third album Because Of The Times, which is out today (Monday), The Kings Of Leon secure only the second Top 20 single of their career with On Call, which jumps 50-18 on sales of 7,000 following physical...

Singles - 07.04.07: Melanie C.
April 7, 2007... Originally a number 11 US hit for The Strangeloves in 1965, I Want Candy has charted in five versions in the UK, providing success for Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (number 25, 1965), Bow Wow Wow (number nine, 1982), Candy Girls (number 30,...

Singles - 07.04.07: Faithless.
April 7, 2007... Featuring a guest vocal from Cass Fox, who sang Rui da Silva's number one Touch Me, Faithless' Music Matters debuts at number 38 on sales of 3,500. It is the second single from the band's current album To All New Arrivals, following Bombs...

Singles - 07.04.07: Marillion.
April 7, 2007... Somewhere Else will be Marillion's 14th studio album in a 24-year recording career and is preceded by the single See It Like A Baby, which debuts this week at number 45 on sales of 2,500 downloads. The track is Marillion's 25th hit single and...

Albums - 07.04.07: Elton John.
April 7, 2007... Boosted by an audience of 3.6m for ITV's televised 60th birthday celebration Happy Birthday Elton on Thursday, Elton John's new compilation Rocket Man - The Definitive Hits sold 31,250 copies last week and debuts at number two. It instantly...

Albums - 07.04.07: Cascada.
April 7, 2007... Anglo-German dance trio Cascada's debut set Everytime We Touch spends a fourth straight week in the Top 10 and rises to a new chart peak. The album has moved 6-9-5-3 and has already sold 117,000 copies, including 30,000 last week. The album's...

Albums - 07.04.07: Machine Head.
April 7, 2007... After struggling with their live 2003 album Hellalive and the same year's studio follow-up Through The Ashes Of Empire - which peaked at 143 and 77, respectively - Machine Head are back on track with The Blackening, an old-school metal album...

Albums - 07.04.07: The Bees.
April 7, 2007... First single Who Cares What The Question Is slumps out of the Top 200, a week after peaking at number 106, but The Bees' fans are buzzing about the band's new album Octopus, which sold 8,000 copies last week to secure a number 26 debut. It's...

Apple applies pressure.
April 14, 2007... With its DRM-free EMI deal in the bag, Apple boss eyes other majors for more of the same By Martin Talbot Over the next four weeks, Apple CEO Steve Jobs will attempt to use his new deal with EMI to lever the other majors into a similar...

IN BRIEF: Proclaimers claim download record.
April 14, 2007... EMI is seeking to register The Proclaimers' new version of (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles as both the fastest-selling audio and video download with the Guinness Book Of Records. The Official Charts Company registered 22,001 audio sales between 9.30pm...

IN BRIEF: 29th series of Later... with Jools Holland.
April 14, 2007... The 29th series of Later... With Jools Holland will kick off on May 4, with a line-up featuring Arctic Monkeys, Bryan Ferry, Tinariwen, CSS, The Hold Steady and Henri Salvador. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Classical Brit Awards.
April 14, 2007... Nineteen-year-old Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti is leading the charge for this year's Classical Brit Awards after receiving three nominations. Benedetti has received nominations for instrumentalist of the year, album of the year and young...

IN BRIEF: War Child to host a night of live bands.
April 14, 2007... War Child Music is to combine promoting new music and fundraising by hosting a night of live bands and DJ sets at Camden's Koko on May 24. The showcase, called Army Of You, will feature performances by The New Puritans, Friendly Fires, Late Of...

IN BRIEF: Summer Sundae Weekender.
April 14, 2007... A further 15 acts including The Divine Comedy and Findlay Brown have been added to the lineup for the Summer Sundae Weekender, which takes place at Leicester's De Montfort Hall and Gardens in August. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Concert for Diana.
April 14, 2007... Spokespersons for James Blunt and Take That have denied that the artists are to play the forthcoming Concert For Diana memorial concert, contrary to reports in the Daily Mirror. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: 6 Music recruits student radio DJ.
April 14, 2007... Warner Music has appointed former EMI executive Matthieu Lauriot Prevost for a senior international marketing role. The appointment of Lauriot Prevost, one of EMI's most senior international marketing chiefs - holding the title of senior VP of...

IN BRIEF: Student to present 6 Music Chart show.
April 14, 2007... A student from Nottingham University has been scouted by the BBC to present the 6 Music Chart Show. Politics student Philippa Treverton- Jones - to be known as Philippa TJ - will begin her professional broadcasting career when she takes over...