Music Week articles from February 2005

Music Week archives from February 2005

U2 hit by internet touts: OFT vows action on ticket business.(Live)
February 5, 2005... Tickets for U2's tour appeared on internet auction sites within minutes of going on sale last Friday--just days after the Office of Fair Trading promised a crackdown on the ticket resale market. Pairs of tickets, originally costing 60...

Mylo heads for the mainstream.
February 5, 2005... Having emerged as one of the independent breakthrough artists of 2004, Mylo is poised to reach further into the mainstream during the months ahead after signing a deal with Sony BMG. The major has struck a joint-venture deal with Glasgow...

Call for Supreme Court reversal.(Bottom line)
February 5, 2005... * Eight key international trade associations, including the RIAA, Biem, Cisac and the IFPI, in more than 100 countries outside the US filed a brief last Tuesday, urging the US Supreme Court to reverse the court of appeals' decision in the...

Merger partners Capital Radio and GWR say they were both hit by falling advertising revenues during the last three months of 2004.(Bottom line)
February 5, 2005... * Merger partners Capital Radio and GWR say they were both hit by falling advertising revenues during the last three months of 2004. Capital reveals revenues fell by 4% year-on-year during the quarter, while GWR revenues declined by 3%...

AGM.(Bottom line)
February 5, 2005... * Chrysalis Group chairman Chris Wright says there are signs the national radio advertising market is improving, despite declines in his own group's radio revenues. Wright told the group's AGM last Wednesday that Chrysalis Radio's revenues had...

Microsoft.(Bottom line)
February 5, 2005... * Microsoft has unbundled its Media Player software from the Windows XP operating software package in Europe following an order received from the European Commission in December.

HMV.(Bottom line)
February 5, 2005... * HMV UK & Ireland is making February its first store environment month, to raise relevant issues among its 5,000 staff. The project will be overseen by the retailer's environment committee, while each store will appoint an environment...

MTV show aims for older viewers.(Exposure)
February 5, 2005... * MTV show Total Request Live is to undergo a relaunch in a bid to target an older demographic, aged 16-24. Changes will include the replacement of the TRL chart with a playlist which will be determined by the viewers, who will be encouraged to...

Radio Three Awards for World Music.(Exposure)
February 5, 2005... * Senegal's Youssou N'Dour was among the winners at this year's Radio Three Awards for World Music. His release Egypt won the critics' award for album of the year, while other winners were Tinariwen (Mall), Khaled (Algeria), Kaushiki...

Bloc Party.(Exposure)
February 5, 2005... * Bloc Party are to play an exclusive gig at the Virgin Megastore in London's Oxford Street in aid of the tsunami relief effort. The Wichita-signed band's performance on February 14 has been timed to coincide with the release of their debut...

U2.(Exposure)
February 5, 2005... * U2 are to kick off their 37-date Vertigo world tour in San Diego on March 28. The tour will visit 13 cities in North America before arriving in Brussels for the start of the European tour, which will take in 24 dates. The tour will land in...

Camden Crawl.(Exposure)
February 5, 2005... * The annual Camden Crawl event will take place on March 10 featuring a raft of new alternative acts. More than 40 bands have been booked to play the event, taking place across nine of Camden's venues, including The Departure, Do Me Bad Things,...

Traffic drummer Capaldi dies.(People)
February 5, 2005... * Traffic drummer and founding member Jim Capaldi died in the early hours of last Friday morning after losing a battle with stomach cancer. The 60-year-old joined Traffic in 1967 and they immediately scored a UK top five hit with their first...

Virgin Records.(People)
February 5, 2005... * So So Def label owner Jermaine Dupri has been appointed president of Virgin Records' urban division. As part of the deal, Dupri's label will join the Virgin stable, while the producer will also provide his services to the entire EMI family of...

Gwen Stefani has been added to the list of performers at this year's Brits ceremony on February 9.(People)
February 5, 2005... * Gwen Stefani has been added to the list of performers at this year's Brits ceremony on February 9. Other performers already confirmed for the show are Scissor Sisters, Keane, Franz Ferdinand, Joss Stone, Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Williams, Green...

Universal Music Publishing.(People)
February 5, 2005... * Murlyn Songs co-founder and former managing director Pelle Lidell has been recruited by Universal Music Publishing as an A&R executive. Lidell will divide his time between Murlyn's London and Swedish offices.

PPR.(People)
February 5, 2005... * Music PR agency PPR has expanded its team with the appointment of Jaime Strang as junior account director. Strang will look after PR campaigns for TV advertised compilations and other strategic and commercial projects.

USP.(People)
February 5, 2005... * Broadcast content specialist USP is expanding its PR division with two senior appointments. Jasmy Kesavan, formerly with the Doily Express, has been recruited as new business development manager, while Andrew McLachlan joins from financial PR...

Sanctuary lands Axl Rose deal.(Sign here)
February 5, 2005... * Sanctuary Music Publishing has signed the publishing for Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose. The deal covers all catalogue on futures for the composer, including classics such as Sweet Child O' Mine. A Sanctuary Group spokesman says the deal...

Universal.(Sign here)
February 5, 2005... * Early Nineties act The Wonder Stuff and British rock three-piece Verra Cruz have signed download-only deals with Universal's digital services division. The bands are the first UK signings to the major's new division which launched last year.

Somethin' Else.(Sign here)
February 5, 2005... * Production company Somethin' Else has secured deals to produce two music programmes for the BBC's digital TV channel BBC Four. Somethin' Else will film two 120-minute shows for the Barbican Jazz Festival in London to run on February 12 and 13...

New-Visions.(Sign here)
February 5, 2005... * Mobile content specialist New Visions is launching Official Mob after striking deals with EMI, V2 and Sanctuary. The new service will be a subscription-free web and Wap service which retails artist- and label-endorsed mobile content, becoming...

EMI marked Shine's achievement in securing the historic first Music Control Impact certification with its single Lovefreekz by presenting a special award to one of the track's biggest supporters, Galaxy 105.(Digest)
February 5, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: EMI marked Shine's achievement in securing the historic first Music Control Impact certification with its single Lovefreekz by presenting a special award to one of the track's biggest supporters, Galaxy 105....

Universal clinches new Loudeye deal: major re-affirms working relationship with digital partner after months of tense talks.(Downloads)
February 5, 2005... Universal and OD2 owner Loudeye have re-affirmed their commercial relationship after seven months of intense negotiations. The talks, which were concluded last week, are understood to have seen the major push for new pricing terms. An...

Debut shortlist fuels anticipation for Music Week Awards.(News)
February 5, 2005... The countdown to the Music Week Awards 2005 in association with Vodafone live! will begin in two weeks' time with the launch of the first shortlist announcement in the event's history. At the reception, Music Week will announce and honour...

The Music Week playlist.(News)
February 5, 2005... THE SUBWAYS Oh Yeah (Infectious) Welwyn Garden City's answer to The White Stripes are sure to win over fans with this major debut (single, tbc) THE FADERS No Sleep Tonight (Polydor) A cracking debut from a girl trio who fill the...

Moving out of the core: sale of Universal's mail-order arm highlights shifts in retail landscape.(Mail order)
February 5, 2005... It is a simple business approach, but a highly effective one for the new owner of Universal's UK and French mail-order operations. Within the confines of M&A giant Platinum Equip, an entire team of people is understood to operate with the sole...

Melua launches US press assault.(News)
February 5, 2005... Dramatico is launching a fresh assault to break Katie Melua in the US by trying to emulate the success of a UK W-led campaign that took her to multi-platinum status. Having scored the fifth biggest-selling album in the UK last year with...

Stereophonics.(Snapshot)
February 5, 2005... Stereophonics kicked off the promotion for their fifth studio album last week with a short tour of intimate venues. Details of the club gigs in Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, London and Dublin were revealed to fans on the mornings of each...

The BPI awards albums.(News)
February 5, 2005... Various: Reggae Love Songs 2 (Sanctuary) (silver) The Game: The Documentary (Polydor) (silver) Various: Twice as Nice Urban Club Classics (WSM) (silver) British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power (Rough Trade) (silver) ...

Parlophone's strategy bears fruit: albums from Coldplay, Idlewild and Athlete highlight imprint's commitment to the long haul.(Talent)
February 5, 2005... As far as record labels go, few can match Parlophone's reputation for long-term commitment and artist development. It is also no secret that the label's artist-friendly ethos makes them one of the most admired in the UK. After a relatively...

Investment turns round Sanctuary.(News)
February 5, 2005... Heavy investment in "core businesses" such as the management sector helped Sanctuary recover from the first profits warning in its history to post full-year revenues up 45% to 220.9m [pounds sterling]. Although Sanctuary caught the City by...

IFPI boss talks of future and Biem: Kennedy's keynote speech receives warm response from delegates.(Midem)
February 5, 2005... Midem 2005 provided an opportunity for John Kennedy to come out into the open for the first time as IFPI's new CEO and chairman. Setting aside the IFPI's digital services press conference in London the previous week, Kennedy made his first...

Line up.(Midem)
February 5, 2005... Acoustic showcase: Jon Allen, unsigned; Nina Jaye, BMG; Rob Reynolds, Invisible Hands Music; Beulah, UCJ Evening event: The Infadels, Dead At Thirty Records: Gwyneth Herbert, Universal Jazz: Skin EMI; Grand National Sunday Best

Skin was the big international draw when the annual British At Midem showcase event was staged at the Martinez Hotel last Monday night.(Midem)
February 5, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Skin was the big international draw when the annual British At Midem showcase event was staged at the Martinez Hotel last Monday night. Giving a worldwide debut to songs written with her new hand, the former...

There will be no room at the inn again next year for non-delegates.(Midem)
February 5, 2005... Midem organisers are planning to extend their initially controversial policy of barring non-delegates from key Cannes hotels for next year's event after chalking up record attendance figures this year. Delegate numbers were up 5% on 2004,...

Napster To Go to hit the UK by this spring.(Midem)
February 5, 2005... Napster is kicking off a year in which it will hope to massively raise its profile in Europe by confirming first details of the launch of Napster To Go in the UK. Napster used Midem to announce the creation of only its second...

Firms line up to launch file sharing offerings: more majors set to follow Snocap's Universal deal.(Downloads)
February 5, 2005... Legitimate peer to peer may be a matter of just weeks away, with alternative offerings from both sides of the Atlantic confirming launch plans at Midem. UK-based service Playlouder MSP last week confirmed that it was set to launch before...

CC creates industry concern.(Midem)
February 5, 2005... The music business is casting a wary eye over the imminent arrival in the UK of a new licence scheme for creators. The Creative Commons [CC] licence, which has its roots in the US philanthropic and academic community, is designed to enable...

Indies to form global group.(Launches)
February 5, 2005... * Independent labels voted unanimously at Midem to create a formal organisation to represent the sector on a global scale, impala vice president and Aim chief executive Alison Wenham says the new organisation, which will be a coalition between...

Minister of state.(Launches)
February 5, 2005... * Leaders of the UK's main industry associations took part in a lunchtime Midem meeting with minister of state for trade, investment and foreign affairs Nick Alexander. Representatives from all sides said the meeting was highly productive....

Key dates.(Launches)
February 5, 2005... * Some of the key dates in the international music industry calendar were announced, including In The City, which will take place in Manchester from September 30 to October 3. In turn, Popkomm in Berlin will take place from September 14 to 16.

Acts join Kobalt royalty system.(Deals)
February 5, 2005... * Kobalt Music Group has signed six acts to its new royalty accounting and collection system, including Tears For Fears and Wet Wet Wet. Kobalt co-founder and CEO Willard Ahdritz announced the new deals at a Tuesday press conference, also...

Snapper Music.(Deals)
February 5, 2005... * UK independent Snapper Music announced a deal at Midem to release a compilation of underground music into the Brazilian market. A link-up with Brazirs ST2 will see the release around March or April there of Bring Your Own Poison, which...

Ringtones chart.(Deals)
February 5, 2005... * The Mobile Entertainment Forum announced the launch of the second official ringtones chart, this time for the German market. It comes a year after the MEF unveiled the UK's first ringtones chart, as a fortnightly rundown. The German market is...

Fintage Music.(Deals)
February 5, 2005... * Fintage Music announced a publishing and neighbouring rights administration deal with Rick Wakeman, covering the administration of Wakeman's rights outside of North America, among other services.

Muzikplugger.(Deals)
February 5, 2005... * Muzikplugger used the MidemNet platform to launch the first product which allows the digital distribution of broadcast quality music videos. The service gives labels the opportunity to send music videos on a fast and secure network to TV...

U2 hailed with another award.(Awards)
February 5, 2005... * U2 added to their haul of international honours with a special achievement award at Saturday's NRJ Awards in Cannes. Blue flew the UK flag by winning the best international group or duo prize, while there were two prizes for Maroon 5, who...

European Border Breakers awards.(Awards)
February 5, 2005... * Katie Melua, Damien Rice, The Raveonettes and Benny Benassi were among the winners of the European Border Breakers awards which were presented at Midem. Melua represented the UK with her Dramatico album Call Off the Search, while Damien Rice...

Midem's Personality Of The Year Bruce Lundvall (pictured) hit out at labels who take a short-term view on A&R.(Midem)
February 5, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Midem's Personality Of The Year Bruce Lundvall (pictured) hit out at labels who take a short-term view on A&R. The EMI Classics & Jazz US-based president--who was honoured with a dinner on the Monday night...

Ericsson predicts mobile boom.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * Ericsson is predicting revenue from mobile services including music will grow three-fold in the next five years. The sector was worth around $60bn in 2004, but Ericsson marketing vice president Johan Bergendahl told a Midem briefing that...

Universal Music International.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * Publishers and collection societies came under fire from Universal Music International's Barney Wragg for holding back the online music market from creating new business models with a "take it or leave it" approach to licensing in the digital...

Apple's iTunes.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * Aim CEO Alison Wenham told a MidemNet panel that the dispute between Apple's iTunes and the UK's independent labels was born of a misjudgement, rather than disregard for the UK's independent industry. Wenham told the assembled crowd, "Apple...

Sony Corporation.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * Sony Corporation's chief technology officer Phil Wiser admitted that the company made serious errors in interoperability when it launched its first internet-enabled MiniDisc players. interviewed as part of MidemNet, Wiser said the issue had...

MSN Marketplaces.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * MSN Marketplaces general manager Mike Conte told MidemNet it was not driven by a desire to simply catch up with rival Apple's iTunes. "iTunes has a lion's share at the moment, it is our aim that in the next year or two we can get on the...

Beggars Banquet UK.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * Beggars Banquet UK managing director Martin Mills told MidemNet that the rise of P2P had made it "voluntary to pay for music", but he also asserted that "online piracy is not the same as stealing from your local Tower Records". In a keynote...

Vodafone.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * Vodafone executive Guy Laurence attacked the music industry over its "bickering" about doing digital deals for its repertoire. In a keynote speech, the mobile phone operator's consumer global marketing director said the industry had to "sort...

Chrysalis Group.(Digital debate)
February 5, 2005... * Chrysalis Group CEO Richard Huntingford used a Midem debate to question whether phone companies should play such a central, all-encompassing role in the mobile music value chain, from marketing through to retail and distribution. Orange's...

Magic puts spell on London crowd: Emap's Magic 105.4 leapfrogs over rivals to breathe down Capital FM's worried neck.(Radio)
February 5, 2005... Sociologists had calculated that January 24 would be the gloomiest day of the year, but three days later there was only good news to be found in the excited radio group announcements which accompany the Rajars. As ever, some of the glad...

Radio 2004: fourth-quarter performances.(Analysis)
February 5, 2005... NATIONAL WEEKLY AUDIENCE REACH All ILR 25.4m (52%) Radio Two 13.3m (27%) Radio One 9.9% (20%) Radio Four 9.4% (19%) BBC local 7.9% (20%) Classic FM 6.2m (13%) Radio Five Live...

Crunk: lots more goodies in store: it's a byword for cool in the US and, with Ciara's number one Goodies marking its crossover over here, 2005 is being billed as the year that crunk conquers the UK.(Genre focus)
February 5, 2005... "We went platinum on the drink alone," grins Jonathan 'Lil Jon' Smith. The Atlanta-based producer and rapper has good reason to be cheerful. An ear for a hit records and a brilliant business brain has earned Lil Jon not only a million...

The rat pack are back: Universal is re-releasing The Boomtown Rats' albums to mark 30 years since their formation, as Bob Geldof is also lined up to receive the Brit Awards' prize for Outstanding Contribution To Music.(Tribute)
February 5, 2005... In his book The Irish Male At Home And Abroad, Joseph O'Connor recalls the last live performance by the Boomtown Rats in Dublin, May 1986. "They came back to play at a charity event, featuring Van Morrison, U2, The Pogues, all the great...

'At 53, I now realise I was in a great band': Bob Geldof talks to MW about his time in The Boomtown Rats, his daughters' musical tastes and his forthcoming Brits recognition for his outstanding contribution to music.(Tribute)
February 5, 2005... Did re-mastering The Rats' back catalogue teach you anything new about the band? "At the age of 53, I now realise that I was in a great band. Seriously, I think the Rats were an amazing band, musically. I'm really astounded by the songs'...

Midem highlights pace of change: Napster's sponsorship of the Cannes event shows how quickly the business can turn around.(Editorial)
February 5, 2005... There is always an inevitable sense of deja vu about Midem. It is, strangely, this backdrop of familiarity which accentuates the changes. And the changes at this year's convention were in evidence for all to see. There was the Napster...

Creative Commons licences undermine copyright.(Viewpoint)
February 5, 2005... There has been a lot of talk about a new idea for copyright from across the Atlantic from the US. We are told this is an idea that will revolutionise both culture and commerce on the internet and will create a new huge "public domain" of ideas...

What would cap Midem's 40th birthday celebrations? How should Midem organisers mark the 40th event next year?(The big question)
February 5, 2005... Dominique Leguern, Midem "We have many options, but have not chosen which route to take. Rather than getting in big acts, the main thing we'll be thinking about is how to improve the profitability of our customers. It's an important...

On the Midem grapevine ...(Dooley's Diary)
February 5, 2005... Remember where you heard it: As the Midem exhibition sprang into life last Sunday, one of the busiest areas was the massive British Village stand. The number of delegates milling around the stand was particularly impressive given the...

Last year will be remembered for the sight of lycra-clad, super-toned hotties shaking their stuff around a studio to the sound of infectious house music.(Forum)
February 5, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Last year will be remembered for the sight of lycra-clad, super-toned hotties shaking their stuff around a studio to the sound of infectious house music. But enough about Dooley's private life--there was...

The Minister's reception at Midem was an awful lot like the Ambassador's reception in those Ferrero Rocher adverts--full to bursting with soft focus elegance, style and charm.(Forum)
February 5, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: The Minister's reception at Midem was an awful lot like the Ambassador's reception in those Ferrero Rocher adverts--full to bursting with soft focus elegance, style and charm. Or, at least, the music from...

In one of the few non-Midem events of last week, Parlophone staged a live event at the Whitfield Studios featuring some of its biggest acts including Coldplay and Athlete.(Forum)
February 5, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: In one of the few non-Midem events of last week, Parlophone staged a live event at the Whitfield Studios featuring some of its biggest acts including Coldplay and Athlete. There was also a playback of some...

In a shock outbreak of the music industry coming together and speaking with one voice, leaders of all the main music associations were present for a lunchtime Midem meeting with minister of state for Trade, Industry And Foreign Affairs Douglas Alexander.(Forum)
February 5, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: In a shock outbreak of the music industry coming together and speaking with one voice, leaders of all the main music associations were present for a lunchtime Midem meeting with minister of state for Trade,...

Key releases.(Datafile)
February 5, 2005... ALBUMS FEBRUARY 7 Tears For Fears Tears Fall Down (Mercury); Elvis Costello The Delivery Man (Vertigo); Hanson Underneath (Cooking Vinyl); Michael Buble its Time (143/Reprise); FEBRUARY 14 The Tenderfoot Vale industrial...

Sun shines on formats' sales figures.(The Market)
February 5, 2005... With seven new entries to the singles Top 10 for the second week in a row and The Chemical Brothers and Rooster delivering the first of the new year's significant albums, sales of both formats enjoyed gains last week. Singles sales...

Market indicators.(Datafile)
February 5, 2005... MARKET INDICATORS SINGLES Sales versus last week: +11.3% Year to date versus last year: -50.7% Market shares Sony BMG 26.5% Universal 20.5% EMI 16.4% Warner 4.2%...

Fast chart.(Datafile)
February 5, 2005... SINGLES NUMBER ONE ELVIS PRESLEY IT'S NOW OR NEVER RCA This is the fifth number one in a row for BMG, thanks to Steve Brookstein, Ciara and Presley. An impressive run perhaps, but EMI had seven in a row in 1963, in a run ended...

Label sharpens focus for long view: UK band Long-view are primed for a renewed mainstream push with the relaunch of their debut album Mercury.(The Plot)
February 5, 2005... LONG-VIEW MERCURY (14TH FLOOR RECORDINGS) Having first released their debut album, Mercury, in mid-2003, Long-view are holding off from working on album number two as the band's label 14th Floor Recordings dedicates its resources to...

Tipster: a selection of UK tastemakers select their favourite upcoming releases.(Upfront)
February 5, 2005... Helen Marquis, Amazon.co.uk DAFT PUNK HUMAN AFTER ALL (VIRGIN) "Ironically, in the year that the Brits dropped the dance category from the awards, it looks like being a great year for the genre. We've already had great albums from The...

Radio playlists.(Upfront)
February 5, 2005... RADIO 1 A LIST Ashanti Only U; Athlete Wires; Ciara feat. Petey Pablo Goodies; Daniel Bedingfield Wrap My Words Around You; Destinys Child Soldier; Doves Black & White Town; Eminem Like Toy Soldiers; Feeder Tumble And Fall; Maroon 5...

Top 10 radio growers.(Upfront)
February 5, 2005... Adds BIG CITY Embrace Looking As You Are; Stereopbonics Dakota; GALAXY 2Pac Ghetto Gospel; Cam'ron Girls; LnM Projekt feat. Bonnie Bailey Everywhere; Mariah Carey It's Like That; Mario Let Me Love You; Nelly Over And Over;...

TV airplay chart: TV maintains its urban obsession, with Eminem and Jennifer Lopez in a dead heat at the top and Usher and Ashanti close behind.(TV)
February 5, 2005... 1. Jennifer Lopez/Eminem Jennifer Lopez gets it right this week--but so does Eminem, as the two share the number one slot on the TV Airplay chart, with 528 plays apiece for Lopez's Get Right and Eminem's Like Toy Soldiers. It's the first...

The UK radio airplay chart: athlete remain on top with Wires, as Daniel Bedingfield and Embrace make moves down below. Meanwhile, Mark Joseph bags the chart's highest-climber honour.(Radio)
February 5, 2005... 3. Gwen Stefani Ten weeks after debuted and peaked at number four on sales, Gwen Stefani's debut solo single What You Waiting For has slowly declined to number 27. but it remains a mauve radio record and completes 10 weeks in the Top 10 by...

Terri Walker.(Snapshot)
February 5, 2005... The return of British soul star Terri Walker is already being well received by key specialist radio, with the first single off her forthcoming second album already playlisted on Choice and 1Xtra eight weeks upfront. Whoopsie Daisy will precede...

In-store next week.(Cued up)
February 5, 2005... ASDA Single--Doves; Album--Judy Garland; In-store--Joss Stone, Keane, Franz Ferdinand, Natasha Bedingfield, The Streets, McFly, Eminem, Usher BORDERS Windows--Lord of the Rings: Two Towers; In-store--Elvis Presley Listening...

Tastemakers.(Cued up)
February 5, 2005... DJ CHLOE DJ/producer 1. MARCO CIGNO THE BEAST (DIXON MUSIK) 2. NATHAN FAKE THE SKY WAS PINK (BORDER COMMUNITY) 3. AUDION YOUR PLACE OR MINE (GOSTLY INTERNATIONAL) 4. SKAT WHITE LABEL (KARAT) 5. AS WE FALL RIDE (DER...