Music Week articles from January 2009

Music Week archives from January 2009

Brits off to a flyer.
January 10, 2009... THE BUILD-UP TO THE BRIT AWARDS 2009 has got off to a cracking start, with Gabriella Cilmi and Scouting For Girls added to the line-up of artists that will perform live at the launch later this month. The 2009 Brit Awards Critics' Choice...

Zavvi loss is "a watershed".
January 10, 2009... HMV could be only survivor as Zavvi administrators assess options By Robert Ashton THE INDUSTRY IS COMING TO TERMS with having just one major specialist music chain left on the high street with no concrete buyers emerging for the...

THE PLAYLIST BEST OF 2008.
January 10, 2009... DUFFY Mercy A&M From one of the year's biggest breakthrough artists, Mercy is both the commercial highlight and stylistic benchmark from Duffy's debut. KANYE WEST Love Lockdown Mercury At a time when so many...

U2 lead Q1's great expectations.
January 10, 2009... Superstar acts to deliver new albums in early 2009 By Stuart Clarke New albums by U2, Green Day and Morrissey are predicted to lift high- street spirits in the coming months as all three superstar acts deliver new material in quarter...

Industry figures in New Year honours.
January 10, 2009... The music industry was amply rewarded in the Queen's New Year List with UK Music chairman Andy Heath and 19 other executives, musicians and singers picking up honours. Heath, a giant among the indie publishing sector, which he joined in...

Sales surge signals late flourish.
January 10, 2009... Christmas spending: singles sales go through the roof A challenging year for the British record industry ended with a flourish, as album sales for week 52 (ending Saturday, December 27) were more than 2m up on the same week in 2007, while...

Move It and more enter public domain.
January 10, 2009... Cliff Richard's Move It and a raft of other early landmarks from the nascent British rock `n' roll canon fell out of copyright on January 1 with the Government and Europe still not agreeing to extend copyright term for performers beyond the...

Holiday sales hearten music retailers.
January 10, 2009... Strong music sales over the Christmas and New Year period has provoked a mood of cautious optimism among specialist music retailers during the first days of 2009. There is little doubt that with the doors locked on Woolworths and with...

That was some rollercoaster of a year.
January 10, 2009... Editorial Robert Ashton HERE IT COMES. 2009. Wonder what it has in store? A good few surprises, no doubt. Let's hope so. Surprise is this industry's raison d'etre: the surprise at unearthing new talent and the thrill of hearing their...

Andy Heath's MBE.
January 10, 2009... One surprise that was as welcome as a well-mixed Bloody Mary and a bracing walk on Hampstead Heath on New Year's Day was Andy Heath's MBE. Heath is one of the good ones. His work in publishing - and for the wider music business community -...

The shape of things to come?
January 10, 2009... Music Week caught up with seven influential industry figures and gathered their predictions for what will likely be a tough year economically and a crucial one for many business models, both old and new Preview - 2009 Fran NevrkLa...

TOTP ratings an unexpected Christmas cracker for BBC.
January 10, 2009... Veteran show's return wins music TV ratings battle RICKY WILSON, JARVIS COCKER, CULTURE SECRETARY ANDY BURNHAM and all the other voices calling for the return of Top Of The Pops have been given ammunition for their campaign after viewing...

NEWS IN BRIEF: MTV.
January 10, 2009... More than 70 staff at MTV's UK headquarters have been made redundant. The broadcaster told staff last month that parent company Viacom was looking to reduce overheads before making the job cuts on December 22. Viacom announced at the start of...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Richard Skinner.
January 10, 2009... The Xfm Network has announced Richard Skinner is to join its presenter line-up. The former Radio One DJ will host the weekday mid-morning show from 9am-12pm in London and Manchester, starting today (Monday). Skinner joined Radio One in 1973 as...

AIRPLAY ANALYSIS with Alan Jones.
January 10, 2009... It Is three weeks since Leona Lewis' Run was knocked off the top of the sales chart by latest X Factor champ Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah but Lewis gets her revenge this week, as Run jumps 5-1 on the radio airplay chart, pushing Hallelujah into...

The fan-assisted festival.
January 10, 2009... Live Nation extends use of web forums following trial By Gordon Masson LIVE NATION IS PLANNING TO REPLICATE THE SUCCESS of its Download Festival online forum with its other festival brands after fan feedback helped the promoter keep...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Edinburgh.
January 10, 2009... A major fire in Edinburgh's old town has affected the city's live music scene, with two of the city's most popular venues forced to close for the foreseeable future. The fire, which took place just before Christmas, gutted an Indian...

NEWS IN BRIEF: RockNess.
January 10, 2009... AEG Live's partnership in the RockNess festival is bearing fruit, with organisers adding a third day and announcing a strong set of headliners for this summer's event. Now in its fourth year, AEG Live bought a majority stake in the...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Qdos Entertainment.
January 10, 2009... Regional theatre group Qdos Entertainment will add a sixth venue to its management portfolio when it takes over running the council-owned White Rock Theatre in Hastings from Live Nation. Live Nation's management contract for the 1,066-seat...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Leeds City Varieties.
January 10, 2009... Leeds City Varieties has been granted a #2.7m boost by the Heritage Lottery Fund toward a major refurbishment of the Grade II-listed music hall. The venue closes this month for a #9.2m overhaul that will improve ventilation in the Victorian...

NEWS IN BRIEF: North American concert promoters.
January 10, 2009... Box office receipts from North American concert promoters show the live music industry is weathering the recession. December box office receipts were $4.2bn, up 7.8% from the previous year, largely due to rising ticket prices - up around 8% on...

FEATURE: SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
January 10, 2009... This year budgets are expected to shrink and fiscal pressures increase but record labels still need the lifeblood of new artists and the A&R community. Music Week looks at the hottest signings of 2008 who are set to become the new stars of 2009...

THE HOTTEST SIGNINGS OF 2008.
January 10, 2009... BEGGARS BANQUET 4AD Anni Rossi Atlas Sound Deerhunter Department Of Eagles Electricity In Our Homes Future Of The Left It Hugs Back The National St Vincent Matador Condo Fucks Jay Reatard Lou Reed Sonic Youth...

KEY RELEASES: 10.01.09.
January 10, 2009... Out this week Singles * My Chemical Romance Watchmen/Desolation Row (Reprise) previous single (chart peak): Teenagers (9) * Pendulum Showdown (Warner Bros) previous single (chart peak): The Other Side (54) * Ra Ra...

KEY RELEASES - 10.01.09: THE PANEL.
January 10, 2009... Paul Sexton (Sunday Times/Billboard) The Redwalls: Memories (Beacon) The Redwalls start the year with a good level of UK awareness following dates with Oasis and The Zutons. This is a potently melodic new single from the Chicago trio,...

KEY RELEASES - 10.01.09: Single of the week.
January 10, 2009... My Chemical Romance Watchmen/Desolation Row (Reprise) This double A-side features new material from the New Jersey emo giants, recorded for Zack Snyder's new superhero film Watchmen. The tracks, which include a reworking of Bob Dylan's...

KEY RELEASES - 10.01.09: Album of the week.
January 10, 2009... Kylie Minogue Boombox (Parlophone) Minogue's latest instalment contains an intriguing selection of remixes of her 2000-2008 catalogue by an all-star cast of producers. Fans will delight in Whitey's stark minimalism on Red Blooded Woman,...

ANALYSIS: What I Want is something of a surprise for '08.
January 10, 2009... In 2005, The Freemasons topped the annual Upfront and Commercial Pop charts with their classic Love On My Mind. After electing different champs for the last three years, Upfront and Commercial Pop DJs agree on the year's top record again,...

CHARTS SALES - 10.01.09: Catalogue reviews.
January 10, 2009... The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland (Experience Hendrix/Universal 1789078) The Jimi Hendrix Experience's third and final album, Electric Ladyland was released in November 1968 and gets a slightly belated 40th anniversary...

CHARTS ANALYSIS: Santa delivers good cheer for sales charts.
January 10, 2009... Defying the retail doom and gloom evident elsewhere, the record industry posted impressive sales increases for both the last week of 2008 and the first of 2009. Album sales for Week 52 (ending Saturday 27 December) were more than 2m up on...

Apple takes DRM off the menu.
January 17, 2009... Digital market on level playing field as iTunes ditches DRM and introduces variable pricing By Ben Cardew The debate over the a-la-carte download market can finally move onto customer service, online lockers and recommendation engines,...

Take That crowned top albums act in year-end report.
January 17, 2009... TAKE THAT EARNED BRAGGING RIGHTS AS 2008'S biggest-selling albums act, despite The Circus just missing out to Duffy's Rockferry for top- selling album of the year. As we outline in our market round-up of the year (see p13-18), The Circus...

THE PLAYLIST: 17.01.09.
January 17, 2009... JACK PENATE Tonight's Today XL With producer Paul Epworth, Jack Penate has found a new groove. Tonight's Today is an ambitious, uplifting song with lots of commercial appeal. (single, tbc) MARMADUKE DUKE Kid Gloves ...

SIGN HERE: 17.01.09.
January 17, 2009... Pint Shot Riot have signed a publishing deal with Artwerk, the joint venture publishing company set up by Nettwerk and EA Games last year. The band's debut album is expected in June. Sony/ATV has signed a worldwide exclusive songwriter...

Stock crisis for indie labels in warehouse war.
January 17, 2009... "Unlawful" legal threat by Pinnacle creditor denies labels half their stock By Robert Ashton Independent label bosses pulling their hair out in frustration at the slowness of repatriating their stock from Pinnacle have been hit with...

Indie labels offered back-up plan after Pinnacle problems.
January 17, 2009... The downfall of Pinnacle has prompted a reshuffle in the digital distribution sector, with Consolidated Independent launching a new archive to provide labels with a back-up for their digital assets. CI provides clients with independent...

Virgin veers away from risk as Zavvi sales help pay #40m debt.
January 17, 2009... Virgin in clear as Zavvi raises #20m to meet EUK debt By Robert Ashton Virgin Group's exposure to the Zavvi collapse is now nil, following a "good post-Christmas sale" period by the music retailer. Virgin had financially backed...

iTunes' DRM and pricing decision will give digital market more freedom.
January 17, 2009... Editorial Paul Williams ANNUAL UK SINGLES SALES BREAKING THROUGH the 100m barrier for the first time in 2008 demonstrates all too clearly how buoyant the business for single-track downloads already is, but the announcement last week by...

Fewer debuts see stars as strike rate drops.
January 17, 2009... Just six new acts attained platinum status with 2008-released debut albums last year, down from a decade-best figure of 14 in 2006 By Paul Williams A DROP IN THE NUMBER OF DEBUT ACTS achieving platinum albums in 2008 has not dampened...

Veteran industry legal pair take up Sound Advice offer.
January 17, 2009... LONDON LAW FIRM SOUND ADVICE (LEGAL), which specialises in music practice, has recruited two well-known industry figures. Crispin Evans, who has held legal and business affairs positions at EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Music Week Awards.
January 17, 2009... The deadline is fast approaching for entries to this year's Music Week Awards. The closing date is January 21 with entries for the first time being accepted online via the dedicated website at www.music- week.com/awards. Copyright: CMP...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Online retailers.
January 17, 2009... Online retailers Play.com and Amazon.co.uk have reported strong sales of entertainment products over the Christmas period. Play.com reported sales up 24% year-on-year over Christmas. Amazon.co.uk reportedly received orders for more than 1.4m...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Woolworths.
January 17, 2009... The last remaining Woolworths stores shut their doors for the final time last week bringing to an end a presence of nearly 100 years on the UK high-street for the retailer. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

NEWS IN BRIEF: Dave Dee.
January 17, 2009... Dave Dee, whose four-decade music industry career varied from heading a chart-topping Sixties band to being a pioneer of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, has died aged 65 from cancer. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

NEWS IN BRIEF: Kevin Brown.
January 17, 2009... Kevin Brown, who won the International Marketing Campaign of the Year at the 2007 Music Week Awards with Mike Allen and Caitlin Gibbons for Corinne Bailey Rae, has left EMI after eight years. Brown, who was EMI Music UK international vice...

Solo's stars soard in 2008.
January 17, 2009... John Giddings claims three of last year's top five tours By Gordon Masson LONDON-BASED AGENT AND PROMOTER John Giddings is hoping that 2009 will be a repeat of the past 12 months after his company, Solo Agency & Promotions, claimed no...

Arena aims to echo success of debut year.
January 17, 2009... European Culture Capital venue outperforms all predictions as it looks to a healthy future LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA CELEBRATES its first anniversary this week, having enjoyed a hugely successful inaugural year as the city's main venue for the...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Madness.
January 17, 2009... Madness are marking their 30th anniversary by resurrecting their one- day Madstock festival, after an absence of 11 years. The four previous Madstock festivals, promoted by Vince Power's Mean Fiddler Music Group in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1998,...

NEWS IN BRIEF: All Tomorrows Parties.
January 17, 2009... All Tomorrows Parties has added six names to the roster for this year's May events. CSS and Supersuckers have both been confirmed to perform at The Breeders-curated festival, which takes place from May 15-17, joining the likes of Bon Iver,...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Glastonbury Festival.
January 17, 2009... The deadline is fast approaching for unsigned acts to enter Glastonbury Festival's emerging talent competition. Interested acts must upload two tracks to the competition website (www.qthemusic.com) by January 26, with the top 12 acts qualifying...

Dublin promoters hit with noise fines.
January 17, 2009... IRISH PROMOTERS WILL HAVE TO KEEP their acts' noise levels in check after Dublin City Council fined Ireland's two biggest promoters after the RDS venue in the capital broke strict regulations. Aiken Promotions has had a E50,000 (#46,800)...

Legendary Astoria to go out with a bang.
January 17, 2009... DETAILS ARE EMERGING ABOUT THE FINAL NIGHT at London's Astoria this Thursday (January 15), with Ibiza's Manumission returning to the UK for the first time in 15 years to take over the venue before it closes its doors for the final time. ...

U2 confirm live Brits sh0w.
January 17, 2009... New material to be showcased in prime-time TV slot By Paul Williams U2 WILL PERFORM ON A LIVE UK TV BROADCAST for the first time since opening Live 8 with Paul McCartney in July 2005 when they play this year's Brit Awards. The...

Tandy to Carry On Plugging.
January 17, 2009... FORMER GUT RECORDS MANAGING DIRECTOR Steve Tandy is returning to his heartland of regional promotions with the launch of plugging operation COP Media. Tandy, who was also MD of Intermedia Regional Promotions, lost his job last August when...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Hit 40 UK.
January 17, 2009... The Hit 40 UK has ditched CD sales from its chart in favour of a airplay/digital sales split. The chart rundown, with more than 1.9m listeners, had produced the chart with a mix of record sales, airplay and downloads, but with 96% of sales in...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.
January 17, 2009... Friday Night With Jonathan Ross returns to BBC1 on January 23 following the presenter's three-month BBC suspension over the Sachsgate affair, with a live performance from Franz Ferdinand. The show returns to its 10.40pm Friday slot the day...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Jamie Hodgson.
January 17, 2009... Former Vice magazine journalist Jaimie Hodgson has been appointed NME's new music editor. Hodgson has been filling in the role on an interim basis since the departure of Alex Miller in December. Meanwhile, NME Radio is partnering with Channel 4...

AIRPLAY ANALYSIS with Alan Jones.
January 17, 2009... Leona Lewis' Run remains atop the radio airplay chart, and increases its lead over runner-up Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah again. Run added 284 plays last week to reach a best-yet tally of 2,543, and increased its audience by more than 14m. Run...

Talent retains value in publishing.
January 17, 2009... Companies look to grow alternative revenue streams as the mechanical income falls By Stuart Clarke FINANCIAL WORRIES MAY HAVE CONTINUED TO IMPACT the music industry over the past 12 months but, while record labels have dealt with their...

MUSIC WEEK: Unearthed - 17.01.09.
January 17, 2009... Tipped by critics as ones to watch in 2009, the Virgin-signed Australian duo look primed for chart action EMPIRE OF THE SUN this australian duo is the collective effort of Nick Littlemore of Pnau and Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson,...

CHARTS 2008: THE YEAR'S FINEST FIGURES.
January 17, 2009... Market statistics for 2008 make heartening reading - they show not the doom and gloom some expected after a bleak 2007 but instead an indicator that the industry is moving in the right direction By Ben Cardew A quick glance at the...

CHARTS 2008: THE BEST YEAR FOR SINGLES BAR NONE.
January 17, 2009... Almost 30 years ago, the singles market shipped an all-time-high of 89.1m singles. In 2008, that figure leapt by 26m with a massive 115m units being sold as the once-maligned singles sector exploded in spectacular fashion, thanks largely to the...

CHARTS 2008: DUFFY'S ROCKFERRY SAILS TO VICTORY.
January 17, 2009... Duffy's debut Rockferry carried all before it in 2008 as albums sales experienced a slight dip on the previous year but largely held up well to defy illegal downloads and downturns in the economy By Alan Jones In freefall elsewhere,...

CHARTS 2008: Now that's what I call Music! series.
January 17, 2009... Since its launch in 1983, the Now That's What I Call Music! series has produced the year's biggest selling compilation on all but three occasions - in 1984 when Now! 3 went head-to-head with The Hits Album and was found wanting; in 1993 when...

CHARTS 2008: Rockstar attracted little attention.
January 17, 2009... Rockstar attracted little attention when it was initially released in 2005 as part of Nickelback's fifth studio album All The Right Reasons. However, after starting to pick up interest digitally in 2007 after a video was made of the track, its...

CHARTS 2008: Albums released before January 1, 2006.
January 17, 2009... Focusing on albums released before January 1, 2006, the catalogue chart was topped in 2008 by Nickelback's All The Right Reasons, an album many casual purchasers would have regarded as a new release, rather than a reactivated 2005 album. ...

MIDEM 2009: French Connections.
January 17, 2009... Despite global economic woes, Midem maintains its value as the one constant for the international music industry. Now in its 43rd year, the Cannes-based convention continues to innovate and stimulate... By Christopher Barrett For many...

MIDEM 2009: QUOTE UNQUOTE - Why are you attending Midem 2009?(Quotation)
January 17, 2009... Charles Caldas, MERLIN CEO "Midem marks the occasion of Merlin's second major annual board meeting, and provides us with the opportunity to meet with many of our members from around the globe face to face, and to better understand the...

MIDEM 2009: TALENT SPOTTING BRITS AT MIDEM.(Sound recording review)
January 17, 2009... Palais des Festivals/Ambassadeurs The Mercurymen (RCA) Citing Coldplay, Brian Wilson and Ryan Adams among their influences, The Mercurymen formed in 2006, bringing together solo musicians Jinder, Simon Johnson & Gavin Wyatt. Their...

MIDEM 2009: Mobile Comes to music.
January 17, 2009... With a growing number of high-end music-enabled devices hitting the market alongside all-you-can-eat content offerings, 2009 could well be the year mobile music goes mass market Mobile By Adam Woods As recently as five years ago,...

MIDEM 2009: FILLING THE DIGITAL SPACE.
January 17, 2009... While tensions between labels and both Apple and YouTube continue to dog the development of the digital market, the rash of new download services coming online to fill the digital void has boosted the chances of many indies to sell their music...

MIDEM 2009: Delivering change.
January 17, 2009... With the demise of EUK and Pinnacle, distributors are picking up the pieces. Music Week looks at how a leaner distribution business is strengthening its arm by minimising risks and offering more services By Christopher Barrett It is an...

MIDEM 2009: KEEPING ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
January 17, 2009... Thanks to companies such as Audible, DigSound and Counterpoint, the once-labyrinthine process of tracking digital royalties has become more transparent - handy in a year where revenues are set to soar By Paul Sullivan BEFORE THE...

JAZZ: KIND OF NEW.
January 17, 2009... Half a century after Ronnie Scott's first opened its doors and 70 years since the launch of Blue Note, jazz remains a thriving and much-loved genre with a host of exciting releases on the horizon - both old and new. Music Week looks at the acts...

FEATURE: CHANNEL HOPPING.
January 17, 2009... The musical relationship between France and the UK has never been closer. And, thanks to some smart business deals and a healthy crossover strike rate, those ties can only strengthen in 2009 By David McKenna FOR THE UK AND FRENCH MUSIC...

FEATURE: THE NEW EURO STARS.
January 17, 2009... You've played the CD, now meet the artists - 20 French stars on the cusp of great things BIRDY NAM NAM: Transboulogne Express (Sony) Birdy Nam Nam are no strangers to Music Week - we featured the award- winning DJ crew back in 2007 -...

KEY RELEASES: 17.01.09.
January 17, 2009... Out this week Singles * Devotchka How It Ends (Anti) Previous single: The Clockwise Witness (did not chart) * Hue & Cry Headin' For A Fall (Blairhill) Previous single: The Last Stop (did not chart) * Jose Amensia Vs...

KEY RELEASES - 17.01.09: The panel.
January 17, 2009... Keith Cameron (Mojo) The Phantom Band: Checkmate Savage (Chemikal Uniderground) Apparently The Phantom Band arrived at their clattering hybrid after mastering an array of incompatible styles, from techno to metal to gospel, then...

KEY RELEASES - 17.01.09: Single of the week.
January 17, 2009... White Lies To Lose My Life (Fiction) Having won the A&R scramble to sign this enigmatic trio from Ealing, Fiction releases this second single proper, signalling the start of 2009's assault. It is an epic and macabre hook-laden feast that...

KEY RELEASES - 17.01.09: Album of the week.
January 17, 2009... Lady Gaga The Fame (Interscope) The girl that was on course to dethrone Alexandra Burke atop the singles chart last week looks set to take 2009 by storm with this innovative and perfectly-formed pop gem. Having been hyped into the...

ANALYSIS: Kid Cudi conquers the club chart countdown.
January 17, 2009... MINISTRY OF SOUND'S DATA IMPRINT has hosted its share of smash hits over the years, not least from Eric Prydz and Fedde Le Grande. Its latest club sensation is from Cleveland rapper Kid Cudi, whose sparse and minimal upcoming hit Day `N' Nite...

CHARTS PREDICTIVE - CAMPAIGN FOCUS: KID BRITISH.
January 17, 2009... CHRIS MOYLES' TIPS FOR 2009, Kid British signed to Mercury last May and have spent the months since growing a UK audience, leading to an opening slot at Xfm's Winter Wonderland concert in their native Manchester last month. Now, with a...

ANALYSIS: Springsteen buzz working like a dream.
January 17, 2009... With radio interest in the title track and first single growing daily, Bruce Springsteen's 24th album Working On A Dream recovers ground it lost before Christmas to catapult to the top of the pre-release charts at both Amazon and Play, while...

CHARTS SALES: Catalogue reviews.
January 17, 2009... R.E.M.: Murmur (Polydor tbc) Nearly 26 years after R.E.M.'s iconic debut album was originally released, it is upgraded with the deluxe edition treatment from Polydor. In addition to the original album - now remastered, and still sounding...