Music Week articles from July 2007

Music Week archives from July 2007

Right royal retail row.
July 7, 2007... Prince's Mail On Sunday decision makes him enemy number one with music sellers By Ben Cardew & Gordon Masson The Mail On Sunday's revelation that it will launch the new Prince album, Planet Earth, as a covermount to its 2m-plus...

Dizzee to headline MW event.
July 7, 2007... Former Mercury Music Prize winner Dizzee Rascal is to headline an evening of live music at Music Week's MusicMeetsBrands conference later this month. The XL-signed artist will be joined by Newton Faulkner and Amy Macdonald for the evening...

IN BRIEF: EC restarts look at Sony/BMG bid.
July 7, 2007... The EC has "restarted the clock" on its investigation into the Sony/BMG merger and will now reveal its conclusions on October 10. A spokesman for the EC competition office says the two majors have now provided it with the information it...

IN BRIEF: Campaign against hike in royalty fees.
July 7, 2007... Thousands of US radio webcasters last week participated in a campaign to protest at an impending hike in royalty fees - which they argue could bankrupt the fledgling industry - by silencing their online radio streams. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: iTunes Music Store named third largest distributor.
July 7, 2007... Apple's iTunes Music Store was last week named as the third largest distributor of music in the US regardless of format, according to research published by the NPD Group. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: ECSA to support Cisac.
July 7, 2007... The European Composer & Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) has leapt to the support of Cisac in its long-running dispute with music broadcasters. Cisac recently proposed to the EC a series of measures it hoped would end complaints brought by RTL and...

IN BRIEF: UBC to launch download service.
July 7, 2007... UBC is to launch its radio download service, Cliq, in the UK before the end of the year. The news comes as the company announced its results for the year to March 31, in which its losses widened. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: British Music Rights welcomes Will Hutton.
July 7, 2007... British Music Rights has welcomed Will Hutton's latest input into the Creative Economy Programme. The Work Foundation Study, Staying Ahead: The Economic Performance Of The UK's Creative Industries, was delivered to the DCMS last week in...

IN BRIEF: Baeble Music to partner Babelgum.
July 7, 2007... Baeble Music is partnering with internet TV network Babelgum to syndicate its catalogue of live concert programming via Babelgum's video distribution platform. Under the agreement, which starts this month, Babelgum will stream selections from...

IN BRIEF: Emap signs year-long partnership with National Ballet.
July 7, 2007... Emap's Magic 105.4 has signed a year-long partnership with English National Ballet. The partnership started last week with a campaign promoting English National Ballet's performances of Swan Lake at The Palace of Versailles in July. ...

IN BRIEF: Bon Jovi open new O2 Arena.
July 7, 2007... Bon Jovi raised the curtain at the new O2 Arena last Sunday (June 24), setting records on a variety of fronts including unprecedented food and drink sales to the sell-out 17,000 crowd. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Gigantic has launched.
July 7, 2007... An online box office has launched, promising to give 10% of its booking fees to climate change charity Global Cool. Gigantic, which operates from www.gigantic.com, is the brainchild of Mark Gasson and business partner Jim Ansdell, who between...

IN BRIEF: MusicTank holding networking session.
July 7, 2007... MusicTank is holding a networking session this Thursday (July 5) to discuss the issue of filesharing. The event takes place at Bertorelli's restaurant in London's Soho. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Paul Weller honoured.
July 7, 2007... Paul Weller was honoured with the O2 Silver Clef Award last Friday in an event that saw Rod Stewart, John Legend, The Feeling, Paolo Nutini, Snow Patrol and Andrea Bocelli win awards. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Writers elected to PRS board.
July 7, 2007... Two new writer members were elected to the PRS board at the collecting society's 93rd AGM in London last week. Mick Leeson and Steve Levine joined the eight-member board. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Warner/Chappell Music appointment.
July 7, 2007... Warner/Chappell Music has appointed former Soundtrax founder Glen Brunman as its US executive vice-president head of creative. In his new job, Brunman will oversee all of Warner/Chappell's A&R creative and music synchronisation efforts in the...

IN BRIEF: EMI UK and Ireland appointment.
July 7, 2007... Yahoo! director of entertainment Simon Gunning is reportedly leaving the web giant to take on the new position of senior vice-president of digital for EMI UK and Ireland. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Warner Music UK appointment.
July 7, 2007... Warner Music UK has promoted Simon Robson to chief financial officer, while Rachel Evers becomes senior vice-president of business affairs. Robson is promoted from vice-president of finance and operations at Warner Music Europe, while Evers...

CORRECTION: Bryan Ferry not collector of Nazi memorabilia.(Correction notice)
July 7, 2007... Contrary to any impression which may have been drawn from a review in last week's Music Week, Bryan Ferry is not a collector of Nazi memorabilia, and in fact abhors the regime and all it stood for. Music Week understands the original tabloid...

IN BRIEF: 2007 Cads Music Vision Awards.
July 7, 2007... Partizan was the big winner at the 2007 Cads Music Vision Awards last week, with Saam Fahramand winning the Best Director gong, Grace Bodie winning Best Producer, while the video for Justice Vs Simian's We Are Your Friends, directed by...

Staff await news amid Fopp crisis.
July 7, 2007... Specialist retailer shuts shops and 800 staff remain unpaid, while talks with financiers begin by Ben Cardew & Gordon Masson Fopp's employees face an agonising wait to discover whether they still have jobs, after the retailer last...

HMV confident initiatives will turn around sliding profits.
July 7, 2007... HMV Group CEO Simon Fox is buoyant about the company's prospects, as a raft of new initiatives begins to take hold, despite financial results showing a decline in profits in the last financial year. Two profit warnings earlier this year...

THE PLAYLIST - 07.07.07.
July 7, 2007... TUNNG Bullets (Full Time Hobby) Commercial highlight from Tunng's third studio album and a serious step forward from a songwriting perspective. (from album, August 20) KEVIN MICHAEL Vicki Secrets (Atlantic) Michael...

SNAP SHOT: Spice Girls.
July 7, 2007... In a sure sign of the strength of the Spice Girls brand, more than 1m people registered for tickets in the 24 hours following the announcement of their reunion tour last week. As a result, 19 Entertainment - which is co-ordinating and directing...

Splinter group rallies against PRS TV policy.
July 7, 2007... Row reignites over new weighting system for TV music by Robert Ashton PRS's proposed new TV music distribution policy faces a baptism of fire with a militant group of composers already calling for the system to be scrapped. The...

Indies' chief in attack on majors.
July 7, 2007... Aim chief executive Alison Wenham accused the major groups of failing to respect the independents' views by rejecting an attempt by indies to secure a seat on the IFPI board. Wenham told the Aim AGM that, after several months' discussion,...

Student unions `integral' to music.
July 7, 2007... The music industry will lose no time in engaging with Gordon Brown's Government this week when Feargal Sharkey's Live Music Forum tells the new administration how the Licensing Act has impacted the business. Sharkey's long-awaited report...

Global potential for Chrysalis Radio.
July 7, 2007... Key player created in radio sector as Global acquires Chrysalis for #170m by Martin Talbot & Ben Cardew The sale of Chrysalis Radio last week created both a key player in the radio sector and a new music-focused independent group. ...

Warner considers EMI move after extension.
July 7, 2007... Warner Music has been given a longer period of grace to consider its next move on EMI, after Terra Firma moved to extend its deadline for buying EMI to 1pm on July 4. The private equity group set the new deadline after only gathering 28.6m...

Hard-Fi cut to the chase with second album.
July 7, 2007... With album number two due in September, Richard Archer and co return to the same studio set-up to repeat the success of their 800,000-selling debut, Stars Of CCTV by Stuart Clarke In following up their multi-platinum debut Stars Of...

MPs weigh up ticketing legislation.
July 7, 2007... Live sector awaits ministers' decision on touts, as interest groups express opposing views by Gordon Masson The future of ticketing at Britain's live events may lie in the hands of UK law makers following last week's Parliamentary...

A princely price to pay for an album.
July 7, 2007... Prince's agreement to give away his new album with the Mail On Sunday is a step too far The thorny topic of covermounts will not go away, it seems. And the escalation in this area should be of great concern to everyone in the business. ...

Doing it for the kicks.
July 7, 2007... The Producers are a new supergroup including Trevor Horn, Lol Creme and Stephen Lipson among its members. Music Week talked to Horn and Lipson about life as a new band Quickfire How did The Producers come about? Stephen Lipson:...

The making of the iTunes Festival.
July 7, 2007... The iTunes Festival will see more than 60 artists performing at London's ICA during July. iTunes Europe director Oliver Schusser talks Music Week through the strategy for the event Quickfire You recently confirmed Paul McCartney on the...

FAST CHART - 07.07.07.
July 7, 2007... SINGLES NUMBER ONE: RIHANNA FEAT. JAY-Z UMBRELLA (Def Jam) The 214th number one single of the 21st Century, Umbrella has been number one for seven weeks - a run bettered only by Gnarls Barkley's nine-week reign with Crazy. Despite...

Sales are up despite week of challenges.
July 7, 2007... Last week saw a middling album release schedule, Fopp closing its doors, unseasonably bad weather and parts of London's main shopping areas being cordoned off following an attempted terrorist attack, yet, somehow, combined album sales staged...

THE SCHEDULE - 07.07.07: Albums.
July 7, 2007... This week Chemical Brothers We Are The Night (Virgin); Ash Twilight Of The Innocents (Warner Brothers); Crowded House Time On Earth (Parlophone); T.I. T.I. vs T.I.P. (Atlantic); Robin Thicke The Evolution Of Robin Thicke (Polydor) ...

THE SCHEDULE - 07.07.07: Singles.
July 7, 2007... This week Justin Timberlake Love Stoned (Jive); Badly Drawn Boy Promises (EMI); Natasha Bedingfield Soulmate (Phonogenic); Garbage Tell Me Where It Hurts (Warner Brothers); Avril Lavigne When You're Gone (Columbia); Fall Out Boy The...

THE SCHEDULE - 07.07.07: NEW ADDITION.
July 7, 2007... Richard Hawley will release his new studio album on August 20 entitled Lady's Bridge. Named after the oldest bridge across the River Don in Sheffield, the album is rich in social commentary and the lead single, Tonight The Streets Are Ours, was...

Checking into Tokio Hotel.
July 7, 2007... Polydor imprint readies English-speaking debut for Tokio Hotel Tokio Hotel Scream (Fascination) German four-piece Tokio Hotel have generated the kind of fan euphoria in their home country not seen since Take That. A combination of...

UPFRONT - 07.07.07: TASTEMAKERS TIPS.
July 7, 2007... The Heavy That Kind Of Man (Ninja Tune) Steve Yates, Swell Music Magazine "The Heavy are as elementally effective as their name. That Kind Of Man is explosive, thunderous funk-soul that channels the fury of Baby Huey with the falsetto...

THE INSIDER: AOL Music.
July 7, 2007... AOL Music Live! hosted the first of what it hopes will become an annual live music event on Thursday, drawing invited guests and members of the public along to the IndigO2 - sister venue to the O2 - for an evening of live music from Crowded...

International plugging pays off for Brighton-based McQueen.
July 7, 2007... Brighton four-piece McQueen have been enjoying the kind of international live presence most bands at their level only dream of. From touring the US with Juliette & The Licks to supporting Foo Fighters in Germany, the global outlook taken by the...

Upfront - 07.07.07: Radio playlists.
July 7, 2007... Radio 1 A list Arctic Monkeys Fluorescent Adolescent; Avril Lavigne When You're Gone; Editors Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors; Fall Out Boy The Take Over, The Breaks Over; Groove Armada Song 4 Mutya; Jack Penate Torn On The...

Upfront - 07.07.07: In-store next week.
July 7, 2007... ASDA Instore: The Chemical Brothers, Crowded House, Velvet Revolver, Ash, Air Traffic, Happy Mondays, Essential R&B, 100 Huge Hits Of Reggae, Hard Energy; Albums Of The Week: Robin Thicke, Heartbeat Summer BORDERS Instore: Crowded...

Upfront - 07.07.07: My Top 10 - Buraka Som Sistema.
July 7, 2007... Buraka Som Sistema Artists 1. DJ Massacre Ku-Lagode (CDR) 2. Sinden Beeper (CDR) 3. Znobia One Blood Kuduro (unreleased) 4. Os Lambas Comboio 2 (Znobia Remix) (CDR) 5. Santogold Creator (Lizard King) 6. Charlene Dance Mr DJ...

Upfront Reviews - 16.07.07: Also out this week.
July 7, 2007... Singles Amy MacDonald: Mr Rock n' Roll (Mercury); Mumm-Ra: Starlight (Columbia); Twilight Sad: And She Would Darken The Memory (Fatcat) Albums Tindersticks: BBC Sessions (Universal); Samon Kawamura: Translations (Nesola) ...

UPFRONT REVIEWS - 16.07.07: SINGLE OF THE WEEK 1.
July 7, 2007... Robyn With Every Heartbeat Konichiwa KORPR008 This is a stunning highlight from Robyn's independently released, self- titled album and the song to reintroduce the talented Swede to mainstream audiences. Already playlisted at...

UPFRONT REVIEWS - 16.07.07: SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2.(Sound recording review)
July 7, 2007... The Thrills Nothing Changes Around Here Virgin VSCDT1947 The first single from the Dublin five-piece's forthcoming third album, Teenager, is a real return to form, recalling excellent early singles Santa Cruz and Big Sur. Recorded...

Upfront Reviews - 16.07.07: Singles.
July 7, 2007... Biffy Clyro Folding Stars (14th Floor PRO16298) This mid-tempo highlight from the band's third studio album, Folding Stars, arrives hot on the heels of their recent top five album chart success and promises to further affirm their...

Upfront Reviews - 16.07.07: Albums.
July 7, 2007... Ebony Alleyne Never Look Back (Expansion XECD53) Five years in the making, originally under the guidance of A&R guru Muff Winwood, this first outing for Brit soul singer Alleyne is packed with potential hits. Already a chart-topper on...

TV AIRPLAY CHART - 07.07.07: ON THE BOX THIS WEEK.
July 7, 2007... BBC2 Live Earth with Snow Patrol, Razorlight, Keane, Damien Rice, Corinne Bailey Rae, David Gray, Duran Duran, Genesis, Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Paolo Nutini BBC3 T In The Park with Arctic...

TV Airplay Chart - 07.07.07: Justin Timberlake.
July 7, 2007... Rihanna and Jay-Z's Umbrella continues to top the sales listings, but loses its perch atop the radio and TV airplay charts this week. It was number one on the latter list for seven weeks but is finally overtaken by Justin Timberlake, whose...

TV Airplay Chart - 07.07.07: Beyonce.
July 7, 2007... Taking its cue from Robert Palmer's Addicted To Love and Madona's Human Nature, the video for Beyonce's Green Light makes great progress, catapulting 63-4, with 375 plays from 10 supporters. Topping that list, B4 aired the promo 120 times,...

Radio Airplay - 07.07.07: Gym Class Heroes.
July 7, 2007... Cupid's Chokehold dips 9-16 on sales this week, but completes its ascent of the airplay chart, where it has moved 73-37-16-20-15-11-8-5-4- 4-4-1. Replacing Rihanna and Jay-Z's Umbrella, which has been number one for the last three weeks, Gym...

Radio Airplay - 07.07.07: Klaxons.
July 7, 2007... Klaxons reached number 12 on the airplay chart in February with Golden Skans, but they took a step back with follow-up Gravity's Rainbow, which peaked at 26. Their cover of Grace's hit Not Over Yet beats that peak this week, jumping 32-13,...

Radio Airplay - 07.07.07: The White Stripes.
July 7, 2007... Icky Thump reached number two on sales to become The White Stripes' highest charting single, but it continues to struggle for airplay. Rising 41-38 this week to reach a new peak, it was aired on 62 stations last week - but only five of them...

Radio Airplay - 07.07.07: Fall Out Boy.
July 7, 2007... Patrick Stump's role as guest vocalist on Gym Class Heroes' Cupid's Chokehold wins him his first airplay chart number one placing this week, while he leads his regular band, Fall Out Boy, to their third Top 50 entry on the chart with The Take...

RADIO AIRPLAY - 07.07.07: ON THE RADIO THIS WEEK.
July 7, 2007... Radio one Jo Whiley Record Of The Week - Robyn With Kleerup: With Every Heartbeat Edith Bowman Record Of The Week - Amy Winehouse: Tears Dry On Their Own Scott Mills Record Of The Week - Yves Larock: Rise Up Zane Lowe Record...

New releases - 07.07.07: REVIEWS CATALOGUE.
July 7, 2007... Various Real Life Permanent Dreams - A Cornucopia Of British Psychedelia 1965- 1970 (Castle CMXBX 1239) Forty years since the summer of love, the psychedelic rock of the latter half of the 1960s is as popular as ever, and the latest in...

Singles - 07.07.07: Kate Nash.
July 7, 2007... Despite its absence from the Top 50 of the radio and TV airplay charts, Foundations by developing singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kate Nash debuts at number two on sales of 19,906. It is the second single by the 19-year-old,...

Singles - 07.07.07: The Hoosiers.
July 7, 2007... Jumping 16-6 on sales of 10,884, The Hoosiers debut hit Worried About Ray is a tribute to film producer Ray Harryhausen and is the highest- charting song to feature Ray in its title, eclipsing both Black Man Ray (number 14, by China Crisis) and...

Singles - 07.07.07: Jack Penate.
July 7, 2007... With a CD and two seven-inch formats released last week, Jack Penate's debut hit Torn On The Platform catapults 25-7 on sales of 10,820, a tally that was aided by his televised set at the Glastonbury Festival. Penate lists Jeff Buckley, Bob...

Singles - 07.07.07: Robin Thicke.
July 7, 2007... The first record by a white artist to top the R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart in America since George Michael's One More Try in 1988, Robin Thicke's Lost Without U charges 43-11 here (8,350 sales). Thicke has been releasing records in the US since...

Albums - 07.07.07: Editors.
July 7, 2007... Birmingham band Editors' second album, An End Has A Start, debuts at number one, a week after the first single from the album, Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors, reached number seven. Their fifth hit in all, Smokers helped propel An End Has A...

Albums - 07.07.07: Kelly Clarkson.
July 7, 2007... Despite introductory single Never Again's somewhat ordinary chart performance, Kelly Clarkson's third album, My December, is nevertheless off to a solid start, debuting at number two this week on sales of 40,509. Never Again peaked at number...

Albums - 07.07.07: Shirley Bassey.
July 7, 2007... Last year, Tony Bennett became the oldest solo artist to have a hit album. Dame Shirley Bassey is a full decade younger, at 70, but takes the record for a female solo artist thanks to her new album, Get The Party Started, which debuts at number...

Albums - 07.07.07: Ryan Adams.
July 7, 2007... He did not make his recording debut until 2000, but since then 32 year old alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams has been extraordinarily prolific. Adams' latest album, Easy Tiger, is his highest-charting yet, debuting at number 18 on sales...

HMV strikes Mail deal.
July 14, 2007... Music chain prepares to sell Prince's Mail giveaway, as details of agreement become clear By Ben Cardew & Martin Talbot HMV has struck a dramatic deal with the Mail On Sunday to stock the newspaper for the first time, when it gives...

Butler does it for Dance Party.
July 14, 2007... Cajun Dance Party have enlisted Bernard Butler to produce their hotly- anticipated debut album, scheduled for release next year. Butler, who has produced the band's forthcoming single Amylase, will enter the studio with the teenage outfit...

IN BRIEF: Russian upstart closes down.
July 14, 2007... Controversial Russian music site allofmp3.com appears to have closed down, although another site run by operator MediaServices, mp3sparks.com, has appeared in its place. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Universal refused to renewal iTunes contract.
July 14, 2007... Universal has refused to renew its annual iTunes contract with Apple, opting instead to sign a rolling contract which allows it to remove its music at a month's notice. A Universal spokesman says, "UMG has decided not to renew its long-term...

IN BRIEF: Maltby extends deadline.
July 14, 2007... Terra Firma imprint Maltby has extended its deadline for acquiring EMI again after only gathering acceptances of 28.9m shares, representing 3.56% of the UK group, by its second deadline of July 4. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: BBC reported to be closing Maida Vale studios.
July 14, 2007... The BBC is reported to be closing its Maida Vale studios, explaining that they were not suitable for the "21st-Century digital age" and would cost too much to refurbish. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Radios 1 and 2 not distinctive enough.
July 14, 2007... Commercial radio has welcomed a decision by the BBC Trust to take into account complaints by the sector that Radios One and Two's content is not distinctive enough from its own stations' output. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Island appoints general manager.
July 14, 2007... Island Records has appointed Jon Turner as general manager of Island Records and associated labels, including Fallout, Modular and Field Recordings. He joined Island as product manager in November 1999. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Ian Wright has passed away.
July 14, 2007... Renowned artist manager, agent and publisher Ian Wright has passed away, aged 57. Wright worked for a number of companies across the industry, including Reverb Music, XL Talent, M.A.M. and TBA International. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd....

IN BRIEF: George Melly dies.
July 14, 2007... Legendary jazz singer George Melly has died at the age of 80. Melly's wife Diana revealed that the singer was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005, but refused all treatment. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Beverly Sills has passed away.
July 14, 2007... Celebrated opera singer Beverly Sills has passed away, aged 78. Closely associate with the New York City Opera, Sills was one of the key figures in the 20th-century revival of the bel canto and sang some 70 roles during the course of her...

IN BRIEF: Richard Ogden relocating.
July 14, 2007... Artist manager Richard Ogden, who formerly looked after Sir Paul McCartney, is relocating his business operation to Brazil. Richard Ogden Management will transfer to Sao Paulo, but will keep an office in London staffed by Tom Favilla. ...

IN BRIEF: Xfm South Wales appointment.
July 14, 2007... Xfm South Wales has appointed Lisa Fairclough as marketing manager. She joins the team from sister station Red Dragon FM. Nick Miles, who previously worked at Capital, joins as events manager. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Sales likely for London venues.
July 14, 2007... Mama Group has made an offer to purchase six London venues - the Jazz Cafe, the Borderline, the Garage, the former Mean Fiddler venue in Harlesden, G.A.Y. Bar and G.A.Y. Late - from Mean Fiddler. Although financial terms have not been...

IN BRIEF: C4 show to find fresh talent.
July 14, 2007... Channel 4 will this autumn launch a nationwide search to find the best in new musical talent across T4, 4music and channel4.com/4music. MobileAct Unsigned, produced in collaboration with Sony Ericsson and Orange, centres on a weekly 60-minute...

IN BRIEF: Rhino TV to be launched.
July 14, 2007... Warner Music International is to launch an online TV channel called Rhino TV. The station, set up to bolster WMI's revenues through advertising, pay-per-download and syndication of its video catalogue, is currently in a beta testing phase. A...