Innholdsfortegnelse for October 12, 2013 i Billboard Magazine

American businesses tend to want Capitol Hill to get out of their way. One congressman wants to do just that for noninteractive broadcast and digital radio services—but he wants to first establish a new performance right for broadcast radio. ¶ Introduced Sept. 30 by Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., the Free Market Royalty Act would, as its name implies, replace government intervention with free-market negotiations. The bill would deliver a long-desired performance right that will ensure payment of broadcast radio royalties to record labels and performing artists in the United States for the first time. Watt, long seen as a music industry supporter, believes the bill reflects the value that sound recordings bring to radio broadcasts. “For many stations, take away the music and you take away the audience,” he said…

SONGS Music Publishing has signed the Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, to a worldwide copublishing agreement in a deal that includes future recordings, his upcoming Kiss Land (Universal Republic/XO Records) and last year’s Trilogy. The fastest-growing region in the world in 2012 in terms of music sales revenue was Latin America, registering a 12% increase compared with 2011. Driven by the rise of digital, that increase was seen in every single country and in each revenue stream monitored by IFPI, with the exception of physical sales. The trend will continue, says Herb Payan, Sony Music Entertainment senior VP of digital business development for U.S. Hispanics, Latin America, Spain & Portugal. “Solid economies, smartphone penetration, new global players coming into the region and new innovative prepaid consumption models—weekly, daily rates—will resonate with…

Dennis Ashley Agent, ICM Partners Dennis Ashley initially found his calling during a late-’80s stint as a summer intern at ICM Partners—later becoming an agent there in the concerts division. After two years operating his own agency, Ashley returned to ICM in 2006. Among his client roster: J. Cole, Big Sean, Machine Gun Kelly, Marsha Ambrosius and Brian McKnight. 5.00 AM My quiet time. An hour spent getting my thoughts together as I gauge the workday ahead. Then I wake up my son. Being a senior in high school, he doesn’t need me to do that. It’s a parent thing—my last bit of time with him before he goes to college. 6.15 AM Eating breakfast. I’m also checking email to see if there’s anything urgent I need to deal with.…

TOURING The Windish Agency expands its team with the addition of a new COO and four music agents. Industry veteran Michael Dates, who previously spent more than 12 years as senior VP/CFO at William Morris Endeavor, becomes COO of the independent booking firm. He will be based in the company’s Los Angeles office. The Windish Agency also taps new agents Alex Rabens (based in New York), Ryan Smith (New York), Chris Baronner (Chicago) and Christine Cao (Los Angeles). Rabens was an agent at Columbia Artists Management, Smith was an agent at Bond Music Group, Baronner was senior talent buyer at Chicago’s Metro, and Cao was a junior agent at Creative Artists Agency. The Windish Agency books more than 600 acts, including Gotye, the xx, Lorde, Alt-J, the Knife and Icona…

The California State Legislature passed and Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 329, banning the use of automated bots by ticket resellers to virtually “cut in line” at ticket sales for hot shows, a practice that has been the scourge of the primary ticket industry for more than a decade. Not surprisingly, the primary industry—those who profit from shows in which they’ve invested money and effort—applauds the move, which is supported nationally by the Fans First Coalition. FFC president Michael Marion, GM of the Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, Ark., said in a statement that the move is “a great development for California live events,” adding that fans should have “the first shot at getting tickets, not scalpers with fancy technology.” Others, of course, see the issue differently, especially those…

What did you wake up thinking about? Every morning I wake up with my adrenaline to the max, wanting to see what the competition is doing and what I can do to be on top. I start the day from the standpoint that everything is up for grabs. It doesn’t matter if we were No. 1 the night before. It’s a new day. I run on the treadmill and come back with specific plans for the day. Describe a lesson you learned from a failure. I once launched an online business that was a failure. And I told my dad, “Well, it was a failure but it taught me many things. For example, how not to create a company when you still don’t have the exact product that people want…

Name: Mike Einziger, 4 producer/songwriter/guitarist Hometown: Lives and works in Malibu, Calif. Breakthrough: Incubus’ 1999 album, Make Yourself, has sold 3 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan Recent notables: Avicii’s “Wake Me Up,” helping score 2013 films “The Lone Ranger” and “Scenic Route” Coming up: Producing album for Dublin duo Hudson Taylor, finishing Chuck Inglish album, new film project with Hans Zimmer “The more simple my setup is, the more productive I am.” Spending much of his high school years at 4th Street Studios in Santa Monica, Calif., was like a work-study program for Incubus guitarist/producer Mike Einziger. “I was sort of janitor, second engineer, runner,” he says. “I did things just to learn how things worked—and hopefully not break any equipment.” This classic studio schooling is readily apparent in…

Twelve years ago, regional Mexican bands with U.S. tour dates could generally get their visas approved without much red tape. But in the time since 9/11, like many musicians traveling to the United States, regional Mexican acts have faced heightened security, with bumps in the road sometimes resulting in denied entry and the loss of major business. And with some bands earning $100,000 per show there’s a lot on the line. Those fees are the results of the strong draw that regional Mexican acts have proved to be for U.S. audiences. Michael M. Felix, an immigration attorney based in Los Angeles, says that performances are growing in popularity at venues owned by Native American casino operators. “If you bring a highpower act like Pepe Aguilar, casinos can charge $100 or…

1. GET A PARTNER YouTube’s Partner Program allows YouTube channel owners to enable monetization on their content, allowing them to earn a portion of the revenue from the ads that run against their videos. But content creators can also monetize in partnership with multichannel networks (MCNs) like Maker Studios, Fullscreen and Machinima that work within the YouT\ube ecosystem by “signing” quality content creators and then offering services beyond simple channel monetization. By signing to MCNs, musicians, artists, comedians, vloggers (video bloggers) and other YouTube content creators void a portion of their contract with YouTube in order to take advantage of the benefits that the MCN provides. In turn, the MCN uses its pooled subscriber base of the hundreds, sometimes thousands, of artists signed to its network in order to collectively…

In a nod to the growing importance of its Premios Billboard a la Musica Mexicana, Billboard has launched its first Billboard en Concierto concert series tied to the Mexican music awards show. The series, produced by Cardenas Marketing Network (CMN) and sponsored by Bud Light, Metro PCS and Western Union, will feature three invitation-only concerts featuring finalists Roberto Tapia and Calibre 50. The first two will take place Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 at the Escapade in Houston and the OK Corral in Dallas, both featuring a performance by chart-topping banda artist Tapia, who most recently served as a coach on Telemundo’s “La Voz Kids.” The final show, set for Oct. 8 at Los Angeles’ Conga Room, will feature norteño group Calibre 50. Both acts are up for multiple awards…

There is perhaps no more eloquent or poetic voice in Mexican music than that of Joan Sebastian, the prolific singer/songwriter/producer/performer/actor who has penned some of the most memorable songs in the Spanishlanguage songbook. With a professional career that spans more than four decades, nearly 40 albums of original material in various genres—pop, mariachi, banda and more— and five Latin Grammy Awards, Sebastian remains the quintessential troubadour: A man who pours his life into memorable songs that connect at all levels, leading to his nickname, “the Poet of the People.” Now, Sebastian earns a new accolade as this year’s recipient of Billboard’s La Voz (The Voice) Award, given to a singular artist with a distinctive and unique on- and offstage persona. The honor will be presented during the Billboard Mexican Music…

How many years does it take to become a legend? As Banda el Recodo de Don Cruz Lizarraga—nicknamed “the Mother of all Bands”—celebrates its 75th anniversary, a look at its history reveals a group that’s been iconic for more than half of its existence. Although today’s Mexican music landscape is chock-full of bandas—the traditional big brass groups of Mexico—El Recodo has led the pack as the first such group with commercial appeal, the first group to modernize the banda sound, the first banda to experiment with genres like pop and tropical, and the first to gain international recognition. Seventy-five years after Don Cruz Lizarraga founded his first band in the small town of El Recodo in Sinaloa, Billboard is honoring the group with its Legado Musical—Musical Legacy Award—at the third…

ARTIST: Sky Ferreira ALBUM: Night Time, My Time LABEL: Capitol Records RELEASE DATE: Oct. 29 MANAGEMENT: Mike Tierney and Tara Interland, Mars Organic PRODUCERS: Ariel Rechtshaid, Justin Raisen PUBLISHING: Universal Music Publishing BOOKING AGENT: Creative Artists Agency CHART HISTORY: “Obsession” (2010), No. 37 Hot Dance Club Songs; As If! EP (2011), 3,000; Ghost EP (2012), No. 11 Heatseekers Albums, 11,000 TWITTER: @skyferreira “Yeah, it would be great to have a No. 1 single and be a millionaire,” Sky Ferreira says, without much prodding. “But am I going to change myself for it? No.” The 21-year-old ascendant pop star has faced this dilemma since she was still in braces. Take a pop-by-numbers approach for a chance to be the next Britney? Or risk everything, and rankle her label bosses, by insisting…

ARTIST: Throwing Muses ALBUM: Purgatory/Paradise LABELS: HarperCollins/It Books (U.S.), HarperCollins/Friday Project (U.K.) RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11 PRODUCERS: Throwing Muses MANAGEMENT: Jesse von Doom, Music Is Doomed PUBLISHING: Yes Dear Music, administered by Bug Music, Strictly Confidential and Mushroom Music (BMI) BOOKING AGENT: Bruce Houghton, Skyline Music CHART HISTORY: “Dizzy” (1989), No. 8 Alternative; “Counting Backwards” (1991), No. 11 Alternative; “Bright Yellow Gun” (1995), No. 20 Alternative; University (1995), No. 10 Heatseekers Albums, 67,000; Limbo (1996), No. 34 Heatseekers Albums, 25,000; Throwing Muses (2003), No. 26 Top Independent Albums, 16,000 TWITTER: @throwingmuses, @kristinhersh The last time Throwing Muses released an album was a decade ago. But the influential band—U.K. label 4AD’s first American signing in 1986—hasn’t been on hiatus. Leader Kristin Hersh, drummer David Narcizo and bassist Bernard George were still…

ROCK DAUGHTRY “Waiting for Superman” (4:26) PRODUCER: Martin Johnson WRITERS: Chris Daughtry, Martin Johnson, Sam Hollander PUBLISHERS: various LABEL: 19 Recordings/RCA Records Not even pop-rock stalwart Chris Daughtry can resist the charm of electronic production on his latest single. The first taste of Daughtry’s new Baptized is typically epic, but also contains dashes of twinkling electro flourishes, courtesy of rising producer Martin Johnson (Taylor Swift, Gavin DeGraw). —DH POP SKY FERREIRA “You’re Not the One” (3:37) PRODUCER: Ariel Rechtshaid WRITERS: Sky Ferreira, Ariel Rechtshaid, Justin Raisen, Daniel Nigro PUBLISHERS: various LABEL: Capitol “I’m still thinking about how much I need you,” Sky Ferreira sings on her new single, “but you really want somebody else.” Lyrically, “You’re Not the One” is deeply familiar, but the heartfelt new-wave arrangement makes the clichés…

AMERICANA THE AVETT BROTHERS Magpie and the Dandelion PRODUCER: Rick Rubin LABEL: American/Universal RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15 If the Avetts’ last two albums steered them closer to the rock’n’roll byways, these 11 songs return the troup to its acoustic front-porch roots. Seth Avett takes the spotlight on the live “Souls Like Wheels,” while “Vanity” and “The Clearness Is Gone” are dramatic exceptions amid quieter and more down-home surroundings. —GG POP CULTS Static PRODUCERS: Cults, Shane Stoneback, Ben Allen LABEL: Columbia Records RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15 For Cults’ sophomore effort, the New York duo fleshes out the indie pop of its debut into hazier, lush grooves. It’s the right move: “I Can Hardly Make You Mine” boasts a throwback chorus surrounded by just the right amount of feedback. “We’ve Got It”…

R5, the pop-rock family band fronted by 17-year-old Disney Channel star Ross Lynch, has scored a top 30 debut with first album Louder, which sold 15,000 first-week copies, according to Nielsen Sound-Scan. The aptly titled set follows the group’s Loud EP—which has sold 28,000 copies since its release last February—as well as months of beguiling fans of Lynch’s TV series “Austin & Ally” and Disney Channel film “Teen Beach Movie.” Formed in Los Angeles by Lynch with brothers Riker and Rocky, sister Rydel and family friend Ellington Ratliff, R5 self-released its Ready Set Rock EP in 2009, two years before Lynch was cast in the pi-lot of “Austin & Ally” as teen singer Austin Moon. R5 signed to Hollywood Records in April 2012, months before Lynch raised his profile as…

The Billboard 200’s top four albums are all debuts this week, led by Drake’Nothing Was the Same, which launches at No. 1 with 658,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. On the Friday of its release week (Sept. 27), industry sources forecast the set would start with around 660,000-670,000. Nothing Was the Same tallies the second-largest sales week of 2013. The only album to sell more this year (so far) is Justin Timberlake’The 20/20 Experience. It bowed at No. 1 with 968,000 following its release in March. Drake’s debut—though it sold slightly less than forecast—is impressive, considering the set leaked to the Internet about a week before it hit retail. The album reached the Web on Sept. 15—well before its Sept. 24 street date. Of course, leaks are commonplace, especially…

It’s not surprising to see how the average first-week sales of top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200 have shrunk dramatically since 2000 (see left). Comparatively, the first-week sales volume of top 10 debuts has dipped by 65% in 2013 versus 2000. That decline lines up almost perfectly with the overall album-market drop since 2000: 64% (569.7 million albums sold year to date in 2000 versus 205.2 million in 2013). As culture and information sped up in the ‘90s and ‘00s, so did the Billboard 200. No longer did albums climb to a top 10 ranking as wordof-mouth spread across the United States. With the advent of digital retail, albums became release-week events, much like films at the box office on opening weekends, as noted in the sharp increase in…

Digital music service Rdio is launching its free Internet radio service in the United States, Canada and Australia. The move capitalizes on Rdio’s deal with terrestrial radio station owner Cumulus Media, and helps it compete with digital rivals Pandora and Spotify. The allure of music festivals is often just as much about discovering new bands as it is rocking out with the groups that fans already know about. So what happens when you chance upon a great band and want to know its name and what it’s playing? Until recently, using a song-recognition app that can “name that tune” wasn’t possible because live performances of songs can vary from the recorded versions on which such apps depend to detect matches. Even if the technology was able to make a match,…

The music business has another gatekeeper: Spotify has launched a new artist marketing program called Spotlight that uses the company’s resources to support artists during an extended period of time. The first two Spotlight acts are American trio HAIM, whose Columbia debut Days Are Gone arrived Oct. 1, and Lava/Republic singer/songwriter Lorde from New Zealand. Spotify users will see Spotlight artists in many places, head of content Steve Savoca says. The Spotlight brand will be seen when browsing the platform, and users will receive notifications through email and social media. Third-party partners like Soundrop, an app that creates social listening experiences, will take part. Landmark, an original content series that launched with an episode on Nirvana’s In Utero, will be part of Spotlight. Spotify Sessions, the series of performances recorded…

WHAT: Global private equity firm the Carlyle Group has agreed to invest $500 million for a minority stake in Beats Electronics, the premium audio manufacturer founded by Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, gives the 7-year-old Santa Monica, Calif., electronics company a valuation of $1.1 billion, up more than 66% from just two years ago. WHY: The investment coincides with the withdrawal of HTC’s involvement with Beats. The South Korean mobile phone manufacturer in 2011 invested $300 million for a 50% stake in Beats. But as HTC struggled to keep up with fellow South Korean rival Samsung Electronics and Apple in the brutally competitive smartphone market, it sought to back out of its deal in order to free up cash.…

Warner Music Group has announced that Christian Tattersfield will step down from his roles as CEO of Warner Music U.K. and co-chairman of Warner Bros. Records U.K. in February 2014, and that Atlantic Records U.K. chairman Max Lousada will be his successor. Lousada and Tattersfield will work as co-CEOs and report to WMG CEO Stephen Cooper. Lousada will combine his new role with his existing responsibilities at Atlantic. Miles Leonard, chairman of Parlophone Records and co-chairman of Warner Bros. Records U.K., will take full responsibility of Warner Bros. U.K. following Tattersfield’s departure and report to Lousada. Tattersfield was appointed to his dual roles in August 2009, overseeing the entire portfolio of Warner Music’s labels in the United Kingdom. Under his leadership, Warner Music developed successful U.K. signings like Ed Sheeran…

There’s a lot of talk about fairness these days. Whether accurate or not, there’s a widespread perception that digital music lacks fairness. Some people believe digital services are profiting at the expense of other stakeholders. Others believe royalties are too low. Some use the word as a political weapon. Yet still others simply want a seat at the bargaining table. The music business has inequality in its veins. A small number of artists and songwriters earns the lion’s share of money, as do a handful of labels and publishers. Relatively few superstar artists attain high ticket prices and large grosses. But that inequality isn’t always seen as unfair. The current debate about fairness usually pertains to digital performance royalties for both sides of copyright—labels and artists on the sound recording…

“It was all about credibility for us.” —Avicii manager Ash Pournouri, on his artist’s branding deals @shorefire Shore Fire publicists Josh Page (@jcpagejc) & Andrea Bussell (@ambussell) with Brandon Boyd (@marlonbrando) at his book/album-signing at Barnes & Noble TriBeCa, celebrating his new project/LP #SonsOfTheSea. To get your Instagram photos onto Billboard.biz, tag @Billboard and include #Backbeat in the caption, along with the who, what, when and where. One submission will be featured in the magazine every week.…

In the 10 months since her death, Jenni Rivera has sold almost as many albums as she did during her entire career. Last year, Jenni Rivera made a vow to herself: 2013 was going to be her breakthrough moment. She was 43 and already a multimillionaire. As the biggest female artist in regional Mexican, she’d placed 26 songs on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart, including “De Contrabando” (Of Contraband) at No. 1. Her edgy and romantic songs catapulted her to icon status for a devoted audience of women who saw their own struggles reflected in her work. But she had something more in her sights. This was the year she was going to star in her own sitcom, part of a plan to capture the mainstream success that would take…

At 26, Lindsey Stirling is already a seasoned YouTube veteran—a Los Angeles-based artist who has blazed a career path through the platform, garnering more than 3 million subscribers whose views generate enough steady advertising revenue to pay her bills. Stirling’s story has been told numerous times—landed a spot on “America’s Got Talent” in 2010, made it to the quarterfinals only to be drummed off because judges felt she lacked star quality, picked herself back up and turned to YouTube, where fans ultimately judged her differently. That was then. Today, Stirling and YouTube have found themselves at the threshold of a new age—one that presents both with challenges as they mutually rely on each other to achieve their respective ambitions: Stirling as a mainstream artist—and not just a YouTube artist—and YouTube…

#1 Ryan Lewis IN AUSTRALIA THEY’RE called “op shops.” Thanks to his international smash hit, and six-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Thrift Shop,” Ryan Lewis, 25, has newfound knowledge of and appreciation for thrifting culture around the world. Wherever Lewis and Macklemore, the rapper and his key collaborator, travel in support of their platinum debut album, The Heist, fans unfailingly regale the Seattle duo with tales of their own adventures in second-hand clothes shopping—a pastime with unexpectedly universal appeal. “We thought it was a fun, kind of weird, pretty catchy song that would do really well among a small pocket of people that liked thrift shops—almost like a cult audience,” Lewis says. “And then the next thing you know you’re on the other side of the world and it’s playing…

Regional Mexican continues to rise in influence— and market share—within the world of Latin music. And the finalists for the third edition of Billboard’s Mexican Music Awards represent the most successful artists in the genre. This year’s show will air live Oct. 9 on Telemundo, sponsored by State Farm and Ford Motor. Finalists—and winners—are determined by Billboard chart performance during the eligibility period of Aug. 18, 2012, through Aug. 10, 2013. Award categories are based on album and digital track sales data provided by Nielsen SoundScan and radio airplay monitored by Nielsen BDS. For a complete list of the finalists, go to Billboard.com and Billboard. biz. Here’s a look at the leading finalists. GERARDO ORTIZ Leading regional Mexican singer/songwriter Ortiz continues to dominate the charts with music that’s resonating in…

The finalists for producer of the year at the Billboard Mexican Music Awards are shaping the current sound of the regional Mexican genre. JOSE TIRADO CASTAÑEDA Castañeda, the founder and producer of grupera band Banda Carnaval, steered “Y Te Vas” to the top of the Regional Mexican Airplay chart. A producer of the year finalist in 2012, the prolific Castañeda competes in the category this year based on eight songs, including five produced for Calibre 50, and the popular Carnaval/ Calibre collaboration “Gente Batallosa.” GERARDO ORTIZ Regional Mexican idol Ortiz successfully wears many hats (in addition to his frequently worn black cowboy hat), and with his talent as a producer, he has turned his Los Angeles studio into a personal hit factory. His chart success during the past year includes…

The Billboard Mexican Music Awards honors labels and publishers for their achievements during the eligibility year, which ran from Aug. 18, 2012, through Aug. 10, 2013. Finalists are chosen based on their performance during this period on Billboard’s regional Mexican charts. For the sales-driven category albums record label of the year, there are four finalists: Freddie, Sony Music Latin, Universal Music Latin Entertainment and Virtus, home to Los Temerarios. Freddie has had a strong year due in part to seasoned acts Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte, Siggno and Elida Reyna y Avante. Sony achieved a stellar year thanks to music performed by such iconic artists as Ana Gabriel and Vicente Fernandez, while UMLE has also remained an industry leader with acts including Los Huracanes del Norte, La Original…

THE SHONDES The Shondes are punk rockers, riot grrrls, feminists and political activists from Brooklyn. Their music touches on Jewish traditions and LGBTQ messages, but the group manages it with accessible rock energy and grace to spare. Lead singer Louisa Rachel Solomon and violinist Elijah Oberman formed the band in 2006. “We started with this idea that we could bring together the most heart-wrenching aspects of all the different kinds of music that we liked,” Solomon says. The Shondes went on to release three albums, tour the United States and abroad, and perform at events for Jewish organizations and various progressive political movements. On The Garden, released Sept. 17 on Exotic Fever, the band members tackle some of the obstacles they have faced in the past few years. “Lineup changes,…

DELTRON 3030 Alt-rap trio Deltron 3030 released Deltron Event II on Oct. 1, following a nearly 13-year hiatus since its first LP arrived in 2000. Comprising Del the Funky Homosapien, DJ Kid Koala and producer Dan the Automator, Deltron 3030 will hit the road next month for a fall swing booked by longtime agent Peter Schwartz of the Agency Group, who repped the group on its first tour. Routing: Coordinating a tour after 13 years of radio silence proved surprisingly easy, due in part to the group’s cult following. “They had the challenge of resurging this great collective,” Schwartz says. “Once that was done it was just about finding availability.” Schwartz found that promoters were eager for the group’s return. “We wanted to get to the majors, and that’s something…

OTHER OPTIONS: Rouse could be considered another development in an emerging class of apps known as aggregators. Here are others that cut down on appswitching fatigue. Seenth.is Similar to Rouse, Seenth.is is musicspecific and assembles Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud info so users can stay up to date with their favorite acts. Pheed Allows users to choose the type of updates (text, photo, video, audio, notes, broadcasts) one would find from a variety of apps. Artists post updates, share pictures and videos, and offer concert tickets in many different places online. Rouse is both an app (available for iOS and Android) and a website (rousesocial.com) that aims to bring all of those updates together, in an act of consolidation that allows users to follow their favorite artists in one place. “Our…

Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and Michael Philipp, former chairman/CEO of Credit Suisse Europe, Middle East & Africa, have revealed plans to launch a creativefocused banking services company, First Artist Bank. Stewart says the project’s inspiration was Farmers Bank in the United States, which was originally founded to provide farmers a means for lending that wouldn’t strip them of their rights. “A Light That Never Comes,” Linkin Park’s new collaboration with Steve Aoki, debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving hard rock a rarefied spot in popdominated terrain. The song is part of “LP Recharge,” Linkin Park’s new free-to-play Facebook 3-D action/strategy game, as well as the first single and sole new song on Recharged, a remix album due Oct. 29 that features two versions of “A Light That…

3 MONTHS AGO On June 6, Dream Theater announced that its 12th album would be self-titled. “With 11 studio albums under their belt, self-titling their 12th is a pretty big statement,” Roadrunner senior director of marketing Suzi Akyuz says. “It’s basically declaring that this is the quintessential Dream Theater album.” Teasing audio and video content ahead of release, the band put out the first of four in-studio videos on June 6 and an in-studio photo gallery on June 20, yielding the highest traffic day of the year for the label’s website. In July, the act posted the album cover and track list, and held a listening party on July 30 at New York’s Germano Studios. 1 MONTH AGO The band premiered single “The Enemy Inside” on USAToday.com on Aug. 5.…

Drake’s Big Take With “Hold On, We’re Going Home” (featuring Majid Jordan) bounding 7-4 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Wu-Tang Forever” ranking at No. 61 and 10 songs debuting, led by “All Me” (featuring 2 Chainz and Big Sean) at No. 20, Drake claims 12 positions on the survey, tying the mark for the most simultaneously charted titles among soloists in the Hot 100’s 55-year history. Lil Wayne first racked a dozen entries the week of Sept. 17, 2011. Only the Beatles have charted more titles at once: 14 (April 11, 1964). Taylor Swift holds the record among women: 11 (Nov. 13, 2010). THE BIG NUMBER Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience—2 of 2 should debut one step ahead of No. 2 next week on the Billboard 200. Industry sources forecast…

Digital Sales Down U.S. digital track sales accelerated their decline in the third quarter, while digital album sales dipped into the red after a growth period last quarter. Total track sales are down 6% for the quarter and 3.4% year to date to 975 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Digital album sales for the third quarter decreased by nearly 5% to 26.9 million units, although year-to-date digital album sales of 87.7 million units is still up 2.6% over last year. A full report on the SoundScan numbers will appear in the next issue of Billboard. Nickelodeon Radio Nickelodeon is getting into the radio business through a new partnership with Clear Channel’s iHeartRadio service. The kids TV channel has a new radio station called Nick Radio that launched on iHeartRadio and…

Polly Anthony, who died at age 59 on Sept. 29 in her Beverly Hills, Calif., home after a long fight with pancreatic cancer, began her 25-year career at Epic Records as an assistant in 1978 and left as the president of the label in 2003. As a top promotion executive at Epic and then as head of the label, Anthony was instrumental in helping to break such acts as Macy Gray, Shakira, Oasis, Celine Dion, Rage Against the Machine, Jennifer Lopez, Silverchair and Pearl Jam. Anthony is seen as a powerhouse role model who through sheer force of will combined passion, charm, elegance and a hard-nosed edge to become an iconic music industry business executive. “Polly was not just a leader, but a trailblazer and mentor to scores of women,…

Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. The Beats founders continue to own a majority stake in the company. The Carlyle investment gives their shares a huge valuation boost, which could become quite lucrative should they decide to take Beats public. Beats Music. The deal is expected to have little impact on Beats Music, the ondemand streaming service set to launch later this year. That’s because Beats Music was spun off from Beats Electronics earlier this year as a separate company, with a $60 million investment from Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries. Monster Cable. With a half-billion dollars in new ammunition, Beats Electronics will give its former business partner some serious competition. The full impact, however, won’t be known until the end of the year, after Beats and Monster go head to head…

Choice Group will hold its second fund-raising gala on Oct. 24 at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, Calif. This year’s theme: “Dream Big.” Founded by composer/producer Dana Hammond in 2006, nonprofit Choice provides new media artsrelated after-school programs for inner-city and foster youth in Los Angeles. At this year’s gala, “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” musical director Rickey Minor will receive Choice’s Impact Award. “Rickey is a great example of what our kids can become if they have the life skills, tools and discipline to become successful in whatever path they choose,” Hammond says. Minor adds, “By sustaining music and arts education, Choice Group fills an important need for our youth.” Rounding out the evening will be art exhibitions plus performances by Choice board members and Grammy…

No festival shows more music-centric films than the CBGB Film and Music Festival in October. Documentaries dominate their 60-odd offerings with only one film, the opening-night attraction “CBGB”—the story of club owner Hilly Kristal—fitting the biopic category. Next year could be a vastly different story. Production of musical biopics have picked up after numerous projects were derailed over rights issues, lack of boxoffice appeal and cuts in film company development slates. Next year’s film festival calendars could well be filled with the stories of James Brown, Brian Wilson, Gregg Allman, Nina Simone and Jimi Hendrix. FIVE MUSIC BIOPIC S C LOSE TO R E L EASE BRIAN WILSON: Principal photography has wrapped on “Love & Mercy,” director Bill Pohlad’ chronicle of the Beach Boys leader from the late ’60s until…

One time only: At the first of Lorde’ back-toback headlining shows at New York’s Webster Hall on Sept. 30, Lava Records president Jason Flom watched from the VIP balcony and fielded congratulations by other onlookers as the 16-year-old pop prodigy ended the set with her Pure Heroine closer “A World Alone.” The biggest surprise of the night: Despite loud cries for an encore, Lorde did not return to the stage, and never played her new single, “Team.” Flom explained to Billboard that Lorde dislikes encores and never performs them. He’d better get to used to those well-wishes: Lorde’s “Royals” rises to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Future’s new present: Future visited Billboard on Sept. 30, accompanied by his longtime manager, Orlando McGhee, and Gee Roberson, co-CEO…

Business was brisk on a recent Friday evening at Club La Boom, located on the West Side of Columbus, Ohio. Calibre 50, the norteño quartet with provocative, sexy songs, was headlining, and patrons dressed mostly in jeans, hats and boots flowed in from the moment the doors opened at 9 p.m. The first of three opening acts took the stage at 10 p.m., and by 1 a.m., when Calibre 50 kicked into its first song, there were 2,000 people in the venue, a sellout. Each had paid between $40 and $50 per ticket (higher prices at the door) and spent roughly $18-$20 on drinks, with Modelo Beer the beverage of choice. The La Boom scenario is one that plays out every Friday and Saturday night in dance clubs, arenas, convention…

With online video, it’s hard to know whether you’ve made it or are just about to lose it. That’s how it was for Sarah Penna as she stood in the middle of a video shoot in the baking California desert, needing to make an immediate addendum to a film contract. Penna’s client, MysteryGuitarMan, had decided to put his special effects supervisor, Freddie Wong, into the clip. But Wong wasn’t part of the sponsorship agreement struck with L’Oreal. With the nearest big-city entertainment lawyer hundreds of miles away, Penna dumped out the Wheat Thins she was carrying for lunch and scribbled the terms for a new talent contract on the flip side of the empty cardboard box. She handed the contract to two bemused L’Oreal executives who had come along to…

Bigger. Better. Bolder. Those words describe the 2013 Premios Billboard a la Musica Mexicana— Billboard’s Mexican Music Awards— set to air live Oct. 9 on Telemundo from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. It will be the first time the 3-year-old awards take place at the Dolby—its grandest, most glamorous setting to date and an apt one for this year’s awards show, sponsored by State Farm and Ford Motor. “We are having a bigger production with a bigger budget,” show producer Tony Mojena says. “Our aim is to take Mexican music to the world.” Confirmed performers include Joan Sebastian, Banda el Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga, Los Tigres del Norte, Gerardo Ortiz, Calibre 50, Roberto Tapia, Los Inquietos del Norte, Banda los Recoditos, Julion Alvarez y Su Norteno Banda and Roberto…

While regional Mexican is the top-selling genre of Latin music in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, it’s also the one most affected by non-musical forces. The economy, immigration and even the loss of physical retailers have all disproportionately affected sales of the music and the robustness of the genre in general. But by the same token, this genre is full of heroes— artists who have stepped up to defend causes and people, through both their music and actions. Among that select group, few acts have so often and so vocally spoken up for those in need than iconic norteño band Los Tigres del Norte. With more than three decades of performing, and in excess of 32 million albums sold, the quintet made up of siblings Jorge, Luis, Hernan…

The category of songwriter of the year at the Billboard Mexican Music Awards is dominated by some of the genre’s leading artists. LUCIANO LUNA DIAZ Romance and humor have been a hit combination in compositions by Sinaloa native Luna Diaz. “La Mejor de Todas,” which he wrote for Banda el Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga, spent 41 weeks on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart, where it peaked at No. 1. Regional Mexican has remained relevant for younger audiences through Luna Diaz songs like “Besos Al Aire,” interpreted by tribal innovators 3BallMTY, Noel Torres’ “Adivina” and Julion Alvarez’s “Ni lo Intentes.” ISIDRO CHAVEZ “ESPINOZA PAZ” ESPINOZA Paz’s dual role as one of regional Mexican’s most popular artists and one of its most respected and successful songwriters is underscored by this year’s songwriter…

For more than 14 years, Llandel Veguilla Malave has been one half of Wisin & Yandel, the most established and successful reggaetón duo in the market. Two people but one entity, indivisible. One was taller, one more muscular, but they were still a unit, two of the same—almost indistinguishable with their shaved heads, aviator glasses and hoodies. In conversation, Wisin was the talker, Yandel the more reflective one. The roles were coherent with their stage personas: Wisin is the rapper, Yandel the singer. But now, the duo that has racked up 1.8 million in album sales has taken a break as its members release solo projects, both on Sony Music U.S. Latin after a lifetime with Machete/Universal Music Latin Entertainment. The first one out of the gate is Yandel’s, whose…

Victor Mendez, WRMA Miami, music director. Rihanna, “What Now.” Rihanna’s vocals sound amazing on her latest single. I love how this ballad starts with a piano and builds into an emotional masterpiece. RiRi sounds vulnerable, and anyone who’s had a broken heart can relate to this track. Naya Rivera featuring Big Sean, “Sorry.” This is the anthem for all the ladies who have haters! Naya’s voice is golden on “Sorry.” The song refers to the man she’s with, but surprisingly enough, the song is not about him. Listen close to the words . . . Rapper Big Sean is featured on the single. Iggy Azalea featuring T.I., “Change Your Life.” In my opinion, Iggy Azalea is the new definition of hip-hop. Iggy is the female version of her mentor, T.I.…

After Pharrell Williams and T.I. assisted Robin Thicke in engineering a comeback and new career high with “Blurred Lines” this summer, Jennifer Hudson is hoping the same formula is just as fool-proof in autumn. “I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel)” is another feel-good composition from Williams, who has bestowed Hudson with a sleek collection of unassuming piano notes, stuttering bass and shuffling percussion. Likewise, T.I. sounds just as comfortable tossing off luxuriously romantic suggestions here as he did switching up Thicke’s anthem midway through. The positive elements get compounded by Hudson’s magnetic lead vocal, especially when it gets the chance to stretch out syllables in the aching bridge following the second chorus. Hudson’s talent has never been in question, but the R&B star has surrounded herself with a dynamic…

“Everybody’s busy doing better than me/And I can see why it is/They got someone setting them free,” Paul McCartney sings three songs into his buoyant, ultra-melodic new album. He then adds, “Could you be that person for me?” The lyric is likely addressing his new wife, but could just as easily be regarding producers Paul Epworth, Mark Ronson and Giles Martin, who inject some much-needed energy and edge into Mc-Cartney’s music. Tracks like “Queenie Eye” and “Hosanna” recall the Shins at their most accessible, while “On My Way to Work” and “I Can Bet” add crunch and heft to some of McCartney’s most thoughtful power-pop ditties in years. While the sound isn’t wholly new, it’s a nice change of pace for an artist who can still update his image some…

Thanks to AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” Badfinger is sud denly red hot. The drama series, which concluded its fiveseason run on Sept. 29, used Badfinger’s 1972 No. 14 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Baby Blue” in the closing scene. In turn, thousands of viewers turned to the Web and digital retailers to seek out the song. 2,981% 5K “Baby Blue” sold 5,000 downloads in the week ending Sept. 29, a gain of 2,981%. It’s the tune’s single-largest digital sales week. Sales are expected to rise next week, after a week’s worth of impact is felt from the episode. It should arrive on numerous digital sales charts next issue. 10.3M According to AMC, the “Breaking Bad” finale attracted 10.3 million viewers—a series record for an episode. Its Nielsen ratings were up by 442%…

New Love Having co-written 35 entries on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since 2005—including No. 1s for Usher (“There Goes My Baby,” 2010) and Kelly Rowland (“Motivation,” 2011)—songwriter/producer Rico Love is no stranger to the format. This week, Love scores his first chart appearance as a lead artist, as “They Don’t Know” (Interscope) opens at No. 40. The cut highlights his talents as both a singer and rapper, and serves as the first single from his EP Discrete Luxury. ‘Wild’ Ride Six-piece alternative group Royal Teeth has been percolating under the radar for the past year, thanks to the slow-burning success of its single “Wild.” The cut is featured in EA Sports’ “FIFA 13” videogame, which has helped draw fans to the Dangerbird Records-signed band. The song’s audio- and videoclips on YouTube…

LEGEND Bullets indicate titles with greatest weekly gains. Album Charts Recording Industry Assn. of America (RIAA) certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 500,000 albums (Gold). RIAA certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 1 million units (Platinum). Numeral noted with Platinum symbol indicates album’s multiplatinum level. RIAA certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 10 million units (Diamond). Numeral noted with Diamond symbol indicates album’s multiplatinum level. Latin albums certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 50,000 units (Oro). Latin albums certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 100,000 units (Platino). Numeral noted with Platinum symbol indicates album’s multi-platinum level. Digital Songs Charts RIAA certification for 500,000 paid downloads (Gold). RIAA certification for 1 million paid downloads (Platinum). Numeral noted with platinum symbol indicates…