Innholdsfortegnelse for November 9, 2013 i Billboard Magazine

MTV’S DISCOVERY CHANNEL MTV has unveiled an iPhone app called MTV Artists that is a music identification tool and performs searches for lyrics and artists. The app’s success will depend on how dissatisfied music fans are with the current, fractured system of looking up songs, artists and lyrics with services like Shazam, LyricFind and SoundHound, which already have hundreds of millions of users. “We’re stitching together a lot of music discovery activity that happens in a lot of different places,” Connected Content senior VP of music strategy Shannon Connolly says. SONY REVENUE FLAT Sony Music revenue was unchanged in the fiscal quarter that ended Sept. 30, according to Sony Corp. earnings released Oct. 31. Although Sony’s financial statements say Sony Music sales increased 15.9% from the prior-year period, sales were…

.biz Two new U2 recordings will be released on exclusive 10-inch vinyl as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday event on Nov. 29, according to the RDS website. “Ordinary Love”/“Breathe” (Interscope), will be pressed in a limitededition run of 10,000, according to Modern Vinyl. Music companies give special attention to teens. Their engagement in piracy has been closely followed for more than a decade. Labels and publishers have watched as these digital natives who grew up with the Internet and digital technologies have drifted away from purchases and embraced streaming more than any other demographic. Social media platforms are their natural gathering places. To understand teens is to understand the next generation of adult consumers with growing disposable incomes. So the latest biannual teen survey by a group of…

FTR In the Nov. 2 issue, the law firm for Celine Dion’s attorney Jamie Young was misstated. Young is with Hertz Lichtenstein & Young. Bicycle Music’s acquisition of Wind-up’s master recordings catalog and the plan to let sister company Concord Music Group market the records firmly establishes the Wood Creek Capital Managementfinanced amalgamation of music companies as a force to be reckoned with in back catalog. At the same time, the deal reinforces a well-financed Wind-up Records, which will be moving forward aggressively in signing new developing artists, albeit without the safety net of a back-catalog income stream. Wood Creek, a unit of Mass Mutual, owns Bicycle and Concord through separate investment funds it manages. In addition, Wood Creek has a stake in Varese Saraband, the movie soundtrack specialist label.…

Berklee College of Music’s 19th annual Encore Gala raised nearly $1.8 million on Oct. 19. The monies will benefit the Berklee City Music Network, a program that provides year-round music education and individualized mentoring to underserved middle and high school students. Warner Bros. executive VP of talent development Kara DioGuardi, a songwriter/producer and former Berklee professor and “American Idol” judge, served as the soiree’s MC, hosting more than 800 guests at Boston’s Westin Copley Place. Supplying the entertainment were Kool & the Gang along with music by more than 150 faculty, alumni and student musicians. Bain Capital Children’s Charity served as presenting sponsor, and the lead sponsor was Abrams Capital. Rounding out the evening’s events: a live and silent auction. Featured items included a VIP Eagles concert tour package, a…

RETAIL TRACK ED CHRISTMAN @EDCHRISTMAN It’s been 15 years since Island Def Jam broke the mold and began issuing albums in December, a month that was once considered out of bounds for new releases. The move, initially criticized by retailers, was so successful that it won over the entire industry, and since then such releases have been the norm. Curiously enough, the following year, IDJ tried another experiment: releasing music in the week after Christmas, which made perfect sense, as it was one of the top sales weeks of the year. That experiment also was wildly successful—Jay Z’Vol. 3 . . . Life and Times of S. Carter, released Dec. 27, 1999, scanned 463,000 copies that week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Now, however, unlike the December releases, the week after…

Power comidas can take you from the high-rises of Brickell to the upscale Design District to scenic Coconut Grove, now home to Sony Music Latin, and can include ceviche, sushi and even huevos. But no matter the location or time of day—or night—a business meal still means a chill vibe and cafecito to seal the deal, despite caliente temperatures. —Leila Cobo HOT SPOTS “I prefer dinner, because I’m relaxed by the end of the day. Juvia [juviamiami.com] on Lincoln Road is hip and has an amazing view.”—Carlos Perez, national director of publicity, Universal Music Latin Entertainment “ An Italian lunch is easy to order, plus, note my last name. I like Tiramesu [tiramesu.com] and Quattro [quattromiami.com].”—Luana Pagani, president, Seitrak USA “Breakfast is great for breaking the ice, but lunch is…

Even at the peak of his popularity, when he was raising hell on MTV, inspiring bottle-blond dye jobs in middle schools across the country and selling more records than any other artist of his generation, Eminem never got good at being famous. He’s still awkward in interviews, still lives in his native Detroit and maintains the same core group of friends he’s had for most of his adult life. Two of his best albums, 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP and 2002’s The Eminem Show, were largely about either rebelling against the spotlight or reflecting it back on those who deigned to wield it. And on latest single “The Monster,” featuring Rihanna and released Oct. 28, the rap megastar’s discomfort with stardom remains front and center. “I wanted the fame, but…

When Interscope president John Janick spoke with Billboard in mid-October about the label’s fourth quarter, he was just as hopeful about an album released in the first quarter as he was for impending blockbusters from Eminem and Lady Gaga. It was OneRepublic’s Native, which had begun to see a sales resurgence on the back of third single “Counting Stars.” (The album has sold 283,000 copies so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and climbs 46-23 on the Billboard 200.) Janick said, “Even though they made an amazing album, from what I was told when I first came in, it always takes time for these singles.” Four months, in this case. Native arrived in March, with first-week sales of 60,000 and a No. 4 debut on the Billboard 200. “Counting Stars” debuted…

THE 10 HIGHEST-GROSSING apps in the iTunes App Store are all free. But that doesn’t mean they don’t make money. In fact, most of them are rolling in revenue— just not from selling downloads. For example, as of Oct. 29, the top app was “Candy Crush Saga,” which generates an estimated $875,000 per day in sales, according to Think Gaming. Developer King.com has reportedly filed preliminary papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering. The No. 2 grossing app, “Clash of Clans,” rakes in about $691,000 per day, and its publisher, Supercell, was valued at $770 million in April when it raised $130 million in funding. All of that revenue comes from in-app purchases that occur after players download the free game. In fact, spending on…

Avicii’s single with California songwriter/musician Aloe Blacc, “Wake Me Up!,” has become one of the biggest hits of the year—and perhaps the most unexpected, considering Blacc’s career beforehand. Formerly part of hip-hop duo Emanon, he’s been releasing music independently since the late ’90s. But “Wake Me Up!” has unlocked new, massive doors. “It’s simple and pure. People gravitate to that,” Blacc says of the song’s runaway success. “Almost all of the response I see from fans refers to specific lyrics that touch them the most. If you’re young, it’s a feeling of freedom and living your dream. If you’re older, it’s a feeling of nostalgia. Lyrically I hit the nail on the head in a way that works for [everyone].” In contrast, Blacc’s first two solo albums, 2006’s Shine Through…

ARTIST: M.I.A. ALBUM: Matangi LABEL: Interscope Records RELEASE DATE: Nov. 5 PRODUCERS: Switch, Hit-Boy, the Partysquad, M.I.A. MANAGEMENT: Nadja Rangel, Roc Nation BOOKING AGENT: Samantha Kirby Yoh, William Morris Endeavor PUBLISHING: N.E.E.T. Noise/Imagem Music CHART HISTORY: Kala (2007), No. 18 Billboard 200, 560,000; MAYA (2010), No. 9 Billboard 200, 99,000; “Paper Planes,” No. 4 Billboard Hot 100, 4 million TWITTER: @MIAuniverse By 2010, M.I.A. had a top 10 single, a gold-selling album, an Academy Award nod and a Grammy performance under her belt. What she didn’t have, however, was motivation for recording new music. “I was confused by who to make music for, what to make music for,” says M.I.A. (real name Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam) of the time period between her third album, 2010’s MAYA, and the long-delayed Matangi, due…

.biz Universal Music Publishing Group has signed a global agreement with the surviving members of INXS for the band’s core catalog of music. UMPG previously published INXS’ early material through a prior deal. The new pact brings all of its music under one roof for the first time. The deal is the start of a new wave of activity for the Australian band, including a planned TV mini-series and a documentary. Tori Kelly’s second EP, Foreward (Capitol), debuts at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 16,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Those numbers are a far cry from January 2012, when Kelly was performing at Los Angeles’ Room 5. “It has kind of a cafe vibe,” the 20-year-old recalls. “It holds, like, 75-100 people.” It was her first…

6 MONTHS AGO AFI announced the LP, its first in four years, in April by releasing a cryptic video featuring the band in a rehearsal studio. A staggered series of similar clips followed, according to AFI manager Mark Wakefield of Velvet Hammer Music & Management Group, with the goal of alerting the group’s fan base. “Since the band had been away for a few years, the first priority was to restimulate their base. We created content that reflected the album’s planned aesthetic and rolled that out over the course of two months.” The campaign led to the unveiling of street track “I Hope You Suffer” on July 18 and the announcement of a North American fall tour on July 23. 2 MONTHS AGO Album pre-orders launched Aug. 6 on the…

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…

Adidas’ “Basketball Is Everything” commercial features rapper big sean and basketball player derrick rose (top left and right). Bottom left: Rose on set with (from left) common, 2 chainz and dom Kennedy. Bottom right: The scene at the debut of Adidas’ Originals Collective by Footaction at Houston’s Willowbrook Mall on Feb. 14. Adidas has long been teaming with artists to sell shoes, particularly in hip-hop. But the shoe brand’s director of entertainment Jon Wexler wants to help artists from Big Sean to Justin Bieber market their music and tours too. ¶ In its latest “Basketball Is Everything” commercial in early October, Chicago Bull Derrick Rose isn’t the only star in the 60-second spot. Rappers Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Common and Dom Kennedy all make cameos, a way for the No.…

As director/executive producer of NPR Music, Anya Grundmann oversees a diverse array of public radio platforms. They include “First Listen”; the “Tiny Desk” concert series; live event partnerships with New York venues like Le Poisson Rouge, the Village Vanguard and the Prospect Park Bandshell’s Celebrate Brooklyn series; and music content from such member stations as KCRW Los Angeles. Based at NPR’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, Grundmann recently traveled to New York to visit NPR Music’s CMJ Music Marathon showcase and the Brooklyn set of a taping for on-air series “Field Recordings,” featuring Yo-Yo Ma. 6.45 AM Wake up and go for a short run. I listen to music that’s a mix of something we’ve got on our site and what some friends have recommended. 8.00 AM I drive, then take the…

What did you wake up thinking about this morning? It sounds stupid, but I was thinking about what I should show you. A lot of people will show you a gold record. For me, this business is about the people. In the early stages of Amoeba, we put artists’ names on the bin cards, not alphabet cards like every other store did it. We wanted to make it easy for people to find artists, not just the big artists. We did that by making a space for them. Artists were so proud that they had their own bin cards. Describe a lesson you learned from a failure. For a short while we had our own label. We released a reissue from Graham Parsons, which did really well. And we tried…

BUSINESS MATTERS GLENN PEOPLES @ BILLBOARDGLENN This week Canadian metal band Protest the Hero will release new album Volition. If it follows historical precedent, Volition—a crowdfunded project on Kickstarter—will briefly appear on one or more Billboard charts based on early support of a small number of fans, and then fade away. But that may be an unfair metric to use—crowd-funding and charts aren’t necessarily a good match because there’s more to a crowd-funded album than unit sales. Some crowd-funded albums make high chart appearances. The most notable example is Amanda Palmer’Theatre Is Evil, the result of a record-setting $1.2 million campaign at Kickstarter. With the help of nearly 25,000 pledges, and with distribution to digital and brick-and-mortar retail, Theatre Is Evil debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. Four…

.com For photos of the music business at work and play, go to Billboard.biz. To submit photos for consideration, send images to backbeat@billboard.com. 1 I am woman: Katy Perry let the crowd at the Hollywood Bowl hear her roar on Oct. 23, turning the release of her PRISM album into a celebration of all things fierce and female. Perry—who celebrates a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 (see story, page 53)—rocked CBS Radio’s sold-out We Can Survive benefit concert, raising her voice in a battle cry against breast cancer. An all-star, all-women lineup of Sara Bareilles, Ellie Goulding, Bonnie McKee, Kacey Musgraves and Tegan & Sara contributed short sets before Perry romped through an hour packed with hits, starting with “I Kissed a Girl” and ending with fireworks and…

TALK @Grimezsz i love miami @mikkyekko @diplo ditto @diplo. Miami ain’t so badddddd... @Jessie_ Ware Florida I’m coming for you next week. Tampa -- Miami -- Orlando xxxx @questlove #Pacman-BattleRoyale #Im11Again #Miami #WAiTYoUr-FrigginTurn-KidIPut20-BucksIn-TheMachine @NICKIMINAJ4 Hit up my brother Webb’s spot tonite if you’re in Miami. #Room-Service @hernameisbanks Amazing show tonight. Miami is perfect. Next stop Atlanta!! See you soooon. Xx -Banks @Bruno-Mars Tonight we bring the Moonshine Jungle to Miami. #Awwwwww-Shhiiiiiiieeeeeetttt “There’s nothing like some hot, sweaty, sexy Miami humidity,” says Armando Christian Perez, aka Pitbull, whose many tracks about his city earned him the moniker Mr. 305, which is also his label’s name. And though his upcoming Global Warming: Meltdown (Nov. 25), a deluxe version of the original album, hints at his worldwide appeal, Pitbull’s heart is firmly rooted…

In 1964, shortly after graduating from Syracuse University, Lou Reed found a job in the music industry. Reed—who’d played covers in a college band called LA & the Eldorados (his given name was Lewis Allen Reed)—had a passionate connection to early rock’n’roll, and having already tried his hand at doo-wop as a teenager, wanted to make his way as an in-house songwriter at Pickwick Records, housed in a cinderblock building in Brooklyn’s Coney Island. Like his soon-to-be mentor Andy Warhol, his goal was the crossroads of inspiration and factory work, but with pop music instead of pop art. The legend is that Reed—aided by chemical inspiration—took to the Pickwick studio one night to record several of his tracks, including a dance-instruction song called “The Ostrich.” (Sample lyric: “You take a…

“Counting Stars” will likely be the biggest global hit in the seven-year history of OneRepublic. How does that make you feel? It’s insane. I just hung up with the head of international at our label—it’s on pace to be bigger than “Apologize” was for us. And with no superproducer remix either. Every day we get a text in the morning with the news that it’s No. 1 in New Zealand, No. 1 in South Africa. It’s uncanny because you never know which is going to be “the one.” It’s a bit like lightning in a bottle. You don’t really know when the world decides, “I have to have this as my theme song”—unless you’re Max Martin or Dr. Luke. “Counting Stars” has an uplifting, faith-based message. It must be gratifying…

Few artists in any genre have enjoyed a more multifaceted career than Jim Brickman. As he celebrates his 20th anniversary, the charttopping pianist continues to juggle several different ventures. As a self-managed recording artist, he is releasing a new album, The Magic of Christmas, and is kicking off a 40-city tour this holiday season. He continues to host his weekly radio show, “Your Weekend With Jim Brickman,” while also steering his Brickhouse label (distributed by Somerset Entertainment) and its marketing and booking divisions, Brickhouse Direct and Brickhouse Network. Though he has built a diverse portfolio of accomplishments, Brickman’s musical prowess has always provided the foundation for his empire. He has released 33 albums and has the most appearances (29) on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart dating to his arrival in March…

ARTIST: Kellie Pickler ALBUM: The Woman I Am RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11 LABEL: Black River Entertainment PRODUCERS: Frank Liddell, Luke Wooten MANAGER: Larry Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Hartley PUBLISHER: Pickle Butt Publishing/Selma Drye Publishing (ASCAP) BOOKING AGENT: Creative Artists Agency CHART HISTORY: Small Town Girl (2006), No. 1 Top Country Albums, 900,000; Kellie Pickler (2008), No. 1 Top Country Albums, 468,000; “Best Days of Your Life” (2008), No. 9 Country Airplay TWITTER: @kelliepickler TV has been good to Kellie Pickler. She launched her career after placing sixth on the fifth season of “American Idol” in 2006. Earlier this year, she earned new fans when she and partner Derek Hough won “Dancing With the Stars.” This new infusion of broadcast fame is perfectly timed: After leaving Sony Music Nashville’s BNA Records in 2012,…

THE ROYAL CONCEPT Swedish synth-rock band the Royal Concept will set out on a fall tour in support of its Royal EP, out Sept. 24 on Lava/Republic. The group is co-headlining with fellow Paradigm clients American Authors and Misterwives, so its agents, Marty Diamond and Ashley Mowry-Lewis, coordinated with the other bands’ reps. “Our thought was we have all these great up-and-coming bands, we want to get them on the road, so why not package them together?” Mowry-Lewis says. Routing: Paradigm mapped the Royal Concept’s first headlining run in North America by looking at audience response from previous supporting tours. “We focused on the major and secondary markets where they’d gotten great feedback before,” Mowry-Lewis says, adding that the band’s budding radio campaign was also used as an anchor for…

The catalog of the late Lou Reed makes substantial sales gains in the wake of his death on Oct. 27. Since Nielsen SoundScan’s tracking week ended the same day, the charts reflect less than 24 hours of sales activity following the rock icon’s passing. As a result, next week’s charts will likely reflect even larger sales increases. 607% 3K Reed’s catalog of albums sold 3,000 units last week, up 607% from less than 1,000 in the previous week. Reed first broke through as a member of the Velvet Underground, whose albums also sold 3,000 copies, a jump of 236%. Reed’s best-selling LP last week was Transformer, with 1,000 sold (up 527%). 17% 590K In terms of digital songs, Reed sold 17,000 downloads, skyrocketing from 2,000 the week before (a gain…

‘Nashville’ Star Actor/musician Chris Carmack, who plays singer Will Lexington on ABC’s “Nashville,” gains traction at country radio with “What If I Was Willing,” a song he performed on the show’s Oct. 9 episode. Carmack has previously built familiarity with fans through roles on TV series including “The O.C.” and “Related.” His single is promoted by Big Machine’s Valory imprint (Reba McEntire, Justin Moore, Thomas Rhett). Camp’s Trip Atlanta newcomer K Camp closes in on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart with breakout hit “Money Baby” (Dat Real/427), featuring Kwony Cash. WJMH Greensboro, N.C., is championing the track with 69 plays during the Oct. 21-27 Nielsen BDS tracking week and 831 spins to date since its debut on the station on April 21—more than any other station on both counts. Camp…

This week we look at the week’s top 10 best-selling songs associated with Halloween and how their sales for the week leading up to the holiday compare with their year-to-date sales. 1 “HALLOWEEN” THEME John Carpenter The synthesizer-driven main title theme to John Carpenter’s classic 1978 film “Halloween” (which he also scored) is a favorite around its namesake holiday. This week, it also ranks at No. 7 on the Ringtones chart, where it has notched 40 weeks on the list since 2007. 2 “MONSTER MASH” Bobby “Boris” Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers “Monster Mash,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, has sold a sizable 627,000 downloads to date. In 2012, the tune sold 83,000, with 52% of that sum coming in…

.biz BandPage, a service used by half a million artists to manage their online profiles, has struck a distribution deal with Live Nation Entertainment. The arrangement lets BandPage users manage their photos and biographies on LiveNation.com and Live Nation’s mobile app. New York’s Madison Square Garden, which bills itself as “the world’s most famous arena,” has now positioned itself to return to its former status as “the world’s highest-grossing arena,” as the iconic venue gets back to year-round operation in the wake of a three-year renovation project. The $1 billion “transformation” was unveiled Oct. 29, with Ed Sheeran’s first of three shows at the Garden serving as the first artist to play in the newly revamped arena. Going forward, the Garden will be open full time, after being closed for…

Musicians, uninsured at greater rates than the general population in the United States, are coming to grasp the impact of the Affordable Care Act, the health-care reform law known as Obamacare. But like most Americans, they have a lot of learning to do. A new survey found that 43% of creative artists and 53% of musicians lack health insurance. Conducted in July and August by the Future of Music Coalition and the Artists’ Health Insurance Resource Center, the survey covers musicians as well as visual artists, filmmakers, actors and other creative professionals. Previous FMC surveys found 42% and 33% of musicians were uninsured in 2002 and 2010, respectively. Unfortunately, artists aren’t well-informed about the nuts and bolts of Obamacare. The FMC/AHIRC survey found that 55% of artists “don’t understand it…

WHAT: YouTube is putting the finishing touches on an ondemand paid music service with an eye toward debuting the service later this year. The service, designed with mobile listening in mind, will have a free component and a premium $10-per-month tier that offers unlimited access to a full catalog of tracks similar to what’s already available through YouTube parent Google’s All Access subscription music service. Premium features would include the ability to remove ads and cache music for offline listening. Those familiar with YouTube’s plans say it is similar to “Spotify, but with videos.” WHY: YouTube’s primary goal is to continue amassing eyes and ears to its mobile platform to sell ads, its primary source of revenue. As a result, the service could likely have a substantial free component that…

LATIN NOTAS LEILA COBO @LEILACOBO The Latin-American digital marketplace, dormant for so long, is now playing catch-up at lightning speed. Earlier this year, following the debut of such services as Deezer, Muve Music and Rdio in Latin America, Spotify launched operations in Mexico. And last month, the service debuted in Argentina, with plans to expand to Brazil, Chile and Colombia in the coming months, sources say. In addition, just last week, mobile giant Telefonica announced it will take an undisclosed stake in Rhapsody International, a move that will no doubt translate to Rhapsody’s growth in Latin America, where Telefonica already has more than 200 million users. Already, Sonora, the music subscription service of Telefonica subsidiary Terra—available in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Mexico— will offer its “hundreds of thousands”…

Most Wonder-ful time of the year: Those going to Stevie Wonder’ 18th House Full of Toys benefit concert at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre on Dec. 21 will get an extra gift. In addition to performing all of his landmark Songs in the Key of Life album, Wonder will preview a new song, “When the World Began,” he tells Billboard. Wonder is working on a new CD with producer/Verve chairman David Foster—one of two he’ll release next year—and looking at adapting his catalog into a Broadway show. But first, he says, “we have to find the right storyline.” New Ground? Zac Brown’ Southern Ground Records is shopping for a new distribution deal now that the Zac Brown Band has fullfilled its Atlantic contract and the label’s deal with RED is up.…

“I took my favorite things from studios I have worked at and put them in here.” Name: Mark Ronson Provenance: Born in London. Moved to New York with mother Ann Dexter-Jones and stepdad Mick Jones from Foreigner when he was 8 years old. Graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Big break: Co-producing Nikka Costa’s 2001 debut album, Everybody Got Their Something. “The single ‘Like a Feather’ was the first thing that I’d done that I could play out in a club. Suddenly I had Jay Z, Busta Rhymes and DJ Premier and all these people that I loved going, “That’s crazy!” Grammy trifecta: Won three in 2008—producer of the year, best pop vocal album (Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black) and record of the year (“Rehab” by Winehouse). Producing for…

“I didn’t want it to be kitschy, you know.” Lyor Cohen is in an expansive mood, talking about his new business—in particular, its name. He’s in the artfully designed living room of his home in Manhattan’s West Village. On one of the walls is an art piece in red neon lettering that spells out in capital letters “TERROR.” The T flashes intermittently to show it really means “ERROR.” Both words seem apt descriptions of the music industry’s decade-long upheaval. Cohen, though, is ready to put those dark days behind him. The name of his new music company—co-founded with two of his longtime music partners from his Def Jam and Warner Music Group (WMG) days, Todd Moscowitz and Kevin Liles—is 300. The inspiration? The 300 Spartans who fought alongside King Leonidas…

WEEKS BEFORE THE LAUNCHE S OF Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, the gaming-console industry stands at a curious crossroads: Its platforms have served up just as much, if not more, traditional entertainment like movies, TV shows and music than they have games. Consoles have become less about games and more about the other things people can access on them. Just look at the off erings of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Both are bursting with apps that have nothing to do with games, including Netflix, ESPN, Hulu Plus, iHeart-Radio, HBO Go, Pandora and Rhapsody. The services are made available through online marketplaces operated by Sony and Microsoft for their respective consoles. In the console wars, music has become part of a package of entertainment served up from…

JIM BRICKMAN The Magic of Christmas Producers: Jim Brickman, Fred Mollin, Steve Wingfield Brickhouse/Somerset Group Jim Brickman has long had a love affair with Christmas. In fact, The Magic of Christmas is his ninth holiday album, and the good news is he’s lost none of his exuberance for the season. The warmth and fluidity in Brickman’s piano artistry are a perfect complement to such classics as “My Favorite Things,” “What Child Is This?” and “Silent Night.” The arrangement of the oft-recorded “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” sparkles under his skilled fingers. The mostly instrumental album includes four tracks with vocals. Christian music icon Sandi Patty delivers an engaging version of “Christmas Time Is Here,” best-known as the tune from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Actress Megan Hilty, who stars on…

Matt Johnson, KUDD Salt Lake City. Passenger, “Let Her Go.” This is a perfect fit for us. Salt Lake City tends to embrace these sweet types of love songs. I’m thinking of it as 2013’s “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt. As we’ve played this song for our target demo, you can see them light up. It’s a one-listen record. Calvin Harris featuring Ayah Marar, “Thinking About You.” Harris’ beats seem so recognizable these days. Combined with Marar’s seductive vocal, it adds up to a smash for me. It’s edgy enough to appeal to the younger end, yet smooth and melodic enough to catch the ear of listeners 30 and older. Lorde, “Team.” It’s simple, yet Lorde’s distinct vocal makes it enchanting. Once again, her direct, non-fanciful lyrics feel like what…

Childish Gambino “3005” (3:55) PRODUCERS: Donald Glover, Ludwig Goransson, Stefan Ponce WRITER: Donald Glover PUBLISHER: Universal LABEL: Glassnote HIP-HOP ‘3005’ A Good Year For Childish Gambino Donald Glover has again sidestepped his acting career for the moment and returned under his Childish Gambino moniker with the first offering from forthcoming LP Because the Internet. The elastic “3005” essentially offers a collage of influences by some of modern hip-hop’s biggest talent, evoking the braggadocio of Big Sean on the verses and flicking off a hook that would sound at home on Drake’s Nothing Was the Same. Like Drizzy, Gambino tries to navigate through his bars before stopping on a dime to silkily croon, “I’ll be right by your side, ’til 3005.” He best exhibits his potential when he’s at his most…

At 12:01 a.m. ET on Oct. 21, Lady Gaga released “Do What U Want,” a midtempo R&B duet with R. Kelly that was set to appear as a non-single album track on her upcoming ARTPOP, to iTunes. Less than 40 hours later, at 3:50 p.m. on Oct. 23, the song was officially declared the album’s second single, replacing the previously announced dance-pop track “Venus,” which was set to arrive Oct. 27. Now, this week, “Do What U Want” debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 12, thanks partly to sales of 156,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. So why did “Do What U Want” leapfrog “Venus” at the last minute? It’s simple: Feedback for the former, which was previously teased in a Beats by Dr. Dre commercial, exploded when…

Katy Perry logs the biggest week of the year for a female artist on the Billboard 200, as her new PRISM debuts at No. 1 with 286,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. She surpasses the previous high for 2013’s ladies: Miley Cyrus’Bangerz, which launched with 270,000. PRISM is Perry’s second No. 1 album, following her last release, 2010’s Teenage Dream. PRISM also captures Perry’s biggest sales week yet, stepping ahead of her previous high-water mark, when Teenage Dream launched with 192,000. While Perry’s PRISM brightens the top of the chart, the remaining albums on the tally sell far fewer copies. In fact, PRISM outsells the Nos. 2-9 albums combined. In turn, overall album sales fell to a historic low this past week: 4.49 million albums were sold, falling below…