Innholdsfortegnelse for Aug-23-14 i Billboard Magazine

AFTER WOWING EPIC Records chairman/CEO L.A. Reid, Meghan Trainor is winning over fans with her debut hit, “All About That Bass.” The song, which mixes a self-empowerment message with a hooky doo-wop beat, bounds 8-4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and crowns Digital Songs, where it lifts 2-1. “L.A. said, ‘No one has written anything like this yet, so I can’t compare it to anything,’ ” recalls the 20-year-old, who has penned songs for acts like Rascal Flatts. “Usually, I’m writing for other faces. But now it’s mine, so I can say whatever I want. That’s so cool.” Trainor, a Nantucket, Mass., native who now lives in Nashville, tops Digital Songs with a 17 percent jump to 197,000 sold in the week ending Aug. 10, according to Nielsen SoundScan —…

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND TOUR / WRECKING BALL / HIGH HOPES This marathon ran from March 2012 to May 2014 and encompassed two albums, Wrecking Ball and High Hopes. It was the highestgrossing in The Boss’ history as a live act and surpassed Madonna’s Sticky and Sweet Tour as the fourth-highestearning live excursion of all time, according to Billboard Boxscore. Springsteen’s top 2014 overseas dates took place in Auckland, New Zealand, on March 1 and 2, when two sellouts at Mt Smart Stadium grossed $10.2 million and drew 73,958 concertgoers. His top North American show in 2014: May 14 at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pa., which sold 28,398 tickets and grossed $2,984,798. FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE TOUR / THIS IS HOW WE ROLL One of country music’s best artist-development…

Pandora is hitting home with Hispanics. According to ComScore, 25 percent of the Internet radio provider’s 76.4 million monthly unique visitors are Latino, outpacing Univision Digital, which had 10.5 million MUVs in June. Pandora does not specifically advertise to Hispanics, so why the Latin traction? It has made an effort to build its Latin library, for one, boasting three genre subdivisions — Latin, Mexico and Puerto Rico — with more than 50 stations. “The biggest factor is we survey our user,” says Mike Reid, Pandora’s executive director for multicultural. And those surveys reveal another driver: mobile, where Latinos are 17 percent more likely to use the Internet through a phone than a desktop computer. “Marketers have to think beyond traditional, endemic media outlets,” says Reid. “We’re capturing the bilingual Latino…

ROBIN HOOD IS HEADED FOR TV. AND IF all goes as planned, radio and the stage, too. Boardwalk Entertainment Group has inked a deal at NBC to develop Robin Hood & Marian, as well as a project about the music business in the 1970s. Both will be 10-hour event series. The former is expected to include 60 original songs, while the latter, which counts Adam Levine as a producer through his 222 Productions, will feature contemporary stars rerecording ’70s classics. Songwriters Evan “Kidd” Bogart and Emanuel “Eman” Kiriakou (Beyoncé, Rihanna, Demi Lovato) will collaborate on the music and RCA Records will serve as label partner. “These projects are not typical musicals — we don’t have dance numbers and kick lines,” says Boardwalk’s Tim Bogart, who, along with brother Evan, is…

LOS ANGELES, AUG. 1 0 FOX’S FAN-VOTED TEEN CHOICE AWARDS, CO-HOSTED by Sarah Hyland and Tyler Posey, brought its bevy of surfb oard-shaped awards and general saccharine-tinged fun to the Shrine Auditorium. Hollywood’s A-list youth mingled with teenyboppers and those who like to entertain them, including Lea Michele, Lucy Hale and Magic’s Nasri Atweh, as well as Vine and YouTube stars Shawn Mendes and Cameron Dallas. The members of One Direction, who phoned in their thanks from the road, were the big winners, scooping up a whopping 10 accolades, including Choice Break Up Song. Summer anthems dominated the performances, kicking off with Demi Lovato’s rowdy rendition of “Really Don’t Care,” while newcomer Becky G earned a standing ovation for her rendition of the Dr. Lukehelmed “Shower.”Taylor Swift, who presented the…

IN T H E FRAY GWEN STEFANI The West Coast singer’s style is always laid-back, with denim in heavy rotation. These jeans are worn to perfection. KELLY ROWLAND The artist’s sweatshirt and her casual/cool shredded-jean swagger add up to a distinctly American look. FERGIE Ever stylish — even at the airport — Fergie paired tattered skinny jeans with an embellished bomber jacket. BORN TO RIDE WIZ KHALIFA Moto details at the knee amp up the rapper’s ensemble of an oversized T-shirt, Timberland boots and skinny jeans. JUSTIN BIEBER The self-assured pop star complements his confidence with bold black moto jeans and leather galore.…

“What does she mean to me? Everything!” says Grande of Madonna. “She takes care of herself, she takes care of her spirit.” Yours Truly, Grande’s slick, ’90s-indebted debut album from 2013, earned her many comparisons to Mariah Carey. Grande credits India Arie with motivating her early on to “make something really soulful.” Grande and British pop star Jessie J will both include “Bang Bang,” their hit with Nicki Minaj, on the albums they’re releasing this year. “When I heard [Grande’s] voice on the hook, I knew it was a hit,” says Iggy Azalea, who contributed a verse to “Problem.” “It’s me, Jessie and Ari — if they test me, they sorry,”Nicki Minaj raps on “Bang Bang.”…

O N APRIL 23, JUST ONE day after the release of her soon-to-be No. 3 album on the Billboard 200, Iggy Azalea was onstage at the House of Blues in Boston playing for a sellout crowd of 2,500. A major artist in front of a small crowd — investors call it a “perishable experience” ; fans call it a once-in-a-lifetime moment. It plays out over and over in the club world, and it is one reason why the live music business remains at a premium in an ever increasingly on-demand entertainment culture of streaming and DVRs. Live Nation, which commands 21 out of the 25 spots on Billboard’s annual list of the best-attended clubs in North America, reported $2 billion in revenue in 2013, with gross ticket revenue up 30…

9:30 CLUB WASHINGTON, D.C. In 1995, the 1,200-capacity 9:30 Club moved from 930 F St. NW (thus the name) to a spot 1.5 miles away. Coowner/operator Seth Hurwitz believes in karma: “The bar we moved from the old club, like you move a home plate to the new stadium.” Same for the sign over the food counter, a replica of “the weird Asian carryout place next door to the old club.” Touches like these — and the 9:30’s signature cupcakes, which Hurwitz leaves for bands even when they play elsewhere — keep artists coming back. BOWERY BALLROOM NEW YORK David Byrne (above) is a frequent patron of this 550- capacity venue with a notoriously top-notch sound system, rolling up on his bike to watch bands from the stage-left balcony. Another…

ON A SWELTERING AFTERNOON, a camera flashes on French Montana at his new house in suburban Pompton Plains, N.J. “Yo! Make sure they get my six-pack,” jokes the rapper, while holding his snarling German shepherd Zane near the edge of his turquoise swimming pool. Under a white bathrobe, Montana (real name Karim Kharbouch), 29, shows off his new smaller waist size, courtesy of P90X workouts and 20 days of Ramadan fasting. The Moroccan-American rapper from the Bronx is getting used to new changes in his life: a new physique, new digs (he moved in earlier this year) and, most importantly for his career, new tabloid attention brought on by his just-revealed relationship with Khloe Kardashian. Not to mention the buzz building among his fans and online followers (1.8 million on…

Nicki Minaj’s new single, “Anaconda,” slithers onto the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 19, giving the artist her 51st chart entry, and extending her record for the most hits by a female rap act. The tune, which samples Sir Mix-A -Lot’s 1992 No. 1, “Baby Got Back,” also jumps in at No. 4 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. 141 k “Anaconda” wraps around the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs chart, charging in at No. 1 with 141,000 downloads sold in the week ending Aug. 10, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It debuts at No. 3 on the all-genre Digital Songs list as well. The track’s sales also trigger a big move on the Billboard Artist 100, where Minaj bolts 17-3. 10.8 M The always-social Minaj stayed winning on Instagram, where her…

When you score features on standout tracks from Drake and Kendrick Lamar before your first EP has even come out, there’s bound to be high hopes. Jhene Aiko’s “The Pressure” (Artclub/Artium/Def Jam) finds the rising R&B star confronting the expectations to “keep it real” while becoming one of the genre’s most promising new stars. Settling into a sparse, guitar-driven groove, Aiko reaches her conclusion on a bridge that sums up her languid approach: “Major weed smoke in the air/Pass it like you just don’t care/Have you seen my f—s to give/I have none.” Aiko recognizes the pressure that comes with stardom, and cleverly defuses it on her latest promising radio track. —ANDREW HAMPP KATE BOY “Self Control” IAmSound It’s easy to drink the Swedish pop Kool-Aid when listening to Kate…

EMI April shares music publishing credit for several of the top 10 Hot Latin Songs titles for the first half of the year, led by the long-running No. 1 hit “Odio,” recorded by Romeo Santos. Those publishing shares help put EMI April at the pinnacle of the midyear Top Hot Latin Songs Publishers recap. “Odio” songwriting credits are shared by Santos, Drake (real name Aubrey Graham), Richard Preston “Rico Love” Butler Jr., Karen Rodriguez, Earl Hood, Eric Goudy II, Dwayne Nesmith and Noah “40” Shebib. EMI April has been administered by Sony/ATV Music since the June 2012 acquisition of EMI Music Publishing by an investor group that includes Sony Corp. of America and the estate of Michael Jackson (partners in Sony/ATV). EMI April is joined by three other Sony/ATV catalogs…

U.K. pop band The Vamps arrive at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 with its debut EP, Somebody to You. The quartet’s effort sold 20,000 copies in the week ending Aug. 10, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and is the fifth EP to debut in the top 10 this year. A year ago at this point, no EPs had arrived in the top 10. On the Aug. 16 chart, Shawn Mendes’ self-titled EP arrived at No. 5. It falls to No. 32 in its second week. The Vamps’ EP was widely available as a digital download, but its physical version had a limited release. It sold at retailers Justice and Claire’s, through the band’s website and at merch stands during the group’s tour. On the Social 50 chart, The Vamps hit…

Sizzle Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” (featuring Charli XCX) spends a 13th week at No. 1 on Streaming Songs, tying Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” for the longest chart-topping run in the 19-month-old chart’s history. A record-setting 14th week in the next issue, dated Aug. 30, seems highly likely. Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran (below) gets his fourth debut on Streaming Songs as “Don’t” enters at No. 39 following the debut of its official music video on Aug. 4. His last arrival, “Sing,” peaked at No. 14 the week of July 5. “Don’t” received 2.3 million U.S. streams in the week ending Aug. 10, according to Nielsen BDS. That’s up 39 percent from the previous frame, thanks to the large quantity of views (36 percent) coming from YouTube. (His YouTube percentage is sizable because, as…

As Tim McGraw’s “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” (featuring wife Faith Hill) jumps 11-7 on Hot Country Songs, each artist celebrates notable achievements. McGraw notches his landmark 50th top 10, while Hill ends a seven-year absence from the upper tier. She had last visited the top 10 with the couple’s “I Need You,” which peaked at No. 8 on Aug. 4, 2007. Hill had last reached the top 10 on her own with “Sunshine and Summertime” (No. 7, 2006). Dating to his first week in the upper region more than 20 years ago (“Indian Outlaw” flew 14-9 on March 26, 1994), McGraw widens his lead for the most top 10s among all acts, further distancing himself from runner-up George Strait, who has totaled 47 top 10s in that span. Since Oct.…

Wiz Khalifa slows things down — and sings — on “Promises,” his first Hot R&B Songs entry as a lead that debuts at No. 14. The Jim Jonsin-produced track (Beyoncé, Usher, Jamie Foxx) also enters Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 37 with 29,000 downloads sold (accounting for 86 percent of its total chart points), according to Nielsen SoundScan. “Promises” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Twitter Trending 140 real-time chart the day of its release (Aug. 4) and ranks at No. 10 on the tally’s weekly recap (see page 73). The song follows four other tracks already released (“We Dem Boyz,” “KK,” “Stayin Out All Night” and “You and Your Friends”) from Khalifa’s new fifth studio album, Blacc Hollywood (Aug. 19). Khalifa also debuts with Juicy J and Ty Dolla…

LeAnn Rimes rockets onto Dance/Electronic Albums for the first time in her career as Dance Like You Don’t Give A ... Greatest Hits: Remixes debuts at No. 16. The album features all new remixes of Rimes’ hits, including her biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit, “How Do I Live” (No. 2 peak, 69 weeks on the chart), which was remixed by Cahill. Additionally debuting on Dance/Electronic Albums at No. 19 (2,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan) is a Walmartexclusive package of Rimes’ remix album, bundled with her 2003 Greatest Hits release. The coupling of the new album with an existing set made this edition ineligible to be merged with the standalone Remixes for charting purposes. The Chainsmokers (featuring Siren) puff onto Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with “Kanye” (No. 18), the follow-up to…

IT’S THE RARE MUSIC SALES success story: In resurrecting the EP, or “extended play,” a format comprising eight or fewer songs, record labels are moving enough units to build revenue for a baby act with a song on the rise, and could see even greater rewards once the “complete my album” mechanism is off ered at various digital retailers like iTunes and Amazon. Sales trends for the past few years point to the EP increasingly acting as a holdover, almost like putting an album on layaway. If you later include the songs from the EP on the full-length or the deluxe version, it’s a small economic investment to get fans to complete the collection. (EPs retail for between $3.99 and $7.99 on average, compared with $1.29 for a single and…

Five weeks before opening night, the tones emanating from New York’s Metropolitan Opera are anything but dulcet. Contracts with most of the Met’s 16 labor unions expired July 31, and GM Peter Gelb is threatening to lock out 2,400 workers if the unions don’t accept cuts in wages and benefi ts amounting to more than 16 percent. The show must go on, but come Sept. 22 will it be Richard Eyre’s new production of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro — or more of a bitter labor dispute? At issue: The Met wants to cut almost $30 million in labor costs. The unions say that’s excessive (the Met’s operating budget is $327 million and it’s in defi cit by just $2.8 million). The Met says that were it not for extraordinary…

“A lot of the scenes were at the piano, so both being lovers of music, we talked a lot of music.” —JEFF BRIDGES The actor reminiscing about working with Taylor Swift in The Giver at the New York premiere. “The mask has officially been pulled off the police state. No more ifs, ands or buts. This is reality and always has been.” —EL-P The hip-hop artist weighing in on police clashing with protestors outside St. Louis over the killing of an unarmed black teenager. “I lost about $29 million … but I’m a big girl, it’s rock’n’roll, it’s Nirvana money.” —COURTNEY LOVE The rocker and widow of Kurt Cobain revealing her finances. “So, as an immigrant, I’m telling you: Learn to speak goddamn English.” —GENE SIMMONS The Kiss bassist-singer lighting…

Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson took the method approach when playing down-on-theirluck oddball musicians in Magnolia Pictures’Frank (which opened Aug. 15 in New York). The actors learned to become proficient musicians in order to give realistic performances, drawing from acts like Captain Beefheart, Daniel Johnston and The Residents. Their musical DNA is “partially silly and pretty, strange and familiar,” says director Lenny Abrahamson. The comedy touches on the hallmarks of independent music: touring and recording on limited budgets; building a fan base; securing a slot at South by Southwest; and the infighting that often tears bands apart. Prior to seven weeks of shooting in New Mexico and Ireland, Abrahamson and composer Stephen Rennicks worked with the actors to determine their respective musical chops. Smartly, they cast working drummer…

UP UNTIL A YEAR AGO, I was pretty much just getting paid to be an idiot,” says 30-year-old Josh Ostrovsky, better-known as comic and Instagram sensation The Fat Jew (@fatjew). These days, he’s an idiot with a very bright future. After amassing half a million Instagram followers — including Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg — by, say, posing with Jamie Foxx at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards in nothing but underwear and a robe, New York-based Ostrovsky has sold scripted TV shows to Comedy Central and Amazon and lined up a book deal. He also is fielding offers from brands willing to shell out up to $2,500 for product placement in his Instagram snaps or for him to make an appearance at their events. A former E! correspondent and…

EDGY AND BOLD, FOR GUYS AND GALS EDDIE BORGO Fans Kanye West, Lorde, Rihanna, M.I.A. Known for Spikes, chains and other hardware-inspired accents on rings, cufflinks and bracelets Biggest music moment “I asked Alison Mosshart [of The Kills] if she wanted to be photographed wearing my jewelry,” says Borgo, 36, who debuted his line in 2009 and has created jewelry for the runways of Marchesa and Proenza Schouler. What’s next Borgo’s fall line draws from a trip to Morocco. “I was inspired by Mick and Bianca Jagger and Yves Saint Laurent, who lived there in the ’60s,” he says. Expect tassels, bells and edgy studs on everything from earrings to bracelets. Pieces start at $65; eddieborgo.com PRECIOUS GEMSTONES IN SURREAL SETTINGS DELFINA DELETTREZ Fans Katy Perry, Madonna, Miley Cyrus Known…

THE RING Grande was “obsessed” for years with this clever 2002 movie, in which death mysteriously stalks people who dare watch a certain videotape. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 This 2010 sequel to the surprise lowbudget hit appeals to Grande because it mixes intense horror with manic humor. JAWS For her fifth birthday party, Grande chose a theme based on this 1975 blockbuster. Today, she remembers her little friends leaving the celebration in tears. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET Freddy Krueger was, arguably, one of Grande’s early idols: In her “dark and deranged” younger years, she would routinely wear a mask of his likeness.…

1. FIX THE THERMOSTAT Dressing rooms are either freezing or boiling. Right before we go onstage we frequently feel like we’re on Tatooine or Hoth. 2. KEEP IT CLEAN Japan is bathroom heaven. They’re clean and perfect. All the other ones are mildewed and gross. 3. FEED THE BAND We ask for a baguette and salami on our rider because you can’t really f— up salami. It’s easy to f— up ham. There may be hummus — again, pretty hard to f— that up. 4. THROW US AN AFTERPARTY We’re like vampires. We’re done at midnight, which is like 5 o’clock to everyone else, and generally you want to get away from work.…

Also... RETRO ROCK RE-UP The Gaslight Anthem moves beyond its heartland sound FRENCH FLOSSING Just your usual rich, Muslim, Kanye-cosigned, Kardashiandating rapper. COUNTRY BREAKTHROUGH Dierks Bentley is rocking stadiums — and wondering how he got there. FKA TWIGS HAS JUST RELEASED ONE of the year’s most bold, idiosyncratic and deeply personal debuts —LP1 (XL Recordings), an exploration of warped beauty ideals, gender politics, romantic power dynamics and raw sexuality. But she isn’t really interested in explaining the person behind her art. “The idea’s the idea: It’s about what you do, and not who you are,” she says, sipping mint tea in the lounge of New York’s Tribeca Grand Hotel. “That’s why when people are talking too much about my parents, or music I grew up with, or what I think…

“WHAT ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE DOING here?” wonders Dierks Bentley as he looks out at the rapidly fi lling lawn at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis. “Don’t they know this is an almost-40-year-old married guy with three kids?” Bentley, who will take the stage in about three hours on this steamy Sunday night, is a veteran road dog . But now , fueled by one of the biggest hits of the summer in “Drunk on a Plane,” the country star fi nally fi nds his name at the top of the marquee in major venues, more than a decade into his career. “From a headliner development point of view, the success story of the year is Dierks,” Brian O’Connell, president of Live Nation’s country touring division, told Billboard…

SINCE THE RELEASE OF HIS DEBUT MIXTAPE IN 2005, Wiz Khalifa has evolved from a rising Pittsburgh rapper to a pop icon. While his easygoing persona makes him come off like one of hip-hop’s most casual MCs, his work ethic speaks otherwise, spanning from a ceaseless touring schedule to a steady stream of mixtapes and LPs that keep his loyal following of smokers and party kids in the clouds. Blacc Hollywood, the follow-up to 2012’s O.N.I.F.C., is the newest notch in his belt, but he isn’t just punching the clock: The 13-song project, bedazzled with contributions from Nicki Minaj, Currensy, Juicy J and more, is a surprisingly strong off ering, rooted in simplicity and banking heavily on Khalifa’s natural charisma. The bubbly stoner who listeners have come to love is…

DANNY BROWN INTRODUCES “Attak,” from Rustie’s sophomore LP Green Language, with a string of expletives: “Tell that bitch to suck my dick!” he shrieks over stuttering beats, like squealing hydraulic tires on torn-up concrete. It’s a good way to get your attention — the song helped launch the Glasgow producer to No. 2 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists Twitter chart — and this album deserves it. It’s not the fi rst time Rustie lit up the Web: He essentially catalyzed the “Harlem Shake” craze by dropping Baauer’s meme-generating party-starter into his BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix in April 2012. On Green Language, Rustie once again zips across electronic and hip-hop micro-genres, but guest vocalists elevate some of its tracks into proper songs. “He Hate Me” showcases rap duo Gorgeous Children’s breathless…

The soundtrack to Guardians of the Galaxy rises to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming the second chart-topping soundtrack of 2014. The blockbuster film’s set, subtitled Awesome Mix Vol. 1, sold 109,000 copies in the week ending Aug. 10 (up 83 percent), according to Nielsen SoundScan. It debuted a week ago at No. 3 with 60,000. The 12-song multi-artist collection follows Frozen as the second soundtrack to top the chart this year. Both albums were released by the Disney Music Group. (The company’s Hollywood Records issued Guardians of the Galaxy while Walt Disney Records released Frozen.) 2014 is the first year since 2009 where multiple theatrical film soundtracks reached No. 1. Three movie sets topped the list in 2009: Hannah Montana: The Movie, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and…

The latest Billboard 200 — dated Aug. 23 — brings with it 24 debuting albums, including the new Now 51 at No. 2. So far in 2014, there have been 747 debuts on the Billboard 200, compared with 673 at the same point a year ago. Ultimately, 2013 ended with 1,132 new entries — up incredibly from 2003 (802) and 1993 (472). So, what’s up with the ever-increasing number of new arrivals on the chart? Thanks to advances in technology, ease in access to digital retailers and how anyone can self-release an album, the sheer quantity of available titles has increased dramatically. Plus, as album sales continue to dwindle, the threshold to chart on the Billboard 200 is smaller than ever (a title needs to sell around 2,000 to 3,000…

Drake (above) experiences notable social gains during the charting week (ending Aug. 10) as his joint tour with Lil Wayne began Aug. 8. The Street Fighter-inspired Drake vs. Lil Wayne trek kicked off with the release of a new collaboration track, “Grindin’,” which the pair performed on opening night. It quickly reached No. 1 on the real-time Billboard/Twitter Trending 140 chart for the following two days. The track’s volume of activity triggers its No. 12 debut on the weekly Billboard/Twitter Top Tracks chart. “Grindin’ ” is expected to appear on Wayne’s forthcoming Tha Carter V (release date to be announced) In turn, the buzz around the track and the tour causes Drake to re-enter the Social 50 at No 28. He returns thanks to a 30 percent rise in weekly…

Godsmack’s new album, 1000hp, debuts at No. 2 on Top Rock Albums and at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 58,000 copies in the week ending Aug. 10, according to Nielsen SoundScan. While the band just misses the top slot on both charts, it can crow about a new No. 1 on Mainstream Rock: The set’s title track lifts 2-1 becoming the band’s seventh No. 1 since first reaching the summit with 2001’s “Awake.” Elsewhere on Top Rock Albums, Spoon bows at No. 3 with They Want My Soul, selling 39,000. (It also debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.) The new title also tops the Vinyl Albums chart (see page 83) with 7,000 copies, the group’s biggest week for vinyl sales (accounting for 18 percent of the…

Regional Mexican singer El Dasa reaches the Billboard albums charts for the first time as Alegre y Enamorado opens at No. 2 on Latin Albums and at No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with 2,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. El Dasa first reached a Billboard chart when “Mentirosa” peaked at No. 14 on Regional Mexican Airplay in December 2012, while also reaching No. 32 on Hot Latin Songs. Current single “Mi Amiga, Amante, Amor” peaked at No. 9 on Regional Mexican Airplay on July 12. A decade after recording its first album, Mexican rap act Cartel de Santa makes its first foray into the Top Latin Albums top 10 as Golpe Avisa arrives at No. 4 with 2,000 copies. The title concurrently tops Latin Rhythm Albums. The band’s…

Jason Aldean secures his status as a bona fide stadium draw with a run of concerts at five major league ballparks during his Burn It Down Tour’s summer trek. The Georgia native’s first stadium stop was in front of a sellout crowd of 40,516 on July 18 at the Cleveland Indians’ home venue, Progressive Field. With $2.7 million in sales, the concert is his second-highest grosser on the chart, landing at No. 3. Pittsburgh-area fans produced Aldean’s top grosser, at No. 2, with a boxoffice take of $2.8 million at PNC Park on July 26. With Florida Georgia Line and Tyler Farr providing support, along with Miranda Lambert on select dates, Aldean also charts with reported ticket sales from shows at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati (No. 4), Citizens…

Will media heavies and telecom giants cough up $1 billion for the music video hub? Balks one insider: the financials are “bullshit” BY ANDREW HAMPP AND ED CHRISTMAN Vevo has helped Universal and Sony Music monetize their music video catalogs, to the tune of annual revenue that reached an estimated $250 million in 2013 (56 percent, or $140 million, went to the labels). But with the company on the block as it eyes life post-YouTube, its distributor since 2009, what is the music video hub worth to potential investors? The Vevo sale is being led by Goldman Sachs in partnership with The Raine Group, with a valuation that could land in the reported range of $700 million to $1 billion, according to multiple sources. Interested parties have included virtually every…

ROBIN WILLIAMS, WHO committed suicide Aug. 11 at 63, appeared in our lives like a comet streaking across the sky; a brilliant, adorable, hilarious, compassionate, vulnerable manifestation of the human condition. It was as if baring his soul with spontaneous humor was his only defense. Performing an amazing high-wire act, the only net was our love — unbeknownst to us. And my God, how we all loved him! In 1991, that brilliant comet’s path intersected my life when Robin agreed to give voice to the Genie in Aladdin. Awed and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him, my fi rst reaction was concern. Genie was conceived as a hip Harlem jazz singer, like Fats Waller or Cab Calloway. Would Robin be able to sing like Fats? He arrived…

WHEN VAN TOFFLER FIRST went to work at 1515 Broadway in the mid-1980s, starting in business development for Nickelodeon and eventually rising to GM, then president of MTV, the company’s Times Square location was the polar opposite of the Disney-fied pedestrian mecca it has become. “It was drug dealers, pimps and hos,” says the 54-yearold New York native. “A lot of us left work at 1 a.m. or the next morning after editing 120 Minutes all night. It was different.” Now running 12 networks under Viacom’s Music & Logo Group, including VH1, CMT and Logo (Viacom’s 2013 revenue topped $13 billion; MTV reaches some 99 million homes and commands a per-subscriber fee of 47 cents, according to SNL Kagan), he doesn’t lament the loss of MTV’s music video years, which…

The tale of Stax Records, the trailblazing label that launched Otis Redding’s career and released hits like Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood,” is eyeing the big screen and Broadway. Evergreen Media Group, the company behind hit horror film The Conjuring, has inked a deal with author Robert Gordon to adapt his book Respect Yourself into both a film and jukebox musical. Morgan Neville, coming off his Academy Award win for the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, is onboard to produce the film. (Evergreen struck a separate deal with Rondor Music to option publishing rights to such hits as Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man,” and filed suit to stop a competing musical). Set in the 1960s, Respect Yourself follows two unlikely business…

Those itching to snap a music festival selfie in feathered headdresses may be in for a rude awakening. Many festivals have expanded their lists of prohibited items from traditional safety hazards (like fireworks and glass bottles) to include fashion accessories that are seen as culturally insensitive, racist or in bad taste. The Canadian electronic music festival Bass Coast banned attendees from wearing headdresses this August because the event takes place on indigenous land and its organizers decided that allowing such costumes would be disrespectful to the aboriginal people living nearby. “Our policy aligns with their views and wishes regarding the subject,” wrote Paul Brooks, the event’s communications manager, in a Facebook post. Two other Canadian music festivals, Tall Tree and FozzyFest, also issued unofficial bans on the war bonnets Similar…

ARIANA GRANDE IS EASILY MISTAKEN for an old-school good girl. The singer wears Audrey Hepburn-style strapless gowns, travels everywhere with her mother and trades lovey-dovey messages with on-again, off-again boyfriend Jai Brooks (of Internet comedy boy-troupe The Janoskians) over Instagram. Last year, she implored fans to boycott SeaWorld after the damning documentary Blackfish came out. “I think people see me as a little cutesy thing,” she says, looking, in fact, demure and adorable, seated with her feet tucked underneath her on a giant leather couch. “But I’m literally the most sardonic person you’ve ever met.” Proud oddball Iggy Azalea — Grande’s collaborator on “Problem,” the song-ofthe-summer contender that has elevated Grande to superstar status — allows that Grande, while “very sweet,” is definitely “quirky.” Last year, bloggers simply had her…

LIKE MOST OF THE QUINTESSENTIAL SUMMER SONGS OF late, Magic’s single “Rude” didn’t just happen to catch fi re when the weather got hot. Its day in the sun was carefully planned. Released in October 2013, “Rude” was a top 10 hit in Canada and Australia by Christmas, and it’s the sort of record that usually starts getting U.S. airplay in January. But its reggae feel gave “Rude” a summer hook that convinced Magic’s label, RCA, to hold back on the single until spring — and then start spreading the word. “[RCA GM/executive vp] Joe Riccitelli told me in February he had this song that was going to be a summer smash,” recalls Rich Davis, program director of Minneapolis’ top 40 KDWB and adult top 40 KTCZ. Sure enough, “Rude”…

When Billboard polled agents in the club space about rooms they considered must-plays — the spaces that generate crucial buzz — most named the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. “It has the credibility, sound and environment that all bands want to have, and it has the history,” says Craig Bruck, agent at ICM Partners. Co-owned and operated by Seth Hurwitz, president of D.C.-based promoter I.M.P. Productions, the 9:30 Club is the one venue that turns up on both Billboard’s must-play poll and the tally of 25 clubs with the highest attendance. As Live Nation continues to expand its club portfolio, and clubs like Brooklyn Bowl expand to other markets like Las Vegas and London, the fi ercely independent Hurwitz vows, “I’ll never put the 9:30 name on anything else.” He…

Brian Fallon, singer-guitarist for New Jersey’s The Gaslight Anthem, can vividly recall the first time he heard one of his own songs on the radio. It was 2008, and his band’s second — and soon to be breakout — album, The ’59 Sound, had just been released. But Fallon was hardly a rock star: He was working construction between tours. “I was up on a roof when our song came on,” says the 34-year-old. “Everybody put down their tools to listen, and my boss was like, ‘That’s it! You’re quitting! You’re going to be huge!’ ” He did, of course, and he kind of is: The Gaslight Anthem, whose chest-beating Americana is cut with snatches of rowdy punk, slow-burning soul and ramshackle folk, has steered to impressive success during the…

I ATE A WHOLE EIGHTH MY FIRST TIME, which is a lot of shrooms,” recalls Issa Gold, who with partner AK makes up Brooklyn rap duo The Underachievers. “Most people should do half an eighth for their fi rst time. My friends didn’ Being frank is only part of what makes The Underachievers one of New York’s most exciting young teams, a duo whose name belies its dexterous rap style and ambitious left-of-center vision. Their music is a stew of infl uences, cribbing their Flatbush neighborhood’s Caribbean culture, the retro-fl avored oddball rap of the new Brooklyn underground they’ve helped form with fellow rising stars Joey Badass and Flatbush Zombies, and the lessons of psychology, science and history that Gold (born Marlon Fung) has pursued since abandoning religion. But right…

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS FOUNDER Carl “A.C.” Newman has had diff erent explanations for the title of the band’s new album , citing both “brilliant bruisers” and a rough-and-tumble take on the early-1960s Brill Building hitmaking factory . But another suitable reference could be the brill fi sh, which can change its skin color to blend in with its surroundings. On its sixth studio release, the Vancouver indie-pop supergroup — with, as always, the voices of Newman, Neko Case and Destroyer’s Dan Bejar as the focal point — has a similar chameleonic ability, further refi ning its ability to jump from indie rock, folk and chamber pop. Brill Bruisers, the New Pornographers’ fi rst album in four years, is lush with songs suited for big rooms, all huge choruses and shimmering synthesizers,…

By Leila Cobo THE SOUND OF TROPICAL-LACED romance dominated radio airwaves for the fi rst half of the year, according to Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs recap of hits charting in the issues dated Dec. 7, 2013 through June 28, 2014. The style was a softening of sorts from the more uptempo urban fare that has permeated Latin music for the past couple of years. Save for two tracks — the lifeaffi rming “Vivir Mi Vida” and “Adrenalina” — in these hits, it’s all about the girl, as sung by the boys. Prince Royce’s No. 1-ranking title, “Darte un Beso” (Give You a Kiss), says it all. Rhythmic and danceable, yes, but tinged with love. 1“DARTE UN BESO” Prince Royce SONY MUSIC LATIN “It’s such a huge record,” says Royce, 25,…

Sam Smith (above) remains the only artist to have led the Billboard Artist Hot 100 for multiple frames (during the list’s first six weeks since launching) as he rebounds 2-1 for a third cumulative week at No. 1. The U.K. singer-songwriter returns to the top with radio airplay being the biggest driver (30 percent) of his total chart points. Helping fuel his rank is his pleading love song, “Stay With Me,” which rises 2-1 on Radio Songs with a 6 percent gain to 173 million in allformat audience, according to Nielsen BDS. With an identical jump on Adult Contemporary, “Stay” reaches the summit in its 10th week, completing the quickest climb to the top for a debut hit (by an act in a lead role, and excluding holiday hits, which…

Godsmack took a hiatus before 1000hp, which debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Was there any concern you would decide not to get back together? It was scary for sure. People were having doubts about whether the band was going to continue. It’s one of those crossroads you hit in your life. The band was going through some obstacles. I just think we were tired. We were exhausted from all the years of touring and just needed a break, that’s all. What happened when you reunited? It came back very quickly. We really missed each other. The love was still there. It took us some time apart to realize that we really do have a special thing here. We just have to treat it a little more delicately…

Melbourne, Australia, native Vance Joy tops both Rock Airplay and Alternative, rising 2-1 on each chart, with breakthrough hit “Riptide.” Since the former ranking (see Billboard.com/biz) launched more than five years ago, the folk-rocker (real name James Keogh) is just the second solo male (in a lead role) to reign. He follows Gotye (“Somebody That I Used to Know,” 2012), who, while born in Belgium, was raised in Melbourne. The only other lead soloist to top Rock Airplay? Lorde (“Royals,” 2013; “Team,” 2014), from neighboring New Zealand. Keeping with the theme of international rookie rulers, Norway’s Nico & Vinz crown two airplay charts with “Am I Wrong.” The duo’s debut hit ascends 2-1 on Rhythmic and 4-1 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay. On Adult Top 40, Train rolls to its lucky…

Following buzz surrounding its racy cover art, Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” enters Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 4, marking her highest career debut and 18th top 10. The track also debuts at No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs and Rap Digital Songs, with 141,000 first-week downloads sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The next highest bow on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs belongs to a pair of 17-year-old high school graduates from Omaha, Neb., as Jack & Jack enter at No. 25 with rap track “Wild Life.”Jack Gilinsky and Jack Johnson (not the alt-folk singer) boast 4.2 million followers on Vine. Although most of its clips are comedy-based, the twosome has self-released five singles digitally (including “Wild”). Jack & Jack first previewed a snippet of the song on Vine. The track also enters Rap…

Ohio-born Christian rapperproducer Swoope scores his first No. 1 with his debut appearance on Gospel Albums and a career-high rank at No. 3 on Christian Albums as Sinema arrives with 5,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. He previously charted on Christian Albums when Wake Up debuted and peaked at No. 10 on April 7, 2012. The new album also enters Rap Albums at No. 4, the artist’s highest rank on that chart. Concurrently, veteran pop-rock band Family Force 5 nabs its second No. 1 on Christian Albums — and first in nearly six years — with Time Stands Still, which bows with 8,000. The group’s first leader, Dance or Die, opened atop the chart on Sept. 6, 2008. The new set also bows at No. 11 on Rock Albums,…

THERE ARE GIRL GROUPS, AND THEN THERE ARE THE Supremes. In 1964, Florence Ballard, 21, Diana Ross, 20, and Mary Wilson, 20, became Motown’s brightest stars, notching their fi rst No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, “Where Did Our Love Go.” During the next fi ve years, 11 more chart-toppers followed, making the trio the American group with the most No. 1s on the chart. The only group with more is England’s Beatles, with 20 (the most of any act). The ladies were hardly an overnight success. Originally called The Primettes, they changed their name upon signing with Motown in 1961, and by 1964 a succession of mediocre-selling singles had earned them the nickname The No-Hit Supremes at the label. “Where Did Our Love Go,” a song rejected…