1. Joe and Relient K Heading for Top 10 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart

    July 05, 2013 5:04 PM EDT R&B singer Joe and rock band Relient K could both earn new top 10 albums next week on the Billboard 200 chart. Industry sources forecast Joe's new "Double Back: Evolution of R&B" may sell 25,000 or so by the end of the tra ...

  2. Led By Daft Punk, UK Singles Sales On Track for Record Year

    July 05, 2013 8:22 AM EDT   Strong sales of digital singles during the first half of the year look set to make 2013 another record year for music singles sales in the U.K., the Official Charts Company is predicting. "2013 looks to become the biggest year for singles ...

  3. Justin Bieber Bumps One Direction From No. 1 on Social 50 Chart

    July 03, 2013 8:32 PM EDT Despite One Direction's full week full of activity, the act is unable to stay atop the Social 50 for a second week in a row. They slide in the rankings (1-6), allowing Justin Bieber to rise (2-1) to reclaim the Social 50 throne. The Social ...

  4. J. Cole Album Could Move to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Next Week

    July 03, 2013 8:23 PM EDT 32 0 0 It's not often that an album climbs to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, but that's just what might happen next week. J. Cole's "Born Sinner," which debuted at No. 2 a week ago, looks like it should take the throne next ...

  5. Nielsen SoundScan Mid-Year Report: Digital Album and Single Sales Slow

    July 03, 2013 7:50 PM EDT 1 7 4 0 0 Digital tracks sales are on the decline and the trend is accelerating. For the year to date as of June 30, digital track sales have declined 2.3% to 682.2 million units from the 698 million units that tracks scanned in the first half of 2012, ac ...

  6. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' Gay Equality Anthem 'Same Love' Hits Top 20 on Billboard Hot 100

    July 03, 2013 6:04 PM EDT Song gains in sales, airplay and streams following U.S. Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage issues Following the United States Supreme Court rulings on two separate gay marriage issues (June 26), Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' gay equality ...

  7. Backbeat Byte: Sponge Signs With The End Records With Help From Famed A&R Man Tom Zutaut

    July 03, 2013 3:00 PM EDT 5 0 0 The smiles above at the July 2 contract signing at the End Records ’ offices belonged to: The End Records’ Devin Toye , Raphael Pinkster and Shawn Quinn ; Tom Zutaut ; the End Records founder/CEO Andreas Katsambas , Sponge’s Vinnie Dombroski ; P ...

  8. Justin Timberlake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Lead 2013 Mid-Year SoundScan Charts

    July 03, 2013 11:00 AM EDT 4 2 19 24 0 At the midway point in 2013, Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience" and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop" (featuring Wanz), lead as the year's biggest-selling album and digital song in the United ...

  9. YouTube Confirms Vevo Deal

    July 02, 2013 8:22 PM EDT 6 29 81 8 0 Google Inc.'s YouTube on Tuesday confirmed that it has a renewed its agreement with Vevo, a music video and content distributor owned by Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Media Group.  In addition to retaining ...

  10. In Their Own Words: Frank Filipetti on Phil Ramone (Video)

    July 02, 2013 1:11 PM EDT 1 0 16 0 0 At last week’s R ecording Academy Honors New York Chapter event , between foot-stomping performances by Trey Songz and Ne-Yo, Melissa Etheridge with Joan Osbourne and Sugarland’s Kristian Bush and Valerie Simpson of Ashford & Simpson along ...

  11. Independent Study: Innovative Leisure

    July 02, 2013 11:24 AM EDT 1 320 67 1 0 Label: Innovative Leisure Founded: 2010 Location: Los Angeles Number of Employees: 5 fulltime, 1 part-time Next Release: Superhumanoids, Exhibitionists ( Aug. 6) Distributor: ADA Twitter: @ILRecords Website: InnovativeLeisure.net The second t ...

  12. RIAA Updates Rules Before Jay-Z's 'Magna Carta'

    July 01, 2013 8:35 PM EDT The RIAA has heard Jay-Z's #newrules loud and clear. The music industry's trade organization will update its policies to allow its digital album certifications to be handed out upon release date, rather than after the 30-day waiting pe ...

  13. Business Matters: How Pandora Pays Less -- And More -- Than Radio

    July 01, 2013 6:55 PM EDT Terrestrial radio pays roughly 28% more to publishers per play, per listener than Pandora, according to Billboard estimates from numbers provided in blog posts by David Lowery and Jay Frank . But publishing is a small part of Pandora's roya ...

  14. Steve Moore Resigns as CEO of Country Music Association

    July 01, 2013 2:13 PM EDT 1 2 25 0 0 Steve Moore has submitted his resignation as Chief Executive Officer of the Country Music Association effective yesterday (June 30, 2013), according to a release put out today by the CMA’s Board of Directors. After serving as Interim CEO, then ...

  15. From the Magazine: The New DIY -- Your Music Career in Your Hands

    July 01, 2013 2:00 PM EDT 5 54 45 2 0 The following excerpts are from the "The New DIY: Your Career In Your Hands" cover package featured in the new issue of Billboard (July 7)  and inlcude Ed Chrstman's look at the changing marketplace for independent distributors; ...

  16. Charlie Wilson's Career Celebrated At BET Awards As Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Rihanna Take Trophies

    July 01, 2013 12:02 AM EDT 2 5 19 0 0 “The best of the best in Black entertainment. All Day. All Night. All In.” That’s what BET promised to deliver with its inaugural three-day music and lifestyle festival, the BET Experience. Staged in association with AEG at the latter’s L.A. Li ...

  17. Christopher 'Tricky' Stewart Exits Epic A&R Helm

    June 28, 2013 9:14 PM EDT 4 17 47 1 0 In an unexpected move, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart has exited his post as Epic Records’ president of A&R to concentrate on producing. The Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer joined the label in that role in October 2011. There was no ...

  18. One Direction Film Teaser Spurs No. 1 Return on Social 50 Chart

    June 28, 2013 7:40 PM EDT One Direction returns to No. 1 on the Social 50 for the first time since December, thanks to the release of a teaser for its upcoming documentary film "This Is Us." The Social 50 ranks the most popular artists on YouTube, Vevo, Faceboo ...

  19. Business Matters: What iTunes Radio Will Actually Pay

    June 28, 2013 7:24 PM EDT 68 25 46 2 0 A close look at the iTunes licensing agreement for indie labels shows iTunes Radio royalties have limited downside and strong upside. The minimum royalty calculation ensures labels will be paid a decent royalty until iTunes Radio becomes effe ...

  20. Chuck Inglish's Sounds Like Fun Imprint Signs to Dave Sitek's Federal Prism Label

    June 28, 2013 12:05 PM EDT Rapper Evan "Chuck Inglish" Ingersoll, one-half of Chicago duo the Cool Kids, announced a new partnership between his imprint, Sounds Like Fun, and Dave Sitek's label Federal Prism, distributed by ADA and home to Sitek's main ...

  21. Trey Songz, Melissa Etheridge, Valerie Simpson, 'Les Miserables' Honored at Recording Academy's New York Gala

    June 28, 2013 11:03 AM EDT The importance of music education was celebrated as Trey Songz, Melissa Etheridge, Joshua Bell, "Les Miserables"' composers Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer, Claude-Michel Schönberg, and Ashford & Simpson were honored at the Ne ...

  22. Chart Moves: Justin Timberlake's '20/20' First Album to Sell 2 Million in 2013

    June 28, 2013 9:00 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it was a hip-hop affair in the top three . Kanye West, J. Cole and Mac Miller debuted new albums, respectively at Nos. 1-3 on the list. West's "Yeezus" led the rap parade, selling 327,0 ...

  23. AFI Ink Deal with Republic, New Album Due this Fall

    June 28, 2013 1:45 AM EDT California punk band AFI has signed with Republic Records and will release its ninth studio album this fall via the Universal label. The album, a follow-up to 2009’s "Crash Love," was produced by Gil Norton at East West Studios in Los ...

  24. RED Distribution Signs [PIAS] Music Group for North American Distribution Deal

    June 27, 2013 5:13 PM EDT RED Distribution has signed the [PIAS] Music Group, a leading European independent label and distributor, to an exclusive distribution agreement covering both digital and physical product for North America. As part of the deal, in Canada, RED wi ...

  25. BMI Latin Promotes Joey Mercado in Puerto Rico, Adds Carolina Arenas in New York

    June 27, 2013 10:29 AM EDT Delia Orjuela, Vice President for Latin Writer/Publisher Relations today announced personnel changes at BMI Latin “to meet the growing demand for Latin repertoire." In Puerto Rico, 17-year BMI veteran Joey Mercado was promoted to Senior Dir ...

  26. Apple iTunes Radio's Licensing Agreements With Indie Labels Emerge

    June 26, 2013 10:08 PM EDT 12 61 55 7 0 The licensing agreement between Apple and indie labels reveals further information about the planned iTunes Radio service.  According to a copy of the document obtained by Billboard, Apple will not have to pay for any content during the beta ...

  27. Business Matters: Microsoft's Music Announcements Underwhelm But Deserve Attention

    June 26, 2013 8:44 PM EDT On Wednesday, Microsoft unveiled a radio feature for Xbox Music and an interesting music feature that creates a playlist based on the contents of a web page. But a Microsoft event just doesn't capture attention like an Apple event. Microsof ...

  28. Wale Heading for First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart

    June 26, 2013 7:21 PM EDT Rapper Wale should earn his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart next week with his new release, "The Gifted." Industry sources forecast the album to sell perhaps 150,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, June 3 ...

  29. Mariah Carey Delays New Album Release

    June 26, 2013 3:18 AM EDT Mariah Carey hasn’t quite mastered The Art of Letting Go. Mimi took to Twitter on Monday to inform fans that they’ll have to wait for her 14th studio album, as she’s not quite ready to let it go. “While making this album, I got so immersed in th ...

  30. It’s Official: Kanye West's 'Yeezus' Sells 327,000, Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200

    June 25, 2013 9:00 PM EDT 3 10 97 1 0 Kanye West's new album, "Yeezus," debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 327,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It's the biggest week for a rap album since Drake's "Take Car ...

  31. Former MTV Networks CEO Judy McGrath Joins Sony Music

    June 25, 2013 8:41 PM EDT 3 15 24 0 0 Former MTV Networks CEO Judy McGrath has joined Sony Music to develop multimedia content targeted to millennials. The New York Post first reported details of the new gig. McGrath's venture is named Astronauts Wanted: No Experience Necessa ...

  32. First Official 2014 World Cup Song Released by Coca-Cola in Brazil

    June 25, 2013 7:44 PM EDT Less than a week before demonstrators in the streets of Brazil began protesting the high costs of hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup, among other grievances, Coca-Cola sent a more positive message about the international event out to Brazilian socc ...

  33. Business Matters: The Webcasting Royalty Debate Rages On

    June 25, 2013 7:20 PM EDT 1 0 16 0 0 Two legendary artists have sounded off against lower royalties for webcasters. On Sunday, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason penned an op-ed in USA Today (which Billboard.biz received permission to reprint here ) warning fe ...

  34. Guest Post: Pink Floyd Pushes Back on Pandora's Royalty Rate Agenda

    June 25, 2013 6:06 PM EDT 1 18 0 0 The following Op-Ed originally appeared this past Sunday (June 23) on the opinion pages of USA Today. Billboard.biz received permission to repost it here in its entirety, Billboard.biz welcomes comments below. Send all .Biz guest post submissio ...

  35. Sean 'Diddy' Combs On Revolt TV, Time-Warner Deal, MTV's Influence (Q&A)

    June 25, 2013 4:25 PM EDT 2 20 0 0 Last week, the entrepreneur/rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs went on something of a promotional tear for his new music cable station Revolt TV, which is scheduled to launch this Fall. First he turned up at Cannes where, in a discussion with Translatio ...

  36. Distro Briefs: INgrooves Distributing BMG’s Mute, Sanctuary Catalogs; Victory Signs I Scream Records

    June 25, 2013 11:20 AM EDT 1 1 14 0 0 INgrooves To distribute BMG's Recently-Acquired Mute and Sanctuary Catalogs INgrooves has signed a deal to distribute BMG's recently acquired catalogs, Mute and Sanctuary, which covers such artists as Nick Cave, Moby, Erasure, Iron Ma ...

  37. Tom Silverman's Libera Acceptance Speech: From Artists Against Counterfeit Tapes To 'The Big Six' To A2IM

    June 24, 2013 2:10 PM EDT 1 0 7 0 0 One of highlights from last week's second annual Libera Awards was Tom Silverman's Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech. Part personal history (he co-founded Artists Against Counterfeit Tapes), thank you note (gave gratitude to ...

  38. The Late, Great Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland Talks His First Hit, His Legacy, Chauffeuring B.B. King In One of His Last Interviews

    June 24, 2013 1:31 PM EDT 2 11 14 1 0 The sad news of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s passing on Jun. 23 deprives us of a true sovereign, whose distinctive voice mixed honey and gravel, and who could spin a web of romantic passion and pain inside three minutes. In September 2010, I made a wo ...

  39. Numero Group Joins Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Dead Oceans in Newly Formed ‘Secretly Label Group’ (Exclusive)

    June 24, 2013 1:30 PM EDT 1 563 56 0 0 Numero Group, the Chicago-based independent re-issuer, has entered a partnership to join the Secretly Canadian family of labels, which includes Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar and Dead Oceans. The four labels will be collectively known as the S ...

  40. Billboard 200 Chart Preview: Kanye West's Lead Over J. Cole Shrinks

    June 21, 2013 8:10 PM EDT 3 29 54 1 0 After three full days on sale, Kanye West's "Yeezus" is still forecast to be No. 1 on next week's Billboard 200 chart. However, its lead over J. Cole's "Born Sinner" has shrunk to about 50,000 copies. Industr ...

  41. EDM Biz 2013: CAA'S Rob Light, SFX's Shelly Finkel, Beatport Matthew Adell Discuss the EDM Explosion

    June 21, 2013 6:35 PM EDT 1 16 16 0 0 "I think this is comparable to the generation shift of the '60s," CAA's managing partner and music head Rob Light told the audience during his keynote at the EDM Biz conference in Las Vegas yesterday. The annual conference ...

  42. Rob Stringer Named UJA Visionary Of The Year As Adele, John Mayer, Doug Morris, Others Pay Tribute

    June 21, 2013 3:32 PM EDT 196 22 0 0 "It's weird being called a visionary when you've got Neil Diamond in the room, the guy from Samsung here," said Columbia Records chairman Rob Stringer, nodding to Jay-Z in his acceptance of the UJA-Federation of New York&# ...

  43. Backbeat: A2IM's Libera Awards Bring Out Indie Royalty With Seymour Stein, Martin Mills, Tom Silverman, More

    June 21, 2013 2:02 PM EDT 1 48 6 0 0 From the podium at the second annual Libera Awards Thursday night, Portia Sabin of Kill Rock Stars toasted a room full of DIY music entrepreneurs who unwound with free booze and finger foods after three days of power meetings, panels and presen ...

  44. Chart Moves: Hezekiah Walker's Best Week Ever, Harry Connick, Jr.'s 21st Top 10 Jazz Album

    June 21, 2013 11:00 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart , Black Sabbath scored its first No. 1 as 13 bowed in the top slot with 155,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Elsewhere in the top 10, Big Time Rush, Goo Goo Dolls, the "Man of Stee ...

  45. Letter From The Editor: What Jay-Z's 'Magna Carta' Means For The Billboard 200 Chart

    June 21, 2013 9:28 AM EDT 6 179 162 6 0 "I don't follow any guidelines," Jay-Z says in "22 Twos," one of the standout tracks on his 1996 debut, "Reasonable Doubt." And there's no reasonable doubt that Jay's instincts to blaze trails hav ...

  46. Chart Moves: Hezekiah Walker's Best Week Ever, Harry Connick Jr.'s 21st Top 10 Jazz Album

    June 21, 2013 9:00 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Black Sabbath scored its first No. 1 as "13" bowed in the top slot with 155,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Elsewhere in the top 10, Big Time Rush, Goo Goo Dolls, the " ...

  47. Austin Mahone Makes Social 50 Chart Return

    June 20, 2013 8:41 PM EDT Rising pop star Austin Mahone re-enters the Social 50 chart at No. 34 following the June 10 debut of a new single, “What About Love” (Chase Records/Republic). The track’s official Vevo music video debuted shortly afterwards last week, which help ...

  48. Columbia to Release 'Way, Way Back' Soundtrack

    June 20, 2013 9:00 AM EDT Two new songs from Edie Brickell, “For The Time Being” and “Go Where The Love Is,” appear on the soundtrack to Fox Searchlight’s “The Way, Way Back” that opens July 5. Columbia Records will release the soundtrack on July 2. Brickell, currently o ...

  49. Sony CEO on Calls for An Entertainment Spin-Off: 'It Needs To Be Examined'

    June 20, 2013 4:56 AM EDT Sony CEO Kaz Hirai told shareholders at their annual meeting that entertainment is a vital part of the company, but that the board will consider the proposal from hedge fund Third Point to sell a 15 to 20% stake in the profit-making division. De ...

  50. John Legend, 'Gossip Girl' EP Developing Music Manager Comedy at Showtime

    June 19, 2013 7:45 PM EDT Showtime is going into the music business. The premium cable network is teaming with John Legend and his Get Lifted banner to develop a half-hour comedy vehicle about music managers, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The untitled single-camera ...

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