| CMU Daily - on the inside Monday 30th April |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- New York court rules Launchcast not interactive
- Shortlist is out
- British music doing really rather well in the States
- Popworld is axed
- Nine men arrested after shooting at Young Buck after show
- Mstislav Rostropovich dies
- Andre suspected of having meningitis
- New Beyonce B'day shipment will not feature disputed track
- KT Tunstall album
- U2 set to release Popmart DVD
- Cocker announces Meltdown acts
- City Showcase announces return
- Diana tickets sell out in minutes
- Linkin Park play Astoria this week
- Bloc Party add new date to tour
- Bizzle announces one off
- War Child event upcoming
- IFPI announce more pan-European online licences
- BPI general counsel departs
- Live Nation buy rest of Trunk
- Ticketmaster appoint new chief for European music services
- T-Mo help launch ARTISTdirect in the UK
- Commercial radio to hold another UK Music Week
- Chart update
- Total Rock world album chart
- Subshot playlist
- This week's Student Radio Chart
- Stars line up to design big guitars
- Iggy Pop at the Chelsea Flower Show
- Proms deny dumbing down
- Calvin Harris working with, not kissing, Kylie
- Coxon will rejoin Blur, says James
- Former Westlifer's sister through to Grease final
- Borrell and Spider-lady stuff
- Sugababe spends night in prison
- Timberlake is a weirdo
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TOP BIT>>
So, Popworld is no more. Well, the TV show is no more, other Popworld spin offs are apparently planned, though with the Popworld magazine canned after just two issues and the flagship TV show axed two weeks later, one can hardly say the Popworld brand is in good health.
Channel 4 have been vague about their reasons for dumping their main pop show, even though they have a stake in the company that owns the Popworld brand, simply saying its time to launch something new into that slot. It's no secret that Popworld had well and truly lost its zeitgeist status ever since the departure of original presenters Simon Amstell and Miquita Oliver just over a year ago. The Amstell/Oliver dynamic, of course, enabled Popworld producers to turn what began as a niche early morning pop show into a modern music institution. Without the dynamic it just became another kids' pop show, and its cult following and audience started to slide as a result. That said, Popworld's time in the limelight was probably never going to last all that long - Amstell and Oliver were never going to want to stay forever, and their appeal would surely have waned had they chosen to do so. Replacing them was always going to be tricky, but you can't blame Channel 4 for trying, nor for calling time now.
Channel 4 plan to find a new pop format to replace Popworld. You might be forgiven for wondering why they are bothering - the 21st century has not been especially kind to mainstream pop TV shows. TOTP is gone, Channel Five have reportedly shelved plans to take on the CD:UK franchise, and there is still no word on if and when ITV will launch their much talked about new pop show. Perhaps, as some say, pop TV is dead in the age where pop music is available to all on demand via a plethora of digital TV and online services.
But a number of people at the previously reported MusicTank Think Tank that last week tackled the issue of music telly remained optimistic that there was still a place for mainstream music programmes if only the right format could be married with the right presenters. And I agree. Popworld is surely a case in point. It saw its audience and status rise just as TOTP and CD:UK went into freefall, because the show's producers happened, possibly by chance, to get together the right format and the right presenting duo at the right time.
The fact that its time at the top was brief is no real failure - with the exception of TOTP, most of the iconic music shows of the last four decades have had a relatively short time at the top. Those that worked were all about the presenters, the attitude, the format, and getting all that right at the right time. That's not an easy thing to do, of course, and I suspect luck plays a big part. But I for one don't think, that just because of the growth of music TV channels and online music services, that such a right place right time mainstream music TV show won't enjoy its time in the limelight in the coming years. I just don't know where or who it will come from.
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MYSPACE OF THE DAY: GOLDSPOT
I've just noticed that the MySpace player is working in my Firefox browser again. For months half the player interface hasn't been showing, and half the functionality didn't work. But now it's all back. And even the volume control is working. Hurrah! If ever there was a reason to go check out some MySpace pages, surely that is it. Though I should stress it is not the only reason to go and check out this new band from LA's MySpace page. Goldspot's really rather good debut album 'Tally Of The Yes Men' is out on 11 Jun (if the big JPEG on the MySpace is to be believed) but it is already winning lots of praise over here as well as in the US. You may have stumbled across them last year when their cover of Modest Mouse's 'Float On' appeared on The OC (assuming anyone was still watching The OC last year). Or when The Times got all excited about them and were offering free downloads galore a couple of weeks back. If not, well here's your chance to do the stumbling - the aforementioned Modest Mouse cover is here to stream, as are three songs from the debut long player, including new single 'It's Getting Old'. I'll be honest, you might not be completely tuned in on first listen, but I'd suggest giving each song a few repeat plays, because they are real growers. And while you're doing that, you can surf round all the blogging and the likes the band have been up to of late. Or surf on over to iTunes where I hear the album is available for just £4.74 this week. Go see.
http://www.myspace.com/goldspot
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NEW YORK COURT RULES LAUNCHCAST NOT INTERACTIVE
A federal court in New York has ruled that Yahoo!'s Launchcast service is not interactive in a long, long running dispute between the web company and SonyBMG.
Launchcast was one of the early online personalised radio services. Users provide information about the kind of music they like, and rate tracks as they play, from which the service provides them with a back to back music service supposedly geared towards their music tastes. Crucially, if a song plays that the user does not like they can skip it - the number of skips allowed each month dependent on the kind of subscription they have.
Despite the personalisation and song skipping, Launch's owners have always claimed the service was simply an online radio station, and run it in the US under a webcasting licence secured through SoundExchange, the collecting society that coordinates those blanket music licences for online services that the record labels have to agree to under copyright law (and at rates set by the US Copyright Royalty Board).
However, when the service first launched most of the major record companies argued it was not simply a radio station, and therefore could not be operated under a standard webcasting licence. Rather, Launch would need to secure interactive service licences from the record companies directly, at rates to be agreed on a licence by licence basis.
The labels launched litigation against the service in 2001, around about the time Yahoo! acquired it. However, out of court settlements were reached with all the majors bar BMG, who continued to pursue the action even after merging with Sony, who had reached an out of court agreement. That was the case being considered by a New York federal jury last week.
And that jury found in Yahoo!'s favour, ruling that despite having certain interactive functions, the Launchcast service was not sufficiently different from traditional webcasting services to be deemed not covered by the compulsory blanket licences. Needless to say, Yahoo! welcomed the ruling, with their Deputy General Counsel, Belinda Johnson, telling Billboard the ruling "reinforces Yahoo's view that Launchcast was in compliance with copyright law". However, SonyBMG said they disagreed with the decision and would appeal.
Whether this case provides any precedent of value isn't clear - I think the court were keen to stress their judgment applies just to the Launchcast service. However, the ruling might contribute to the wider debate as to where you draw the line between online services which are just web versions of traditional radio services, and those which are in essence an interactive model more akin to subscription based download services. It's a line that key players in web, radio and music would all like to draw in a slightly different place.
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SHORTLIST IS OUT
The Shortlist Music Prize has announced its, erm, shortlist, and can I be the first to say what a good shortlist it is? Can I? Good? "Wow, what a good shortlist the Shortlist people have put together this year". There, done it. Now the rest of you are at liberty to do likewise, providing you don't forget who said it first. On the list this year are: Band Of Horses, Beirut, Bonnie Prince Billy, Cat Power, Girl Talk, Hot Chip, Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor, Spank Rock and Tom Waits.
As much previously reported, the Shortlist Music Prize is something akin to the Mercury Music Prize - though only albums that have not sold over half a million units in the US are eligible. The whole thing took a year off last year, and the future of the Prize was thrown into doubt when one of its founders set up a new rival prize based around a similar model. But everything has been resolved, the Shortlist Music Prize is back, and the overall winner from that list of ten will be revealed on a date tbc.
Among the music pundit types voting on the Shortlist this year were Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, The Killers' Ronnie Vannucci, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall, Panic! At The Disco, The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, Sufjan Stevens and journalists Toure and Rev.
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BRITISH MUSIC DOING REALLY RATHER WELL IN THE STATES
Hey, well done us. Well, well done you, really. New figures from record label trade body the BPI show that British music is doing pretty damn well in the US just now. In fact, the UK share of the American music market - the biggest in the world - has increased for the second year running, meaning that one in twelve albums sold in the US now comes from a UK artist. The growth is seemingly down to both the successful launch of new UK artists in the American market, coupled with the continuing popularity of classic British artists like Elton John, Rod Stewart and The Beatles (via that 'Love' album). Which is all cool and groovy.
Commenting on the coolness and grooviness of UK music's performance in the States, BPI CEO Geoff Taylor told CMU: "With the British music industry on a creative high, there has been a huge appetite at home and abroad for new homegrown talent in recent years - British record labels continue to show great strength in building significant US success on the back of strong domestic sales. [Meanwhile] classic British records are a vital part of music's DNA and they still generate significant sales and provide further income to invest in new British artists. No one should underestimate the cultural and economic value of these classic recordings to the British music industry. Nor the coolness and grooviness of it all".
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POPWORLD IS AXED
Hmmm, I wonder if the Brooklands Group's decision to axe the new Popworld magazine quite so quickly after its lacklustre launch had anything to do with insider knowledge regarding the future of the TV show from which it hoped to borrow audience? Because that's being axed too.
Yep, Channel 4 has confirmed it is not recommissioning the once iconic pop show - presumably though not officially because it lost its zeitgeist status and, more importantly, a chunk of its audience after the departure of original presenters Simon Amstell and Miquita Oliver just over a year ago. The show will disappear off our screens at the end of July, though Channel 4, who have a minority stake in the Popworld Ltd company that own the brand, say they hope to pursue other Popworld ventures in the future, though I've no idea what exactly those ventures would be. Meanwhile the TV channel has said it is looking to create a new music show for the weekend mornings slot.
Confirming the decision to axe Popworld, a spokesman for C4 told reporters: "Channel 4 has decided not to recommission Popworld. The show has performed very successfully over this period but we are keen to continue to use our T4 platform as a launch pad for new music formats that reflect our audience's tastes and the way in which they consume music".
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NINE MEN ARRESTED AFTER SHOOTING AT YOUNG BUCK AFTER SHOW
Nine men were arrested after a shoot out took place during a Young Buck after-show party over the weekend. The G-unit member was playing a gig at a club in Kennewick, Washington on Saturday night and he reportedly announced to his audience that an after show party was taking place at the city's Hilton Garden Inn hotel. About fifty people reportedly joined the rapper back at his hotel. It is unclear what events led up to the subsequent fracas in the car park outside the hotel, but police are investigating reports that it was essentially a fight between Young Buck's entourage and rival rappers. Either way, about six shots were fired as a result of the fight, leading to general panic among guests staying at the hotel.
As police arrived those involved sped away in a white limousine and a SUV. Police caught up with the vehicles, and reportedly detained 28 men in relation to the shooting (presumably some were still at the hotel - unless that was one very stretched limo), eventually arresting nine (or eleven, depending on which media reports you believe). No word on if Young Buck himself was involved in any way, or if he was one of the 28 men questioned.
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MSTISLAV ROSTROPOVICH DIES
Mstislav Rostropovich, widely considered to be one of the greatest cellists of the twentieth century, died on Friday at the age of 80. According to reports, the Russian musician had been suffering from intestinal cancer in the last year. Rostropovich's body has been lying in state at Moscow's music conservatory and has been attended by thousands of mourners, amongst them Russian president Vladimir Putin, who gave his condolences to the cellist's widow, opera star Galina Vishnevskayam, and left a bouquet of dark red roses by the coffin.
Rostropovich was born in Azerbaijan, then part of the Russian Federation, in 1927. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory from 1943 to 1948 and became a professor there in 1956. Over the years he became famed for his interpretations of the work of Dvorak and Haydn, but also had music specially written for him by the likes of Prokofiev, Britten and Bernstein. He received around fifty awards during his lifetime, including a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance, the Polar Music Prize and the Gold Medal from the Royal Philharmonic Society.
The cellist also became known for his dissidence during the communist era, writing an open letter to newspaper Pravda in 1974 which led to his being hounded by soviet authorities. Rostropovich fled the country and settled in the US with his wife and children, and his Soviet citizenship was revoked in 1978 because of his public criticism of Russian restrictions on cultural freedom. He returned in 1991 to support the also recently deceased Boris Yeltsin in his fight against a Soviet military coup months before the final disintegration of the Soviet Union.
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ANDRE SUSPECTED OF HAVING MENINGITIS
According to reports, Peter Andre is back in hospital and he's suspected of having meningitis, but, according to other reports, it's not the life-threatening kind, so no need to worry too much. Although his glamour model wife Jordan, aka Katie Price, is said to be maintaining a vigil at his bedside, which doesn't seem a very sensible thing for a heavily pregnant woman to do, but there you go.
As previously reported, Andre fell ill with sickness and diarrhoea last weekend and spent a night in hospital before being discharged. The singer has since been readmitted and is undergoing tests to ascertain his condition. A 'friend' said: "When he was taken to hospital, he was so weak he had to be helped on board the ambulance. Jordan is frantic with worry. Obviously she's desperate to get to the bottom of what's wrong".
For your information, there are a few types of meningitis, bacterial, which is the killer version, fungal, which is pretty rare and generally only affects people with HIV, and viral, which is the kind Andre is suspected of having, and is a bit like having the flu, and is treated as such.
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NEW BEYONCE B'DAY SHIPMENT WILL NOT FEATURE DISPUTED TRACK
New US shipments of the Beyonce deluxe 'B'Day' album will not include her remake of Des'ree's song 'I'm Kissing You'.
As previously reported, Des'ree claims that Beyonce included the cover on the album without her permission. Although talks had taken place between Beyonce and Des'ree's people, no agreement had been reached because Des'ree did not want Ms Knowles to change the name of the song or record a video for it. When the album was released in the US, the song did have a different title and a video was made available for it.
Legal action from the Des'ree camp followed last week, hence the announcement this weekend that new pressings of the album will not feature the track - or at least they won't until the current "legal misunderstandings" are rectified. However, Beyonce's people deny reports that copies of the album featuring the track that are still on sale were being pulled. Also that international versions of the album, like the UK version, were changed at the last minute because of the legal action. Non US versions were not, they say, ever going to feature the disputed track.
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KT TUNSTALL ALBUM
KT Tunstall has announced that her second album will be called 'Drastic Fantastic'. It's expected out in September, but there's no specific date yet. We'll let you know if we do hear anything.
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U2 SET TO RELEASE POPMART DVD
U2 are to release a live DVD featuring a recording of their 1997 PopMart show, filmed at the Foro Sol Autodromo in Mexico. The film was originally released on video back in 1998, but it's now been re-mastered and transferred to DVD. It'll also be available as a limited edition two disc set featuring documentaries, videos and previously unreleased live audio.
No release date has yet been confirmed, but here's the tracklisting:
Pop Muzik
Mofo
I Will Follow
Gone
Even Better Than The Real Thing
Last Night On Earth
Until The End Of The World
New Year's Day
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
All I Want Is You
Staring At The Sun
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet The Blue Sky
Please
Where The Streets Have No Name
Lemon (Perfecto mix)
Discotheque
If You Wear That Velvet Dress
With Or Without You
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Mysterious Ways
One
Wake Up Dead Man
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COCKER ANNOUNCES MELTDOWN ACTS
Jarvis Cocker has announced that Iggy & the Stooges, Motorhead, the Jesus and Mary Chain and The 13th Floor Elevators are amongst the acts set to perform at Meltdown this summer. As previously reported, Cocker is curating this year's event, which takes place on London's South Bank in June and has previously been curated by the likes of Patti Smith, Morrissey, David Bowie and John Peel. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday.
Speaking about the event, the former pulp frontman told The Observer: "It's pretty amazing to be able to programme a whole week like this, to get some of your heroes on and get to meet those people as well. Obviously it's a slight ego trip for me. I'm very proud to be able to present it, but I don't want it to just be all me, me, me; 'This is what I like'. I really want to find ways of getting the audience as involved as I possibly can".
"Some of it is my favourite things, or things that have had a formative effect on me. At the moment I'm interested in quite loud things. Meltdown starts off with Motorhead, something people probably wouldn't associate with me. The first concert I ever played with Pulp was in Rotherham in July 1980. We didn't have many songs of our own so we covered a Motorhead cover version of a Motown song called 'Leaving Here'".
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CITY SHOWCASE ANNOUNCES RETURN
London new music festival City Showcase has announced that it'll be returning from 4-8 Jun. Once again it will all be about championing new music via a programme of free showcases taking place in shops and venues around central London.
One of the then little known bands who played a past City Showcase was Keane, who say of the festival: "It's hard to get anywhere as a band, and the City Showcase gig we played at the Islington Academy in February 2003 was a great opportunity for us to play on a bigger stage than we were used to. At that time we didn't have a record deal, so knowing there was no hope of tour support(!), every decent gig we were offered was a godsend and helped make us a better band". So there you go.
Free daytime gigs take place in shops and cafés around Carnaby Street and Regent Street, including Fopp, Ben Sherman, Miss Sixty, The Apple Store and Virgin Megastore. In the evening there'll be themed showcases hosted by Ras Kwame, DJ Shortie, Nihal and Bobby Friction, John Kennedy and Ian Camfield. Amongst the acts appearing at this year's gigs are N-Dubz, Devil Sold His Soul, Electric City, Union of Knives, Gallows, Brinkman, The Silent Years, BC Camplight, Sona Family, Prithpal, Anthill and Ben's Brother.
For more info and ticketing see http://www.cityshowcase.co.uk, press info from Duff Press.
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DIANA TICKETS SELL OUT IN MINUTES
Not so surprising to hear that the latest batch of 10,000 tickets for the Diana memorial concert, which went on sale on Friday, sold out in minutes. More tickets are expected to go on sale at a later date for the event, which as you all surely know, marks the ten year anniversary of Princess Diana's death in a car crash in Paris. As previously reported, acts performing at the gig on 1 Jul include Elton John, Duran Duran, Pharrell Williams, Lily Allen, Kanye West, Natasha Bedingfield, Status Quo, Rod Stewart and Orson.
Organiser Geoffrey Matthews says: "Prince William and Prince Harry have asked me to say how incredibly grateful they are to the people who bought tickets and the artists who so kindly are going to perform, and the broadcasters who have showed such an interest in their celebrations of their mother".
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LINKIN PARK PLAY ASTORIA THIS WEEK
Linkin Park have announced that they're set to play a date at London's Astoria, ahead of the release of their upcoming new album, 'Minutes To Midnight', out on 14 May.
The band will play material from the new record at the gig, which will take place on 3 May. Speaking recently about the long player, veteran producer Rick Rubin said: "They really are reinventing themselves, it doesn't sound like rap-rock. There's very strong songwriting. It's very melodic... a progressive record".
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BLOC PARTY ADD NEW DATE TO TOUR
Bloc Party have added a second London date to their upcoming winter tour. Their 14 Dec set at Alexandra Palace sold out in hours, so they've added another gig in the same venue for the following day. They also play Glasgow SECC on 12 Dec and Manchester Central on 13 Dec, of course.
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BIZZLE ANNOUNCES ONE OFF
Lethal Bizzle has announced a one off gig at the 100 Club on 13 Jun to preview his upcoming new album 'Back To Bizznizz'. And that's all I have to say on the matter.
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WAR CHILD EVENT UPCOMING
The War Child people have announced they are hosting a fund raising music event on 24 May over there at Koko in Camden. On the bill for the 'Army Of You' gig are The Noisettes, These New Puritans, Friendly Fires, Late Of The Pier, Fear of Flying, Video Nasties, Metronomy, The Rakes (DJ set), Filthy Dukes (DJ set), Kissy Sell Out (DJ set), Punks Jump Up (DJ set) and more tbc. This all takes place on 24 May from 7pm to 2am. Tickets are £12 from http://www.ticketweb.co.uk.
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IFPI ANNOUNCE MORE PAN-EUROPEAN ONLINE LICENCES
The International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry has unveiled a new pan-European licensing framework which it describes as a "major step forward" in enabling online platforms to licence recordings for music services operating across Europe.
The new licensing programme involves a number of collecting societies who represent recording owners' interests. Until now, companies running online music services that operate across Europe looking for blanket recording licences would have to deal with different collecting societies in each territory. The new arrangement means that, for certain unspecified online services, though including podcasts, each participating collecting society will be able to provide a licence to cover other societies' territories. This will simplify the licensing process for pan-European web service providers, and also give those providers a choice as to which collecting society they work with across Europe.
The move follows but possibly goes further than similar moves in the publishing royalties sector, where partnerships between collecting societies in different territories are being forged, partly to simplify things for pan-European operators, and partly to satisfy European Commission competition regulators who have expressed concerns that some collecting societies have basically been operating monopolies within their home territory. The IFPI has also been previously involved in building cross-territory licences, in particular for radio stations simulcasting territory specific radio services globally online.
Commenting on the latest licensing arrangements, Frances Moore, IFPI's Regional Director for Europe, told reporters on Friday: "The record industry's mantra is to license, license, license. We want consumers to be able to listen to our music anywhere, any time through any device as long as it is legal. These landmark agreements will further streamline the licensing process and help broadcasters and online music services deliver music across boundaries. We only hope that other music right holders will follow suit".
The new pan-European licences will not prevent web platform owners from licensing music directly from record companies rather than through the collecting societies, if they so choose.
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BPI GENERAL COUNSEL DEPARTS
The BPI has announced that their General Counsel, Roz Groome, is leaving after seven years, having worked with the recording industry trade body during a period where a whole new barrage of legal challenges surfaced.
Confirming her departure, recently appointed BPI CEO Geoff Taylor, himself a former legal counsel for the trade body, told reporters: "Roz has contributed a huge amount to the BPI, in particular in leading the BPI's anti-piracy initiatives as General Counsel. While we are sorry to lose her, this move is an exciting opportunity for her to use the great experience she has gained at the BPI in a new context".
BPI bosses have begun the recruitment process to find a new General Counsel.
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LIVE NATION BUY REST OF TRUNK
Live Nation US has acquired the remaining stake of merchandising firm Trunk Ltd, which it took a majority stake in last July. The live music major has bought out the company's founder and CEO, Brad Beckerman, for an undisclosed sum. Beckerman will stand down as CEO following the deal, with the company's COO, Marc Choper, taking over the top job. Among the artists who Trunk has worked with on merchandise are AC/DC, Aerosmith, Blondie, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Motley Crue and David Bowie.
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TICKETMASTER APPOINT NEW CHIEF FOR EUROPEAN MUSIC SERVICES
Ticketmaster have announced that Vito Iaia, currently Senior Director Of Music Services in the US, will move to a similar role in their European division, overseeing the ticketing firm's music services in the company's ten existing European territories "and beyond". Services that Iaia will coordinate include TicketExchange, auctions, fan club pre-sales, VIP packages and digital music bundles.
Iaia will work closely with Ticketmaster Europe's Director Of Sales And Music Services, Tim Chambers, in the new role. Confirming the new appointment, Chambers told CMU: "Vito has an excellent knowledge and understanding of the live and recorded music industry and a proven track record in developing this area of our business. I am confident his expertise will help Ticketmaster provide a more Pan-European ticketing solution for our clients and bring greater entertainment opportunities to consumers".
Iaia himself told reporters: "I am very excited by this opportunity and I look forward to the challenges ahead. As we expand our platform of Music Services across Europe my aim will be to deliver the best possible strategic ticketing programmes and entertainment experiences to our clients and consumers".
The ticketing company also announced that Sam Arnold, currently General Manager of Ticketmaster's Ticketweb UK service, will join Iaia to introduce, develop and manage Ticketmaster Music Services in the UK.
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T-MO HELP LAUNCH ARTISTDIRECT IN THE UK
T-Mobile and US music website ARTISTdirect.com have launched a UK version of the ARTISTdirect website, which provides comprehensive listings of every band ever, plus a range of music news and editorial, and all that kind of gubbins. The UK version of the site will also have some mobile services and additional content provided by T-Mobile.
Confirming the partnership with ARTISTdirect, T-Mobile's Head Of Advertising & Brand, Sam Taylor told CMU: "The partnership with ARTISTdirect.com is a further progression in our music strategy. The shared vision and the creativity and innovation of ARTISTdirect.com make them a great partner for T-Mobile. Building on the success of Street Gigs and Transmission with T-Mobile the new site will be the perfect platform to further our commitment to music and our relationship with UK music fans who want to know more about our programme of activity".
I think if you go to http://www.artistdirect.com in the UK you automatically see the new site.
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COMMERCIAL RADIO TO HOLD ANOTHER UK MUSIC WEEK
The commercial radio sector is planning another UK Music Week, the big promotional thingimy which was staged for the first time last year, and which sees all the key commercial radio networks staging special programming and events to celebrate all that is good in British music.
Taking place from 21 to 28 May, participating stations will feature special programming during the week including sessions, 'story behind the song' programmes, and various listener poll type things. Artists due to participate include Amy Winehouse, Paolo Nutini, Mika, Travis, Ben's Brother, Air Traffic, Cherry Ghost, Amy McDonald, Amy Winehouse, Jamiroquai, Jamelia, James Blunt, James Morrison and Corinne Bailey Rae.
Confirming the plans, Andrew Harrison of RadioCentre, the central body representing UK commercial radio, told reporters: "The stations are pulling together some fantastic programming for what will be a great week to tune into commercial radio. There will be shared programming taking place across the five networks championing the best of UK music and some of our smaller local stations will also be playing their part in the week's celebrations doing what they do best, engaging their local community".
In a unique dedication to the UK music industry, Friday, 26th May will see the networks allocating their airtime to UK Music and supporting the very best of UK music across the commercial radio network. The great thing about commercial radio is that it offers an incredible breadth of output for listeners right across the board - from contemporary and rhythmic stations to classical and gold which means we are able to offer something for everyone".
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CHART UPDATE
So, as well as topping the albums chart with what is surely the best selling album so far this year - 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' - the Arctic Monkeys did, as expected, get all twelve tracks off the album into the singles chart Top 200 thanks to single track sales via download platforms like iTunes. Add to that the fact that all the renewed buzz around the Monkeys helped boost single track sales from debut album 'Whatever People Say', and you have Alex Turner et al breaking a record or two by having a total of seventeen singles in the Top 200 all at the same time.
Rumour has it, we should add, that one of the reasons single sales of the new album tracks have been going so well is possibly due to an error on iTunes at the start of the last week which meant you couldn't initially buy the album as a whole, so that fans had to download each track individually. That would mean that end of week stats would show album sales slightly lower than they should be, but single track sales boosted somewhat - certainly enough to ensure that the album tracks appear in the singles chart Top 200. But whatever, there is no denying the Arctic Monkeys are still very much the band of the moment.
Elsewhere in the singles chart, away from all the Arctic Monkeys nonsense, you will find Beyonce & Shakira with 'Beautiful Liar' still at number one, while the Timbaland/Furtado/Timberlake collaboration 'Give It To Me' and Avril Lavigne's 'Girlfriend' both move up a spot to take positions 2 and 3 respectively. New entries come from Sunblock ft Sandy with 'Baby Baby' at 16, The Manic Street Preachers with 'Your Love Alone Is Not Enough' at 26, Amerie with 'Take Control' at 28, Groove Armada and Stush with 'Get Down' at 32, The View with 'The Don' at 33, Lostprophets with '4 AM Forever' at 34 and Shirley Bassey with 'The Living Tree' at 37.
Albums chart, and other than Arctic Monkeys going straight in at the top, the other new entry news of note is that Beyonce's 'B-day' deluxe package thingimy goes in at 8, an Ella Fitzgerald best of enters at 20 and R&B type Joe (Lewis Thomas) is at 25 with 'Ain't Nothing Like Me'. And that is all.
Except to note the input of one CMU Daily reader, who points out that chart commentators are wrong to suggest that you have to go all the way back to the sixties to find artists with so many tracks in the singles chart at the same time (said reader also points out that, while the Beatles did often have multiple entries in the singles chart, they rarely, if ever, went into double figures). Rather than going to the sixties, go to 1982 when Polydor reissued all of The Jam's 7" singles at one time, to coincide with the release of 'Beat Surrender', and they all went Top 75. Which meant they had 13 singles in the singles chart at the same time - all reissues admittedly, but an achievement that surely deserves a quick mention when you're in singles chart records mode?
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TOTAL ROCK WORLD ALBUM CHART
It's the Total Rock World Album Chart, as counted down on Total Rock over the weekend - http://www.totalrock.com. New entries and re-entries marked with a *.
1. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero (Universal/Island)*
2. Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High (Universal/Island)
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (Warner Bros)
4. Good Charlotte - Good Morning Revival (SonyBMG/Epic)
5. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (Warner Bros)
6. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Roadrunner)
7. Hellyeah - Hellyeah (SonyBMG/Epic)
8. Hinder - Extreme Behavior (Republic)
9. Buckcherry - 15 (Warner/Eleven Seven Music)
10. Billy Talent - Billy Talent II (Warner/Atlantic)
11. 30 Seconds To Mars - A Beautiful Life (EMI/Virgin)
12. Black Sabbath - The Dio Years (Warner/Rhino)
13. Evanescence - The Open Door (SonyBMG)
14. Queen - Greatest Hits 1,2,3 (EMI)
15. The Doors - The Very Best Of The Doors (Warnner/Rhino)
16. Razorlight - Razorlight (Universal/Vertigo)
17. Machine Head - The Blackening (Warner/Roadrunner)
18. Guns n Roses - Greatest Hits (Universal/Geffen)
19. Shadows Fall - Threads Of Life (Warner/Roadrunner)
20. Incubus - Light Grenades (SonyBMGEpic)*
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SUBSHOT PLAYLIST
It's the Subshot playlist, the videos appearing on the SUBtv network of screens in students' union bars this week. New entries marked with a *.
A-List
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (Universal/Island)
Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm (Domino)
Dada feat. Sandy - Lollipop (Data)
Feist - My Moon, My Man (Universal/Polydor)
The Fray - Over My Head (Cable Car) (SonyBMG/RCA)
Funeral For A Friend - Into Oblivion (Reunion) (Warner/Atlantic)
Groove Armada - Get Down (SonyBMG/Columbia)
Jamie T - Sheila (EMI/Virgin)
Kaiser Chiefs - Everything Is Average Nowadays (B-Unique)
Linkin Park - What I've Done (Warner)
Mutya Buena - Real Girl (Universal/Island)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hump De Bump (Warner)
The Shins - Australia (Transgressive)
Tim Deluxe - Let The Beats Roll (Skint)*
The View -The Don / Skag Trendy (SonyBMG/1965)
B-List
Booty Luv - Shine (Data/Hedkandi)
Chungking - Love Is Here To Stay (Institute)*
The Cribs - Men's Needs (Wichita)
Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Doctor Blind (Drowned In Sound)*
Good Charlotte - The River (SonyBMG/Columbia)*
lights.action! - Satellites (Four)
Low vs Diamond - Heart Attack (Marrakesh)
Modest Mouse - Dashboard (SonyBMG/Columbia)*
Mumm-Ra - She's Got You High (SonyBMG/Columbia)*
Newton Faulkner - I Need Something (SonyBMG)
The Pigeon Detectives - I'm Not Sorry (Dance To The Radio)*
Saosin - Voices (EMI)
Sparta - Taking Back Control (Anti)
Therese - Feelin' Me (Positiva)
Willy Mason feat. KT Tunstall - We Can Be Strong (EMI)
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THIS WEEK'S STUDENT RADIO CHART
The Student Radio Chart returns - hurrah! The most played tracks on college radio this week, as compiled by the Student Radio Association. There are lots of new entries because the chart has been away on its extended Easter break. More info from [email protected].
1. [NE] Fall Out Boy - Thnks Fr th Mmrs
2. [10] Kings Of Leon - On Call
3. [NE] Artic Monkeys - Brainstorm
4. [NE] The Noisettes - Scratch Your Name
5. [NE] Groove Armada - Get Down
6. [16] The Shins - Australia
7. [NE] Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Weapon of Choice
8. [13] Mark Ronson - Stop Me
9. [RE] Modest Mouse - Dashboard
10. [NE] Snow Patrol - Signal Fire
11. [1] Maximo Park - Our Velocity
12. [NE] Jamie T - Sheila
13. [NE] Matt Willis - Crash
14. [NE] My Chemical Romance - I Don't Love You
15. [NE] Muse - Invincible
16. [NE] Bloc Party - I Still Remember
17. [NE] Dragonette - I Get Around
18. [NE] 1990's - See You At the Lights
19. [NE] Ne*Yo - Because of You
20. [8] Razorlight - Can't Stop This Feeling That I Got
21. [RE] Bloc Party - The Prayer
22. [NE] Mika - Love Today
23. [NE] Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow
24. [NE] Jyrojets - Favourite Thing About Jane
25. [NE] The Hours - Love You More
26. [NE] Ash - You Can't Have It All
27. [NE] Parachute Musical - Keystone Cops
28. [NE] The Killers - For Reasons Unknown
29. [NE] Robyn - Konichiwa B****
30. [NE] Loney Dear - I am John
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STARS LINE UP TO DESIGN BIG GUITARS
The likes of Noel Gallagher, James Blunt, New Order, The Kooks, Rod Stewart and Ozzy Osbourne have all signed up for the Gibson GuitarTown London charity project. As previously reported, Paul Weller was one of the first to get involved with the venture, which will see the music stars creating designs for ten foot high fiberglass models of the Gibson Les Paul guitar which will be exhibited around the capital this summer. Each musician will work on their design with an artist who will then hand paint the sculptures. Artists signed up include some pretty high profile ones - Weller is teamed with Peter Blake, who designed the Sgt. Pepper's album cover, of course, whilst Ozzy Osbourne is working with cartoonist Gerald Scarfe.
The guitars will ultimately be auctioned of to raise money for The Prince's Trust, Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and the Teenage Cancer Trust. James Blunt says: "I am really pleased to be associated with this amazing project which aims to raise lots of money for three fantastic and worthy charities".
Weller, if you remember, said at the end of last year: "I am proud to be associated with the Gibson GuitarTown London campaign as it combines my passion and appreciation for the guitar, whilst raising money and awareness for three very worthy and deserving charities".
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IGGY POP AT THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
Iggy Pop's been party to the creation of a special garden at this year's Chelsea Flower show. It's true. The garden created by The Children's Society is named after the singer's famous track 'Lust For Life'. Pop says: "Lust for Life is full of optimism as young people should be...but too many aren't. I'm honoured that The Children's Society's garden is inspired by my music and wholeheartedly support the work that they do - they rock".
The Children's Society's Richard Johnson added: "Punk and petunias don't normally mix, but our garden inspired by Iggy Pop is bringing a bit of rock n' roll to Chelsea".
The flower show takes place from 22-26 May.
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PROMS DENY DUMBING DOWN
The BBC has denied that the appearance of Michael Ball at this year's Proms series is a sign that the event is 'dumbing down'.
Nicholas Kenyon, the Proms controller, says of Ball, who will perform at the Royal Albert Hall on 27 Aug: "I think he is one of the great, intelligent singing artists alive today. He deserves a place at the Proms just as much as performers in the great classical tradition... Our job is to cover the whole waterfront. The real test here is the audience. We are responding to what audiences want to hear".
This year's Prom season runs from 13 Jul to 8 Sep.
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CALVIN HARRIS WORKING WITH, NOT KISSING, KYLIE
The buzzy Calvin Harris has spoken to MTV about his work with Kylie Minogue. Previous reports suggested that the Scottish musician/producer was too busy, or something, but apparently they have now collaborated on a few tracks. Harris explained that one song is done and dusted, and "sounds like 500 men with their tops off dancing. It's dirty, it's sweaty and a bit wrong. And big gay pop song of course".
He also dismissed rumours that romance had blossomed between the two: "We're just friends, that story was completely untrue. The height difference is mad. I'm 6'5 she's 5'1 so it wouldn't work". I'd venture to suggest that the age difference is also a bit mad - sixteen years, or so - but his point is probably better. We wouldn't want Kylie ending up with neck-ache after everything else she's been through.
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COXON WILL REJOIN BLUR, SAYS JAMES
Blur bassist Alex James has said that Graham Coxon will rejoin the band for recording sessions later this year, despite Coxon's earlier protestations that he'd rather die a thousand deaths than do that, or something along those lines. James indicated that they'll see how things go, however, and aren't necessarily expecting the reunion to be successful. He's quoted as saying: "We're all heading into the studio together this summer. Graham's coming too. We're gonna see if we've still got it. If not, I think we'll just call it a day".
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FORMER WESTLIFER'S SISTER THROUGH TO GREASE FINAL
We haven't been covering the two rival West End musical talent shows (the Joseph one on BBC1 and the Grease one on ITV) because that would involve watching them. But, we hear Brian McFadden's sister is one of the finalists on the Grease Is The Word show, as is 90s pop type Kavana. Big news that makes me think we should have stuck to the not covering these shows policy.
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BORRELL AND SPIDER-LADY STUFF
According to The Mirror, Razorlight's Johnny Borrell has told his ex-girlfriend that he'd dump current squeeze, Spiderman actress Kirsten Dunst, if she'd take him back.
Singer Fabiola Gatti obviously has plenty respect for the singer and his feelings, because she apparently told the tabloid all of this: "He told me he would break up with her to go back out with me. We've been on and off for years. I was recording some solo stuff so I was on my own in the studio when he popped in. We chatted for a couple of hours and I asked him about Kirsten, but I didn't want to annoy him. He didn't say much about her because I don't think he wanted to hurt me. When the air was cleared between us and I knew what the situation was he just leant in and kissed me. He will kiss me on the cheek to say hello when we see each other, but this was more than that. It was weird. It brought up lots of memories, it was amazing".
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SUGABABE SPENDS NIGHT IN PRISON
You might already have heard all about this given that it's been splashed all over the tabloids, but just in case you haven't, Sugababe Amelle Berrabah reportedly spent a night in prison at the weekend after being arrested on suspicion of assault. The singer was apparently involved in a brawl with an eighteen year old woman at a club on Saturday night, and was apprehended and taken to Guildford police station.
A Sugababes spokeswoman was quite tight-lipped, telling reporters: "There was an incident on Saturday night and Amelle is helping police with their inquiries. I can't say more than that because she is on a flight to LA".
Surrey Police apparently confirmed the incident, however, saying: "A 23-year-old female was arrested in Guildford town centre following an incident in a bar. She has been released on police bail pending further inquiries".
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TIMBERLAKE IS A WEIRDO
Justin Timberlake says he was a weirdo when he was at school and got picked on and stuff. He told The Record: "I didn't enjoy school that much. I was a good student but I was one of the weirdos, because I could sing and dance. I would say I was kind of awkward in school. It's funny the things that get you picked on as a kid. I was picked on for my hair, my skin, my voice. I was weird because I could sing".
He went on to say that he got beaten up as a teenager, but that these experiences just make you stronger: "Then I got jumped when I was 13. I was beaten up for being white. I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and it happened so fast. I got beaten up and had a big lump on my head and a black eye. I want to say they broke a couple of my ribs because I remember, for six to eight weeks thinking, it's just a bruise but I think my ribs were broken. For a while, it changed me. It was hard to believe that my head could be any larger but yes - it makes you stronger".