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Mediaguide To Serve As Sponsor For MUSEXPO
 
Mediaguide will display its electronic monitoring system and host a networking breakfast for the participants of the MUSEXPO international music and media forum, set for May 1-4, 2005 in Los Angeles, CA.
The inaugural MUSEXPO, the first of its kind international music and media conference in Los Angeles, is on the verge of a sell-out with less than two weeks remaining before the official start of the event. MUSEXPO's producer and Mediaguide partner, A&R Worldwide, sought to open up the event to a manageable group of high-level, forward-thinking executives to connect with each other over several days. All with the purpose to discover new music and develop un-conventional methods of doing business in a rapidly changing market.
A&R WORLDWIDE, the global artist discovery/development firm hosting the event, has also announced the final line-up of bands that will perform at its prestigious showcase concerts. "We have crafted MUSEXPO as a great 'meeting of the minds' of the global leaders in media and music," says A&R WORLDWIDE co-founder SAT BISLA. "We have also gathered some of the most promising diverse acts from around the world for these decision makers to experience and act upon, spreading the good news of this deserving talent to all corners of the globe."
The hotly tipped four-day event is taking shape as a United Nations of the music world for like-minded individuals who have a passion for--and a critical stake in--the discovery of new artists as well as developing platforms to create new international business opportunities. Executives and artists from around the world will be on hand for interactive panels, think-tanks and performances.
One of the highlights of the conference is sure to be the MUSEXPO keynote round-table with host Larry King has been confirmed for Monday, May 2, promptly at 10:00AM in the Grand Ballroom of the Wyndham Bel Age. Joining King for his keynote panel will be Chris Gorog, Chairman/CEO, Napster, multi-Platinum artist Dave Navarro, Jim Urie, President, Universal Music & Video Distribution, Neil Portnow, President, The Recording Academy, Brian Becker, Chairman/CEO, Clear Channel Entertainment Worldwide and Nick Gatfield, Managing Director, Universal/Island Records Group, UK.
If you would like to register, log on to www.musexpo.net. If registration is sold-out online; you must contact Karmen Beck directly at +1.310.286.0231, or karmen@musexpo.net for any possible avails.
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 10th ANNUAL USA SONGWRITING COMPETITION
Enter your songs in the 10th Annual USA Songwriting Competition and win $50,000 Grand Prize worth of cash, cool music gear from Sony, Steinberg, Ibanez Guitars, Audio-Techica and more! Winning songs will receive airplay on a nationally syndicated radio program in Unitd States and Canada. Judges include A&R from Universal, BMG, EMI, Warner and SONY Music.
Get early entry Bonuses and please obtain the entry form from the internet at: http://www.songwriting.net
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Mediaguide To Support Independent Artists Of The Midwest Music Summit
Mediaguide will serve as a sponsor for the Midwest Music Summit that will take place July 21-23, 2005 in Indiannapolis, IN. As such, Mediaguide is giving a discount to all artists who submit to the conference and subscribe to ArtistMonitor, the only electronic airplay reporting system dedicated to independent artists and full access to its MusicMonitor system for the conference organizers as they research artists for the various showcases.
According to the Executive Director of the Midwest Music Summit, Josh Baker, "As we scour the country looking for the best emerging artists, it is important for our staff to utilize all of the latest technology to maximize our time. Mediaguide is a natural fit for us. We love the legitimacy of being able to track REAL airplay for an artist at all levels."
In addition, the staff of the Midwest Music Summit will select 7 bands that will receive free access to ArtistMonitor and a tutorial from Mediaguide. At the conference, representatives of those bands and Mediaguide will sit on a panel for independent artists to explain the benefits that ArtistMonitor provided for them during that time.
"This program dedicated to independent artists provides a forum for these groups to learn about the tools available, like ArtistMonitor, that can help them in their career, " states Paul E. Wright, Vice President of Music Business Development for Mediaguide. "The most important point is that artists will be teaching other artists from their own experience."
The Midwest Music Summit is the premier music festival and conference for the central US. For the first time, the MMS will be held in conjunction with the NAMM Summer Session. This July 21-23 over 300 emerging artists will perform on 30 stages in Indianapolis, IN. Hundreds of interesting, like-minded individuals will participate in thought-provoking panel discussions featuring some of the industry's brightest executives. Deadline for artists to submit music for showcase consideration is May 13. Past performers have included: KRS-One, Ambulance Ltd, Robbers On High St., Juliana Hatfield, Marc Farina, Still Remains, Rhymefest, Burning Brides, Rachel Yamagata, Cat Power, Ice Nine and more.
For more information visit www.midwestmusicsummit.com.
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Filter Magazine and Mediaguide Launch Filter Weekly Radio Singles Chart
Filter, the world's premier independent music magazine, and Mediaguide, the most comprehensive and reliable source for radio airplay information, partner to launch Filter Weekly Radio Singles. Filter Weekly Radio Singles - the first-ever chart ranking the best music from modern rock, college, AAA, and U.S. Internet radio stations - went live at www.filter-mag.com on April 20. It will also be published in Filter Magazine and Filter's LA and NY newsletters.
"Filter Radio Panel will give people an idea of what's hot on the U.S. radio stations that still take chances on developing artists," said Filter Magazine Co-publisher and founder Alan Miller. "Our goal is, as always, to maximize exposure for great music. We feel this new chart will do exactly that."
"We're really excited to be powering Filter Magazine's new airplay chart and to be partnering with such a respected publication," said Erik Maier, Mediaguide's Vice President of Music Sales & Marketing. "Mediaguide is the only company that electronically monitors both non-commercial and commercial radio airplay, so we're in a unique position to help expose Filter's readers to the abundance of great new music being played on some of the most influential non-commercial and commercial Alternative and Triple A radio stations in the U.S."
"Filter Magazine wanted to provide its readers with information on the best new music around," said Paul Wright, Mediaguide's Vice President of Music Business Development. "As the only airplay monitoring company capable of seamlessly combining college, non-commercial and commercial airplay, Mediaguide is proud to be the solution chosen to serve Filter's loyal readers."
Stations in the Filter Weekly Radio Singles Panel include KCRW KDHX, KDLE/KDLD, KEXP, KITS, KOOP/KVRX, KXLU, WAWL, WDBM, WDET, WFMU, WFPK, WFUV, WKNC, WKQX, WRAS, WRGP, WRVU, WTMD, WXPN, WYEP
Filter Magazine, in its three-year history, has become the premiere music lifestyle publication covering up-and-coming bands and cutting edge musicians for the intelligent music lover. The magazine, located on the Web at www.filter-mag.com, also features avant-garde authors, filmmakers and artists, and has established itself as the editorial voice for independent music enthusiasts whose opinions on culture are contagious.
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 Broadjam is all about "Driving the Music." We build web-enabled technologies to globally service musicians and professionals in the music industry. We are committed to providing easy-to-use and affordable web services to help independent musicians promote themselves and get their music heard. Our world-class web site has attracted musicians from all 50 states and over 100 countries around the world.
In addition, Broadjam provides music industry executives with the tools to search, catalog, find, and place music in a variety of channels. They also build mechanisms to conduct song contests and operate online voting systems. If it's promotion you're looking for, Broadjam offers co-sponsorship opportunities to a highly targeted and responsive audience. The biggest names in this industry trust Broadjam with their music, so should you.
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Each week Mediaguide will present an artist whose self-released song or album has placed in the top 10 of its Artist & Self-Released charts by genre, format or specialty program. To learn more about Mediaguide's airplay information on self-released or artist-imprint songs and releases, check out the A&R/Music Discovery section of Mediaguide.com.
Artist: Anat Cohen
Album: Place & Time
Genre: Jazz
Release Date: May 3, 2005
Website: http://www.anatcohen.com
While the album has not yet reached the stores, Anat Cohen has received the approval of MDs and PDs across the country, gaining airplay in almost 40 markets. The top 5 stations playing 'Place & Time' since Mediaguide first began monitoring the album in late March are as follows:
| Station |
Dominant Format |
Market |
First Detected Date |
Plays To-Date |
| WXUT |
College Variety |
Toledo, OH |
4-8-05 |
20 |
| Jazz (MC) |
Jazz |
National - Cable |
4-13-05 |
15 |
| KCSM |
Jazz |
San Francisco, CA |
4-4-05 |
12 |
| KEWU |
Jazz |
Spokane, WA |
4-5-05 |
10 |
| KUVO |
Jazz |
Denver-Boulder, CO |
3-30-05 |
11 |
Originally from Tel Aviv, Anat Cohen has performed around the world on soprano and tenor saxes, clarinet and flute. She contributed six excellent to her debut recording, which she is releasing independently under the Anzic Records moniker.
For the past six years, Anat has been a member of the Diva Jazz Orchestra (www.divajazz.com) and Five Play Jazz Quintet. Anat is featured on their latest CD, "Diva Jazz Orchestra, Live at the MCG". While with Diva, Anat has had the opportunity to perform with guest artists such as Nancy Wilson, Dave Brubeck, Slide Hampton and Diane Schuur.
Anat has begun to perform as a band-leader in New York City clubs marked by the debut performance of her Quartet at Sweet Rhythm in 2004. Her current duo project with pianist Alon Yavnai is receiving great acclaim and their debut CD, "Duo" is scheduled for release in Spring 2005. Anat also appears together with her two brothers, Yuval Cohen and Avishai Cohen, on BMG's CD - "Summa Cum Jazz" and on their new self released debut album: 3 Cohens/One.
Anat has been a member Duduka Da Fonseca's NY Samba Jazz (Brazilian Jazz), Brazooca Band (Brazilian Pop Music -MPB), Argentinean pianist/composer Pablo Ablanedo's Octet ("From Down There", "Alegria" - CD is out on "Fresh Sound"), "Mango Blue" - Afro Latin Band led by Ecuadorian Bassist Alex Alvear and recorded and toured with Colombian bassist/composer Juan Sebastian Monsalve ("Bunde Nebuloso" with Jason Lindner and Jeff Ballard).
As a guest artist, Anat has performed with many notable ensembles and orchestras including The New York Pops, The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra and with artists such as Flip Phillips, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ruby Braff, Jamey Haddad, Louis Hayes, Arnie Lawrence, Rachel Z, Ingrid Jensen Yamandu Costa, and Cyro Baptista.
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 The 3rd Annual SUMC Urban Music Conference is set for June 1-4, 2005 in Atlanta, GA as a celebratory tribute to Black Music Month. The Renaissance Atlanta Hotel Downtown will act as host to the 2005 conference and its participants.
Through Sonicbids, SUMC and Mediaguide are running an airplay contest where the artist with the most plays across the Mediaguide network will perform at the Rising Stars / New Label luncheon, receive a year of ArtistMonitor Premium and other prizes.
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Each week Mediaguide will bring additional attention to one of the stations in its monitored network. In some weeks, we will be fortunate enough to have one of the monitored stations share their thoughts on an album that has captured their staff and listeners. In other weeks, we will highlight a playlist that has captured our attention for its diversity and combination of local, regional and national artists.
This week, WXYC of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Raleigh - Durham, NC market is our featured station. Their top 10 albums, based on the number of plays detected by Mediaguide, from the week of April 18 through April 24, 2005 show a combination of rock, electronica and world.
WXYC celebrated its 25th anniversary in March 2002 and are in their third decade of nationally-recognized innovative programming and strong support for independent and local artists and labels. A good example of their local focus is in their support of Bellefea, North Carolina natives and the 2001 North Carolina Battle of the Bands winner in the Indie Rock Category
WXYC Awards
Gavin magazine's College Radio Station of the Year, 1995
The Independent Weekly's Real Best of the Triangle, Best Radio Station for Local Music, 1997
The Independent Weekly's Indies Arts Award, 1998
Spectator magazine's Best of the Triangle, critic's choice for Most Cutting-Edge Radio Station, 2002
| Artist |
Release |
Label |
# of Plays |
| Of Montreal |
The Sunlandic Twins |
Polyvinyl |
32 |
| Bellafea |
Family Tree |
Pidgeon English |
19 |
| The Decemberists |
Picaresque |
Kill Rock Stars |
16 |
| Des Ark |
Loose Lips Sink Ships |
Bifocal Media |
16 |
| Blueprint |
1988 |
Rhymesayers |
14 |
| The Books |
Lost And Safe |
Tomlab |
11 |
| Spoon |
Gimme Fiction |
Merge |
9 |
| Various Artists |
World Psychedelic Classics 3: Love's A Real Thing, The Funky Fuzzy Sounds Of West Africa |
Luaka Bop / Rykodisc |
8 |
| LCD Soundsystem |
LCD Soundsystem |
DFA / Capitol |
8 |
| Iron Maiden |
The Number Of The Beast |
Capitol |
8 |
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Reprinted from Dennis Hopper's Music Business blog
Aging Rockers Thrive in Turbulent Music Industry
By Adam Pasick
LONDON (Reuters) - Middle-aged musicians who have neither burned out nor faded away -- yet may be some years past their creative peaks -- are pulling in the real money in today's topsy-turvy music industry. In the young person's game that is popular music, the top of Rolling Stone magazine's 2004 money list is dominated by artists of a certain age like Metallica and Rod Stewart.
They may not produce as many chart-topping songs as they once did, but with album sales flagging due to Internet piracy and competition from other entertainment outlets, they pull in revenue streams from merchandise, concerts and books. To find a group on Rolling Stone's list that has been around for less than 10 years, you have to go down to Linkin Park at No. 9.
The rock band trails artists such as Prince and Madonna, who both had blockbuster tours and Jimmy Buffett, who released his first fully-fledged country album in 2004 but more importantly has a lucrative string of "Margaritaville" chain restaurants.
It's not only true at the top.
Artists dubbed "heritage acts" like Simple Minds, Iron Maiden and Bryan Adams still enjoy avid fan bases and are making good money and playing big concert dates.
"When you write really big songs they connect with people in such a way that it reminds them of the moment they first heard them," said Max Hole, executive vice president for marketing and A&R at Universal Records.
"They want to keep being reminded, and one way is to go see them live."
SANCTUARY FOR AGING ROCKERS
Many niche yet lucrative heritage acts are housed at Sanctuary Group, known half-jokingly in the industry a "haven for aging rockers," which is the world's biggest independent music label. It is also a major player in artist management, merchandising and touring. The company purchased Elton John's management company for $30 million last week.
Sanctuary grew out of representing heavy metal group Iron Maiden, which is still touring and putting out albums despite falling off the mainstream radar.
"We've recognized that selling records is only one part of the mix, and that's especially true for heritage artists," said John Williams, senior vice president of A&R at Sanctuary.
"They've got touring down, their publishing income from songwriting is substantial and merchandise is brilliant -- Led Zeppelin T-shirt sales, for example, are as strong as they ever were.
"It's the artists that are songwriters, artists that love to tour, and artists who love to reinvent themselves -- these are the types of the artists who can go out and constantly tour and not just play the greatest hits," he added.
However, heritage acts that neglect playing their hits risk angering their fan base, which often includes a second or even third generation raised on a diet of classic pop music.
"When I just saw Bryan Adams play to 12,000 people in Sydney, no one left feeling like they didn't hear him do 'Summer of '69,"' Hole said. "He understands that if he doesn't play the songs people want to hear, they won't go away feeling warm and fuzzy."
FORMULA FOR LONGEVITY
Music bosses say the secret to making the move from young chart-topper to prosperous heritage act lies mostly in the long, hard slog of touring: steadily building a fan base from the bottom up.
"Nothing can replace touring," said Sanctuary Group President Tom Lipsky.
"What (heritage acts) share is that they had that originality, something that no one else was offering, and they were relentless; they toured and toured and toured."
It is a formula that means many of today's cookie-cutter pop acts are unlikely to enjoy longevity.
"The business is so much faster," said Hole. "It's harder to get noticed, a big part of the pipeline is being used up by TV-driven instant artists, and it's quite difficult for them to build careers."
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The "Heritage" artists that Adam Pasick writes about above have enjoyed long, successful careers for a long list of reasons so I would never attempt to place the credit in one place. But Mr Pasick's reference to the idea "the secret to making the move from young chart-topper to prosperous heritage act lies mostly in the long, hard slog of touring: steadily building a fan base from the bottom up, "and the statement from Sanctuary Group President Tom Lipsky that "Nothing can replace touring" is an extremely important point that deserves additional attention.
I would add a corollary to Mr. Pasick and Mr. Lipsky that it is not only touring that builds the fan base, but both the preparation and follow-up from the live performances that helps ensure continue success and a return trip. Now, let me be clear first, if the live show is weak then the only way you will get new fans is to practice. If you have a strong show then it is important that you design a tour route that will place you in front of the most accepting crowds and that you prepare each market for your arrival.
So how do you find the right crowd...by knowing your market exposure both online and offline. Your website and email lists are more valuable than the pure number of addresses or hits, they are market research tools that can aid you on the road. When you have decided that you are ready for a tour, you should determine:
- Where do the people on our e-mail list live?
- Where do the people that visit our website or community pages live?
- Where have people already heard our music?
Your ability to use (a) and (b) depend on how much you ask about your fans when they visit your website or purchase your music. In setting up your online store and your websites, you should keep a clear eye on capturing information because each fan represents an extension of your own marketing plan. In supporting them, you first need to know who they are and where they are.
With the technology available today, item (c) can be the email address for the person who downloaded a file from your store, streamed your music from an internet radio provider, purchased a CD or heard your music on the radio. Just as with the basic website, when you set up the locations for fans to access your music, whether you run it yourself or use a third-party service, try to capture as much information about the new fans and customers as possible. On the radio side, our ArtistMonitor service will provide you with the exact number of plays that you have received by station so that they success you achieve before or after your performance is not a mystery.
When you set up your tour, the locations with the most points in your fan and customer lists, weblogs and airplay information should help determine the route. In addition, it is just as important to keep an eye on the markets you left in order to see what impact your show had on sales, airplay and website visits.
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