Music News Net

U2 Tops 2011 Concert Tour List With $231.9M in Sales Worldwide

MUSIC NEWS- Irish rockers, U2 are #1 for concert touring this year! The band won the honor with their highest-grossing tour both in North America and around the globe in 2011.   The band grossed $156M in USA/Canada from over 1.7 million tickets sold, according to the music site Pollstar. The group grossed $231.9M worldwide on 2.39 million tickets sold.

In the top five highest-grossing touring acts in North America were Taylor Swift ($97.7M), Kenny Chesney ($84.6M), Lady Gaga ($63.7M) and at #5, NJ's Bon Jovi ($57.1M).   For the worldwide top five, U2 were followed by the reunited Take That ($224M), Bon Jovi ($148.8M), Ms Swift ($104.2M) and former Pink Floyd man Roger Waters ($103.6M) . Tickets on U2's 360 Degrees tour sold for an average price of $97.15 worldwide and $91.67 in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

BEN KWELLER's Own "Noise Company" Label to Release His New GO FLY A KITE

MUSIC NEWS - After 15 years of releasing records through both major and independent labels, Ben Kweller has announced the formation of his own label, The Noise Company. The Austin, TX-based label will be home to all future Kweller releases, beginning with his infectious new album, Go Fly A Kite, set to hit stores February 7, 2012. The Noise Company has signed on with the Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) to distribute all of its releases.

Signed to Mercury Records when he was 15, and then ATO when he was 20, Kweller, now 30, is interested in being in a situation in which he has complete control. Kiko Velez, Head of A&R at The Noise Company recently said, "Ben has released successful records with a variety of inspiring partners and has gained a great deal of wisdom and experience." Velez continues, "That experience combined with a large and loyal fanbase, puts him in an ideal position to take advantage of the unique landscape of today's music industry."  

THE DOOR PR Firm Looks to Expand Music Efforts

MUSIC NEWS- Ex-Island Def Jam publicist Karen Wiessen has joined New York City based indie PR firm The Door, where she's charged wtth developing the firm's music and entertainment division.  Started up just back in 2007 by experienced record company PR executive Lois Najarian O'Neill and Charlie Dougiello (longtime publicist for Rachael Ray), The Door has music performers Alicia Keys, Il Divo, Natasha Bedingfield, Sean Kingston, and J. Roddy Walston as clients in an interesting mix with food personalities such as Ms Ray and Iron Chef Marc Forgione.

Gibson Guitar Facilities Raided by Feds Again, Company Will Fight Charges

MUSIC NEWS-  The chief executive of Gibson Guitar company has gone on record that the firm would fight a federal investigation of the guitar maker's wood imports.  This comes after federal agents raided the company for the second time in two years.

Agents entered Gibson's facilities in Nashville and Memphis, TN, on Wednesday, seizing wood imported from India and sending company workers home.  In an affidavit, authorities indicated they are considering charges against the company and/or its executives for illegally importing wood under a US law that bars importation of endangered plants and woods. The company's sued to recover its property.

Psssst, Wanna Buy a Stage Owned by U2 ?

MUSIC NEWS - As U2 winds down the most successful concert tour ever, the big question is what to do with their huge stage.  Answer?  Sell it !  Yep, they want to sell their stage, all of it, including The Claw, the device that moved around and resemble one of those arcade game "claw" devices.

If you're in the market, and have lots of cash (no suggested price mentioned, btw), visit PantherManagement.com/theclaw.    A brief description; “Designed by Bono, Willie Williams and Mark Fisher, the massive stage structure is an industry first. Tried and tested at over 110 concerts in 78 cities in 30 countries, the in-the-round transportable structure was designed to support up to 185 tonnes and engineered to withstand high winds while sustaining seismic loads. While on tour, “the claw” carried a cylindrical video screen able to open to a size of 14,000 square feet and designed to provide fans with the best possible concert viewing experience ever. It was an overwhelming success.”

The last stop of the band's 360 Tour is on July 30, 2011 in Moncton, Canada.  Let's us know if you do buy it, and how you plan to put it to use!

Arctic Monkeys Claim Censorship in the USA

 MUSIC NEWS- Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner recently told the UK's Xfm that a "big" American supermarket chain has objected to the title of the band's new album; Suck It and See and will cover the offending word with a sticker. 

The title, Turner explained, "has not travelled very well".  While most folks in the UK are familiar with the phrase "suck it and see", a convenient term for dealing with boiled sweets, those of us in the USA are not.  "They think it is rude [and] disrespectful," Turner said. "They're putting a sticker over it in America in certain stores, big ones."

Songs for Japan Charity Album Released; U2, Elton John, Springsteen and Others

MUSIC NEWS - U2, Bob Dylan, R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen are some of the performers on the new digitally released charity album,  Songs For Japan, to help the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, which is available now on iTunes for $9.99.  John Lennon’s remastered “Imagine” and U2’s “Walk On” appear along with Dylan’s “Shelter From The Storm”.  Country, pop and rap genres are there too with tunes from Eminem, Elton John, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, and The Black Eyed Peas.  Full song list is below.

No MILE HIGH MUSIC FESTIVAL in 2011

MUSIC NEWS - Sure you should still go to Denver this summer, but not if you were only were going for the Mile High Music Festival, as organizers have said today that there will not be an event this in 2011(it's going on "hiatus").  The 2011 fest would have been the fourth, but AEG decided not to attempt a fest this year, reports local station KUSA.

“It was not an easy decision to put the festival on hold,” AEG Live Rocky Mountain Region President and CEO Chuck Morris. “We are really proud of the event, and we’re not ruling out the possibility of bringing it back in the future.”

Apparel Company, Patagonia, Enters Music Biz

MUSIC NEWS - Apparel compnay, Patagonia Inc, has announced that they've entered the music biz and formed the Patagonia Music Collective.  It launches in the USA today, March 1, 2011 (Japan, the UK, Canada, and elsewhere in June). The exclusive tracks will be sold at $.99 each, with net proceeds going directly to the environmental organizations of the artists' preference.

Musicians signed on so far include; Phillip Glass, Pearl Jam, Jack Johnson, Bonnie Raitt and Jon Cleary, Maroon 5, Zac Brown Band, moe., The Bad Plus, Blitzen Trapper, Mason Jennings, John Scofield, Piers Faccini, Switchfoot, Brett Dennen, Sun Kil Moon, Umphrey's McGee, Ben Solee, RaRa Riot, Spoek Mathambo, Taj Mahal, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Drive By Truckers, Bobby Long, String Cheese Incident, Ki: Theory, Moondoggies, Vusi Mahlesela, Disco Biscuits, O.A.R., Ziggy Marley, Los Lobos, Dawes, Abigail Washburn, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Brandi Carlile, Laura Jansen, Medeski Martin & Wood, Robert Randolph and the Family Band among others.

 

Live Nation Saw Declines in 2010

MUSIC NEWS - Live Nation Entertainment reported today (Monday) their 2010 fiscal year numbers, and, no surprise, they saw declines in their full 2010 year and fourth-quarter figures.  The results reflected the combined business for the 2010 operations of the merged Live Nation and Ticketmaster companies.

For 2010, their overall revenue grew to $5 billion from $4.2 billion last year. But, the new comapny saw an operating loss of $63 million and a net loss of $228.3 million ($1.39 per share).  Year-to-year concert revenues dropped 7.2% during for the 12 month period that ended December 31 (down to $3.4 billion from $3.7 billion).  Revenues did grow 5% during the fourth quarter from 2009's same period (to $790.3 million, from $752.7 million).  Ticketing revenue dropped to $1B (12.5%) year-to-year and to $350M (8.1%) 4th quarter to 4th quarter.

RADIOHEAD Moves Up "King of Limbs" Digital Release

MUSIC NEWS - Radiohead, who had previously announced that they'd be releasing the new album; The King of Limbs digitally on Saturday (2/19/11), without any fanfare moved up the release to today!  The new set is the follow up to their "pay-what-you-want" release of In Rainbows.  Don't worry, if you pre-orderd KofL you'll receive it today says XL Recordings. And yes, you have to pay for KoL, but the digital version is reasonably priced.

Check out the music video for their first single, Lotus Flower.

 

RADIOHEAD's Manager Says "The King of Limbs" Pricing Is a "Logical Progression"

MUSIC NEWS - After their pay-what-you'd-like release in 2007 of In Rainbows, RADIOHEAD's follow-up has a set price. Band manager Chris Hufford says he's looking after the band’s interests by charging this time for the set.

In response to questions over the plan for the release of the upcoming The King Of Limbs, Hufford recently told the UK music tabloid NME; “Our allegiances are to the band. We manage Radiohead, we don’t manage retail or labels, we just manage the band and are just trying to do the best possible thing to allow another brilliant record to be embraced by the fanbase.”

When Radiohead took us, and the music industry, by surprise four years ago with the deal on their seventh album, In Rainbows, the UK's The Guardian asked whether the pay-what-you-want plan was RADIOHEAD's effort to re-start the music industry.

Once again, with news of the pricing on the reportedly eight song The King Of Limbs, they're asking nearly the same question, as noted with the headline ‘Will Radiohead’s The King of Limbs save the music industry?‘. 

More @ ATeaseweb.com

 

SONY Posts Another Quarterly Decline

MUSIC NEWS - Sony Corp saw its operating income slip 5.9% year on year during the last quarter of 2010. Sales decreased in most Sony divisions, particularly at Sony Music (14.5 % sales decline), Sony Pictures and it's home entertainment division (due to continued declines in cd, dvd & blu ray disc sales).  At Sony Pictures, operating profit sank 66.7% to $58 million, with sales falling 26.7% to $1.84 billion. The third-quarter releases did not match up to the prior year's release slate  despite its "The Social Network" film and continued price decreases on SPHE catalog dvd product through its' scan based trading (SBT) (consignment) program.

The fall in profit was also a result of currency fluctuations between the dollar and the yen.

BON JOVI Plans "Years Off" After World Tour

MUSIC NEWS - Bon Jovi plans to go on hiatus for a few years when their 2011 "The Circle" world tour ends.   The New Jersey rockers have said they will take a lengthy break when the tour finishes in Lisbon onJuly 13 so fans "appreciate" them more.  In a Rolling Stone interview, Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres said: "Sometimes you need to get away so people can appreciate you better. The best thing I can tell you is we're going to need a couple of years off for sure."

Added Richie Sambora: "We do need a little bit of a break, but not that much of a break, 'cause what's going to happen is there's more songs to be written and... Y'know, guess what? We want to be the Rolling Stones. I know I do."

1970s LEONARD COHEN Footage Up for Sale

MUSIC NEWS- A legal dispute between LEONARD COHEN and entertainment lawyer Steve Machat is ending with Machat agreeing to sell the Cohen footage in question that he possesses.  Machat is handing over 294 film reels that were shot in the 1970s and follow the Hallelujah singer on stage and behind-the-scenes during his 1972 European concert tour.

The tapes were missing since 1980, but located by Machat in 2009.  The footage had been used to make Bird on a Wire,  a documentary about the Canadian singer/songwriter.  Machat, who at one time represented Cohen, has ended his battle with the performer and will offer the reels to fans for $1,500 (each).