Jackson, Beatles bring “Help” to music business
NEW YORK (Billboard) – Renewed interest in the Beatles and Michael Jackson slowed the decline of U.S. album sales in the third quarter, although the industry is still on track to fall for the eighth time in nine years.
Sales were off 11.1% compared with the same period in 2008, according to Nielsen SoundScan. After the second quarter, sales were down 14.7% compared with the first half of 2008.
So far album sales are down 13.9% this year. Total album sales fell 14 percent in 2008.
Music retailers are hoping that the continued performance of Jackson and Beatles albums and a strong fourth-quarter release schedule will continue to make up lost ground.
Carrie Underwood, Kris Allen and Katharine McPhee pick up Idol airplay
The Top 10 of our American Idol airplay chart remains largely unchanged this week, though there’s plenty going on between the Mediabase-powered numbers.
Daughtry’s No Surprise remains the most-played track, but it’s well off its peak of two weeks ago, falling to fewer than 10, 000 spins. Both Carrie Underwood’s Cowboy Casanova and Kelly Clarkson’s Already Gone pick up several hundred spins, with Cowboy Casanova edging out Already Gone by a mere 17 spins. Carrie’s single also is picking up a little bit of non-country airplay on stations like Q92 in Canton, Ohio, and 96.5 TIC in Hartford, Conn.
It’s a Heartbreaker, All Right: Blake Lewis, ‘Heartbreak on Vinyl’
But what arrests listeners’ ears on Lewis’s second album, “Heartbreak on Vinyl, ” is its unevenness. A 13-track odyssey in all things electronica, the album remains largely stuck in neutral ‘†the “electro pop goodness” Lewis describes in the album’s press release never really shines through. Instead, most of the album’s songs flounder with boring, mid-tempo beats that would cause anyone on the dance floor to fall asleep rather than bust a move. And paradoxically, it’s only the album’s few ballads, which come near the end of the tracklist, which deliver some welcome relief from the ’80s-influenced cheesefest.
Blake Lewis CD Review: His Music His Way
When I talked to Blake Lewis a couple of weeks ago, he described his new CD, ‘Heartbreak on Vinyl, ‘ as a dance record with a touch of 80s nostalgia.
I couldn’t agree more as the first time I heard it, I thought it sounded like updated Erasure. And since I adore Erasure, I adore ‘Heartbreak’ ’ ¦
The album kicks off with the beyond catchy title track that not only begins Blake’s ode to his lost love, it also laments the loss of his beloved record stores. You can’t listen to this song without getting it stuck in your head.
Allison Iraheta Goes Robotic
TITLE: ‘Friday I’ll Be Over U’
ONE-LISTEN VERDICT: The first single from American Idol’s magenta-tressed fourth-place finisher starts off with a spiky guitar line that’s straight out of the Le Tigre back catalog. (No, really.) But it’s sort of distressing that once her vocals come in, ‘Friday’ could be a kiss-off anthem from any spunky young starlet out there. Why saddle a young woman who has undeniable pipes with so much ex post facto processing? To hedge bets? To ‘blend in’ with the increasingly virtualistic pop-radio landscape? To make Allison sound like she could break out into a ‘Party In The USA’ cover at any moment? It’s a good thing the riff is as propulsive as it is’â€it almost-singlehandedly saves the song from its drowning in cheese.
Allison Iraheta’s ‘Friday I’ll Be Over U’: Does the teen ‘Idol’ have a hit on her hands?
Full disclosure: I loved Allison Iraheta on season 8 of American Idol more than Grey’s Anatomy loves having characters bump into each other on the elevator. But I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been a little bit worried about what kind of material the red-headed rocker would get for her forthcoming debut album ‘†slated to drop Dec. 1 on 19 Recordings/Jive Records.
Having recently reviewed the unspeakably awful new disc from Selena Gomez (and having also drawn the short-straw assignment of Demi Lovato’s 2008 piffle Don’t Forget), I’m tragically familiar with what I can only guess is a major-label edict that teenage artists be brainwashed into thinking that rock & roll dates only as far back as Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated.’
Allison Iraheta’s Debut Single Premieres
Today plucky American Idol runner-up Allison Iraheta premiered her debut single, “Friday I’ll Be Over You”–and I am all over it. I am delighted to report that the song is as fiery as her famous tresses.
Interestingly, while “Friday” rawks pretty hard–as one would expect from AmIdol’s all-time rockingest rock chick EVER–it doesn’t quite have that bloozy, classic-rock vibe fans might have expected, given Allison’s recent Idols Live tour songs (Janis Joplin’s “Crybaby, ” Heart’s “Barracuda, ” Foghat’s “Slow Ride”). Instead it is a thoroughly modern affair, reminiscent of the fizzy, attitudinal girl-pop of Scandinavian indie-disco darlings the Sounds and criminally underrated pop-rocker Fefe Dobson…with a coy nod to fierce ’90s femmes like Veruca Salt and Elastica, and a little bit of Toni Basil/Kim Wilde-esque retro-’80s flavor thanks to copious syncopated hand-claps and bloopy, bubbling synth.
Allison Iraheta: Friday I’ll Be Over You
Allison Iraheta was my favorite “American Idol” contestant this past season. (Kris Allen fans just had a collective heart attack.) I loved her husky, mature voice and her authentically awkward 17-year-old attitude. The Kool-Aid hair, the squeeing over meeting David Archlueta ‘†despite Simon’s insistence that she had no personality, Allison seemed like the most real teenager “Idol” ever featured.
An extended sneak peek at Iraheta’s rockin’ first single, “Friday I’ll Be Over U, ” is now streaming at PopEater, and not surprisingly, the song is geared toward listeners her age. The Max Martin-helmed tune has the feisty teen dissing a dude who didn’t turn out to be who he claimed to be.
Carrie Underwood’s LAX Landing
She’s no stranger to airports, and yesterday (October 4) Carrie Underwood was spotted arriving at LAX amidst a sea of paparazzi.
Joined by her pooch pal, the ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel’ songstress looked a bit tuckered out as she carried her luggage through the terminal.
Hallmark Channel to air ice skating
Hallmark Channel has begun expanding the scope of its programming with plans to air eight ice-skating specials on the network over the next six months.
Featuring past Olympic medalists like Nancy Kerrigan and Kristi Yamaguchi as well as past and present pop culture heroes like Jordin Sparks and Smokey Robinson, the series of acquisitions from Disson Skating will kick off Oct. 30 with “Halloween on Ice.”
Kelly Clarkson: NYC Deli Delicious
Kelly Clarkson picks up a light salad for lunch at a New York City deli on Monday (October 5).
The 27-year-old American Idol champ is in town because tomorrow, she’ll be rocking out NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom with pop rock band Parachute and Aussie twin sister act The Veronicas.
All We Ever Wanted: Five Songs Kelly Clarkson Must Sing at The Patriot Center
OH, KELLY CLARKSON. Since you’ve been back in the pop world, we can breathe for the first time. In fact, thanks to you, now we get what we want ‘†in the form of you back on the top of the pop charts with singles like “My Life Would Suck Without You” and “I Do Not Hook Up” and with The All I Ever Wanted tour, which stops by the Patriot Center on Oct. 9.
Elliott Yamin Performs for Troops on Second USO Tour
Season 5 finalist and R&B sensation Elliott Yamin will venture to Guam and Japan on his second USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour, October 8 -18. The soulful vocalist will visit military bases, perform four free concerts for troops and their families, as well as sign autographs.
Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Elliott traveled to Germany, Belgium, and the UK on his first USO tour in February 2008, visiting and entertaining more than 2, 000 troops serving in the region. He is a huge supporter of the U.S. military. ‘I write a lot of the songs I perform, but finding the words to describe my gratitude to our men and women in uniform seems impossible, ‘ said Elliott. ‘Working with the USO is the best way for me to let troops know how much I appreciate their service.’
David Cook extends debut push into fall
Season seven “American Idol” winner David Cook [ tickets ] has tacked more fall shows onto his in-progress run behind his self-titled debut album.
The North American excursion, which first began in June, continues Oct. 9 in Clifton Park, NY. Since last check, 14 performances have been added to the schedule, extending the outing into late November. Details are shown below.
Paris parts American Idol insight
In the first of our American Idol Reward series of exclusive interviews –Princess P, Paris Bennett, rings SheKnows to talk about how life has completely altered from where she was as a 17-year-old singer on American Idol to a recording artist and mother in 2009.
Block, Doolittle and Lauper Offer True Colors Cabaret at Feinstein’s Sept. 28
9 to 5’s Stephanie J. Block and “American Idol” contestant Melinda Doolittle perform as part of the True Colors Cabaret at Feinstein’s at the Regency Sept. 28.
The 8 PM evening is a co-presentation between Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund and Broadway Impact, which was co-founded by Gavin Creel. All proceeds from The True Colors Cabaret are shared by the two organizations.
Q&A: American Idol Bo Bice
During the fourth season of “American Idol, ” long-haired Alabama native Bo Bice shook up the stage with a gritty, rough-hewn style not previously seen on the show. He ultimately finished second to Carrie Underwood, who went on to become the one of the program’s most successful alums. As for Bice? The 33-year-old Southern rocker is making a good living hitting the road and releasing music through his own label. He performs in the Valley on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Miley Cyrus Replaces Kara DioGuardi As Judge
American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi makes a guest appearance on an upcoming episode of Miley Cyrus’ hit Disney show, Hannah Montana.
In episode ‘Judge Me Tender, ‘ Hannah (Cyrus) fills in for Kara alongside judges Andy and Byron on reality show America’s Top Talent. Her stint as a guest judge turns complicated when Oliver (Mitchel Musso) auditions and delivers a knock-out performance.
Kara’s episode of Hannah Montana premieres on Sunday, October 18
Paula Abdul Judges ‘Dancing with the Stars’ From the Sidelines
Paula Abdul may not be on the judging panel, but that won’t stop her from voicing her opinion. She had a front row seat next to Lance Bass Monday night at “Dancing with the Stars.” ET’s special correspondent Marie Osmond caught up with the former “American Idol” judge after the show to chat about her favorite performance of the night.
Her days of criticizing Simon Cowell are behind her, but the “Dancing” panel is fresh blood for Paula. She told Marie, “I don’t understand the scoring system. I think things were a little blurry and out of whack tonight.”
Pride of Britain: Simon Cowell offers couragous girls Toni and Kelsey Deacon a place on X Factor panel
Simon Cowell was last night so impressed by two brave little girls he invited them to be X Factor judges.
Toni and Kelsey Deacon were given children of courage awards by the X Factor team for overcoming horrific scalding injuries.
Simon said: “These girls are an inspiration. They are cute, brave, sweet girls.
“They are coming down to X Factor and I’m going to give them a job as a judge.
X Factor: Simon Cowell and fellow judges ‘to get their own perfume’
Cowell, who is 50 on Wednesday, Cheryl Cole, Danni Minogue and Louis Walsh have all signed to release fragrances, which are due to go on sale before Christmas.
Just days after he celebrated his 50th birthday at a lavish party at the weekend, reports have suggested that Cowell and his fellow X Factor judges will be paid £250, 000 in advance plus a percentage of the sales.
The judges are due to meet perfume experts later this week to decide what their individual scents will be.
Chuck Liddell grapples with ‘Dancing with the Stars’
“Dancing with the Stars” loves to cast tough-guy athletes, and this season the show found maybe its toughest guy yet in former UFC champ Chuck Liddell.
Liddell is one of the best-known mixed martial artists in the world, but through two weeks on “Dancing” he’s shown a willingness to embrace his more graceful side. His scores from the judges haven’t been at the top of the heap yet, but he’s been safe both times — which has put the clamps on his fellow MMA fighters talking too much trash to him.
‘DWTS’ Maks on Aaron: He Won’t Make the Top 3
‘I think he’s full of himself. He has no clue what he is talking about. We have had people full of confidence before, but with Aaron, he’s confident that everybody out there already proclaims him the best on the show.’
‘So we’ll wait and see but I’m giving my prediction right now: This kid is not making it to the Top 3.’
The couple called it quits just weeks before the Season 9 premiere and haven’t publicly acknowledged the reason for the split.
‘It’s not something I’m going to talk about, but I will say, I feel betrayed. Life will put things in perspective, it is what it is. That’s as far as I’m willing to go on that.’
Louie Vito’s DWTS Blog: I’m Having Trouble Moving My Hips
Another Monday, another blog from me: Let’s start this one off with my thoughts and feelings on last week’s jive. The jive to me has been my favorite one so far. It’s upbeat, fast and fun. I couldn’t have been happier with the way I performed the jive even if I didn’t get the scores I was hoping for. It’s all good to me because we got good feedback from the viewers. I feel like my hard work paid off and showed, and, most importantly, I am here for another week.
Personally, I listen to the judges. It doesn’t bother me how harsh their comments are because I try to take what they say and put it toward my next week’s dance. I, for one though, try to do things I think the viewers and people like whether it is a flip or some sort of style. I want my dances to be fun to watch. Luckily for me, Chelsie is good at choreographing routines and knows what moves can accent my strengths.
‘DWTS’ EXCLUSIVE: Joanna Krupa Sore in Places She’s ‘Never Been Sore Before’
LOS ANGELES ‘†Joanna Krupa is an early favorite to take this season’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’ crown, but all that spinning and salsaing seems to be taking its toll on the petite model’s itty bitty bod.
“We are training six hours a day so I don’t really have a specific diet, and I have been craving bad fast food more than ever. I haven’t lost any weight, but I’m a little leaner than normal, ” Krupa told Tarts in an exclusive interview. “But I am sore in places I haven’t been before… so I’ve been taking Advil every day three times a day. I’ve also been getting massages if I get too sore.”
