Kings of A&R

Dixie Chicks - 525,629
Tool - 65,292
Pearl Jam - 41,614
James Blunt - 33,246
Godsmack - 26,715
Kelly Clarkson - 25,573
Buckcherry - 17,787
Wolfmother - 12,983
Hawthorne Heights - 7,058
Thursday - 6,804
Staind - 6,666

The Dixie Chicks have become the first female group in chart history to have three albums debut at #1. The Dixie Chick’s Taking The Long Way has just debuted at #2 in Australia. The Dixie Chicks will sit down for an in-depth interview on “Larry King Live” tonight, Wednesday, May 31. The Dixie Chicks are one of the most popular live acts in history
having sold more than $100 million worth of concert tickets during their career. Buckcherry continues to blow away expectations with another solid week of sales of 17,787k. Illegal downloading hasn’t stopped former Idol Kelly Clarkson from selling more than 5 million records. Did Staind make a deal with the devil? this week sales 6,666k.

ESSEX FM in the UK has banned James Blunt from their rotation. While they say they support his music and are happy for his success, they are sick of hearing his songs over and over. With the success of Blunt’s album “Back To Bedlam” selling over 7 million copies and the single “You’re Beautiful” topping charts in 25 countries, this is a classic case of overexposure. Programmer for the station, Chris Cotton, credits label pressure for some singles getting so much airplay, “Often this can be out of step with the audience’s tastes, which results in songs being overplayed. We’re happy to stand up to this pressure and follow the strong message listeners have given us.”  ESSEX FM encourages other stations to pay more attention to what their listeners want rather than the labels, and with all the payola scandals in the headlines, who knows if it will actually happen.

American Idol judge Simon Cowell has criticized Prince after being shocked by the effemenite pop superstar’s surprise performance at the show’s finale last week. Prince took  the stage at the Kodak Theatre for a quick run through two new songs before dashing off, refusing to meet the Idol contestants or greet the audience. Idol host Ryan Seacrest has since reported that he feared Prince would be a no-show - because he appeared just minutes before he was due to hit the stage. And Cowell insists Prince’s attitude isn’t one he’d like Idol winners to display at any time in their career. He says, “It just tells you how selfish he is. He comes on, not a word - ‘I’m not gonna sing with anybody else, I’m not gonna say goodbye.’ Thank you for your generosity, Prince.”

Rapper SWORDZ continues to make noise selling over 6k copies of his WRNR Mixtape in the southeast. The Mixtape is Hosted by XM Radio’s Newest Record Breaker “Bigga Rankin”. “Eye’s on the Beam” featuring Wayne Wonder is getting spins in Jamaica, The UK as well in the Southeast US. New single “Dope Bwoy” featuring Rick Ross (Def Jam) is gaining Anthem Status in Southeast. Swordz will be showcasing for already confirmed Major Labels at the Jacksonville Hip Hop Symposium Pre Party on June 9th and then will be speaking on the Hip Hop Symposium panel on June 10th. For more Information please contact DMD Management

Indie electronic band, Pleasure Technicians will be showcasing at Sin-E in NYC on June 15. They recently released a new album called Help Is On The Way, which is picking up radio spins across the country. For more information contact Tom Demagall

Unsigned Los Angeles based AllRise have crafted a new record titled
These Questions Have No Answers, that captures the energy, musicianship, and thought-provoking songwriting that have made their melodic hard rock familiar to thousands of fans. The record was produced by
James Murray (Jane’s Addiction, Papa Roach). To make contact - info@allrisemusic.com or legal Danny Passman - 310.864.5203.
Show dates:
June 3rd Flagstaff, AZ - Johnson Freedom Festival
June 8th Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour
July 29th San Diego, CA -  Ken Club

Check out the tracks Lucky, Victims and Martyrs, and Break in Two

XM Shares Drop: Grim Future.

“XM, which competes with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. in the emerging business of selling nationwide radio service delivered by satellite, said it now expects to have 8.5 million subscribers by the end of the year, down from its previous estimate of 9 million”
The Grim outlook is due to the high expense for signing up subscribers. Lastly, XM was sued by major record companies over a new device that can store up to 50 hours.

30 year old KT Tunstall walked away with the Ivor Novello music award. She has become the most successful singer-songwriter to come out of Scotland. Her single Suddenly I See won best song at the London event, known as the “intellectual” music awards because they honour songwriting talent.  A 30 year old  woman winning an award? is this true? Does this mean that you don’t have to grace the pages of US Weekly to create national attention? Does this mean you don’t need to rap with Jay Z? I can’t bloody believe this. This must be a dream.

Some definite label heat on Los Angeles based
Side Story who began as a few scattered writing sessions on the campus of UCLA in January 06. Think Keane meets Maroon 5. Check out the track
Better Than which you will hear on the new ABC Television show “Kyle XY” that will air this summer. For more information contact Brandon Phelps - 310-446-1419.

Virginia based Alternative rock act
My Favorite Highway are on the fast track to success. The interest has attracted both majors and indies and they are presently being flown between the east and west coast. The bands on stage confidence and the infectious hooks will seal the deal. Check out the tracks
How To Call A Bluff and Murder On The Radio. For more information contact Daniel R. Friedman at 314.497.1060.

Atlanta based experimental alt-rock band In Vitro have signed to Victory Records, and will begin recording their debut release soon; Legal rep is Ben McLane. Toronto, Canada based indie pop band Crush Luther  have signed to High Four Records owned by Goldfinger drummer Darrin Pfeiffer and distributed by Fontana/Universal which was also repped by Ben Mclane. Long Island rockers Phase 9 (Pictured) has signed to Capitol Records. Chicago-based five-piece AbsentStar has signed to RCA Records. Fair To Midland who recently signed to Serjical Strike records also sealed the deal with Universal. Lastly, Double Blind Recordings signs screamo act Signal the Escape.

The new idol is……29 year old Taylor Hicks. “Hicks was named the new “American Idol” Wednesday in a pop star-filled finale that included Prince and Mary J. Blige.”

“I’m living the American dream,” he added as he closed out the show with a performance of “Do I Make You Proud.”

“More than 63 million votes were cast, “more than any president in the history of our country has received,” Seacrest said.” Read the full article here.
 

By tonight, America will have a new Idol. But who will it be? For the first time since the shows inception, the outcome isn’t entirely obvious. Since the Top 12, it has been anyone’s game, with classically trained Katharine McPhee and Mr. Soul Patrol, Taylor Hicks surprisingly taking the top 2 spots. The two couldn’t be more opposite with McPhee having nearly robotically perfect performances but an emotional disconnect and Hicks convulsing across the stage shouting lyrics at a microphone, possessed by what he’s singing. Both present unique challenges in their future careers with Hicks embracing a classic blend of funk and soul mixed with a little country that is virtually unknown in modern music, and despite seeing McPhee week after week it is very unclear where her place would be in pop. She has a voice more appropriate for Broadway than Billboard, and aside from her striking physical appearance has not branded herself. Each of the remaining two have question marks hanging over their heads, as it is anyone’s guess if either contestant really has what it takes to be a pop culture phenomenon. With votes exceeding 50 million last week, and viewers in a recent poll stating they feel their vote on AI means more than a vote in an election, this is a good opportunity to find out which is more important to America, style or substance? However, the real proof is in the pudding and if bets are placed on record sales, it would be wise to keep an eye on past contestants Chris Daughtry and Elliot Yamin.

• Official predictions have Katharine McPhee as a +180 underdog
• Taylor Hicks singing “You Are So Beautiful”
• Katharine McPhee singing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”

AJ, KOAR