Abrams, Billboard Meets Signal
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08120 iv A Pb 4 EJ15J49G;2EE?vLY!d0NTc iJ NEWSPAPER MUNI Y GFcE ::-:?vLY t3 UC 374 L ELM f Ct ::,7 I A Billboard Publication The International'oar Newsweekly Of Music & Home Entertainment Feb. 5, 1983 $3 (U.S.) LAWYER'S MIDEM BOMBSHELL Say EEC Law Overrules Abrams, Billboard Meets Signal National C'right Statutes Changes In AOR Programming By MICHAEL WAY ORLANDO -Programmers representing 60 of the 80 AOR " SuperStars" PASADENA -AOR radio's press- by Michaels & Associates were ing need to evolve in light of shifting CANNES -European Common "just one territory" for subpublish- stations consulted Burkhart /Abrams / /Douglas given new marching orders at strategy sessions at Disney World here Jan. 17- music trends, and the impact of Market (EEC) legislation on the free ing purposes. 20. Those orders: more current and new music. those trends on the relationship be- movement of goods and services Wenig made three points on the play tween broadcasters and the record across national frontiers could current situation: exclusivity is not Lee Abrams notes, "We're de- emphasizing the oldies. We'll still be playing industry, were the dominant issues prompt a revolution in the copy- always legal; third parties acting Journey and Styx, but are backing off the oldies from these groups. We're cut- at Billboard's Radio Programming right, license and subpublishing sec- legally can operate freely in other ting way back on acts no longer in existence, like Thin Lizzy. And we've cut Convention here Jan. 20 -22. The tors. That was the message handed territories, unless the EEC has gran- way back on Led Zep." event drew more than 500 regis- bluntly to publishers at MIDEM by ted exemptions; clauses in license The programmer continues, "We've abolished slow rotation," and he extols trants to the Huntington- Sheraton top EEC legal agreements be when the virtue of playing such acts as Men At Work, Missing Persons, Thomas a expert. can prohibited Hotel. (Continued on page 56) Dolby, the Pretenders, Joe Jackson, Duran Duran and the Psychedelic Furs. Harold Wenig, a German lawyer The intensity of the challenge fac- with Abrams explains that he's come to the EEC's fair trading directo- ing AOR programmers, in particu- rate in Brussels, said in effect that realize that "we can't be locked into 1979," when "Superstars" went into lar, was discussed in meeting rooms Common Market law is binding on and suites throughout the three -day individual countries' legislation on Stickered Prices Still Rising a harder rock posture. He says the format is moving back in concept to confab, and underscored by recent any matter, and particularly rele- By JOHN SIPPEL ratings which showed a number of vant given the wide variety of na- 1972 when "we were playing Emer- LOS ANGELES -Retailers continue to increase stickered store prices of traditional AOR leaders losing tional laws on copyright. The EEC son, Lake & Palmer, the Allman records and tapes, signifying their efforts to retain profitability in the face of ground to stations with more adven- even holds sway over the Berne Con- Brothers and James Taylor." ongoing wholesale price hikes. turous formats. A number of pro- vention, with some 80 signatories. Why the changes? "The Arbitron Five of 18 retail chains canvassed by Billboard are not ready to establish a grammers were continuing a debate This statement to a meeting of books for AOR look terrible," notes "special advertised sale" WEA begun only days before in Orlando, the International Federation of price for the new $6.98 catalog series. All give Abrams. "We've been watching the the same reason: they don't know what the history is going to be, so Fla., at a Burkhart /Abrams /Mi- Popular Music Publishers "could sales situation for a few months. People they're holding off even thinking about a sale price. chaels /Douglas "SuperStars" meet- mean the complete rewriting of are getting bored with the format. Profit has become such an urgent matter that Bob Sturges of the two Coco- ing. Lee Abrams told that gathering copyright law as we know it," later There's been less time spent listen- nut Stores out of Jacksonville, for one, has three -tiered pricing to take advan- that he'll incorporate up to 70% cur- commented Ron White, head of ing." tage of the special advertising or discounts proferred by a manufacturer. A ma- rent acts in the format's rotation EMI Music Publishing in the U.K. Abrams doesn't see any change jority of those using two- tiered pricing point out that these are merely a high (separate story, this page). Another observer said that recent coming in what has traditionally and low within which they often select a third price, dependent upon the deal sessions served Common Market legislation could been AOR's strongest audience - Several Pasadena make the 10 countries of the EEC (Continued on page 24) (Continued on page 20) (Continued on page 20) NEW PRODUCT from three platinum- status country acts (Kenny Rogers, Alabama, the Oak Ridge Boys) heads the list of major albums for Feb- ruary release. Others feature Styx, Laura Branigan and Earth, Wind & Fire; all are tabulated in Billboard's monthly Hot Product Status Report, page 4. BROADCASTING'S FUTURE in light of many short -term and long- term problems was probed at Billboard's Radio Programming Convention in Pasadena. Extensive reports from the event begin in Radio, page 18. An edito- rial appears on page 8. RETAILERS AND DISTRIBUTORS of video software face an increas- ingly complex and competitive marketplace. The recent attempt by the Video Software Dealers Assn. to merge with the National Assn. of Video Distributors illustrates some of the problems in this field. Page 6. WNEW -AM NEW YORK has launched a campaign to motivate major labels to record more MOR artists and repertoire. Says g.m. Jack Thayer of the record companies, "We're convinced there's a disk buying audience they're overlooking." Radio, page 10. COMPACT DISC packaging meetings last week produced a consensus From the day a young Bill Wray met Elvis Presley, he knew he was destined "IMAGINATION" (MCA -5316) REUNITES HELEN REDDY WITH JOE WIS- among merchandisers and record label representatives. Page 3. to play rock & roll with abandon. Wray's work represents the passionate SERT, PRODUCER OF THREE OF HELEN'S NINE GOLD AND THREE PLATI- honesty of early rock in contemporary form. That's why his new Liberty VIDEO SOFTWARE SALES through rental form the heart of a mer- NUM ALBUMS. "DON'T TELL ME TONIGHT" (MCA- 52170) IS THE JUST - album SEIZE THE MOMENT (LT 51140) commands so much respect. SEIZE chandising plan initiated by retail franchiser Video Cross Roads Inter- RELEASED SINGLE FROM HELEN REDDY'S NEW MCA ALBUM AND CAS- THE MOMENT features Bill's first single -"Heartbreaker." (Advertisement) national. The firm sees this more likely to boost software sales than lower list SETTE RELEASE, "IMAGINATION." (Advertisement) prices. Retailing, page 23. (Advertisement) [DA Presents: GREAT NEW JAll from BLACK SAINT /SOUL NOTE featuring: ,; 'r1'a1, >= PLUS Over 3,000 of the Best . Import Jazz, Classical, Rock & International Catalog Titles. NOW FROM- P c 1983 Polytram REVUE Contact your local PDI Sales Rep or BSR-0056 BSR-0055 SN-1042 Branch Office for Exciting Details www.americanradiohistory.com if *417 Th Rock nI Roll that's straight to The tit'N% Cuts Like A ( )ti .M CaSSCH.S and li.ecords. Produced by Bryan ¡Wallis and Bob Clearttiountain. www.americanradiohistory.com 3 News WEA, CBS, RCA Stay 1 -2 -3 In Chart Rankings For 1982 By SAM SUTHERLAND tain key chart performances for indi- In the breakdown of chart action vidual labels. between the branch -distributed sec- LOS ANGELES - WEA, CBS Among the majors, CBS finished tor and independents, the final and RCA again led the major corpo- the year with the most dramatic quarter saw some erosion. Between rate manufacturing entities in share overall shift in market share, garner- them, Arista, Motown, Chrysalis of Billboard chart activity during ing 21.1% of the combined single and Boardwalk accounted for 12.3% 1982. The ranking of top firms was and album action for a net gain of of the market as compared to an essentially unchanged from a year 4.2% over its '81 totals. WEA's lead- overall '81 share of 13.6%. With earlier. ership weathered at 1.5% dip to Chrysalis since shifting to a new That's the outcome of 1982's chart 27.6% as compared to a year ago, branch deal via CBS, future chart wars as reflected by a computerized while RCA sustained its market action could mirror a more pro- summary of combined Hot 100 and share of a year earlier, posting 15.3% nounced shift in the indies' fortunes. Top LP /Tape action between Janu- of the overall chart activity. As for individual and combined ary and December. The year -end Other corporations saw their label chart performance, Colum- tallies thus show little upheaval in share of chart activity shifting only bia's bullish year is borne out by a the overall market standings as fractionally, with the marginal ex- 2.7% increase in combined Hot 100 monitored at the end of the third ception of MCA, which saw its slice and Top LP /Tape action to 11.7%, quarter (Billboard, Nov. 6), despite of the combined chart pie eroding the top figure among labels. And, some final quarter reversals in cer- by 1.3% to post a 3.2% figure. when tallied among combined la- bels, that figure climbs to 12.7 %, a WANTED -A billboard attracts the attention of a group of children in Nash- performance likewise 2.7% over Co- ville's Music Square.