Superstars' Leans to Top 40
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SM 14011 a NEWSPAPER BB 049GREENLYMONTOO AONTY GREENLY WAR 84 3740 ELM 03 10 UCY LONG PEACH CA 90807 88th YEAR Oct. 22, 1983 $3 (U.S.) llboard Publication The International Newsweekly Of Music & Home Entertainment UP TO 30% BETTER Superstars' Leans To Top 40 Merchandisers See Memo Urges `Horizontal Music' Policy demographic -men in the 18 -24 age mers permit poor music" to infiltrate By LEO SACKS Album Sales Gain group. their stations. Noting that the nation puts "My read is that there's no room has turned "extremely horizontal" in By JOHN SIl'l'I1. NEW YORK-A policy that a premium on "horizontal music," left for album cuts," says Alan Sneed, its musical tastes, Douglas has deter- LOS ANGELES a new have gone to open tape display this -Citing defined as product which has "the who programs "SuperStars" station mined that "this means progressive and a bumper crop year. We are also getting enlarged host of top sellers best chance" of becoming a top 40 WKLS Atlanta. "And that's just ri- music is out." Hit records, in his of breaking new acts, mass merchan- space from Fred Meyer. Then we are smash, is the subject of a memo to the diculous. There may not be room for view, must reach at least three demo- disers are reporting an upsurge in al- getting great releases from the 80 "SuperStars" stations consulted in more than one AOR station per mar- graphic groups. sales, with increases ranging labels." bum the U.S. by the Burkhart /Abrams ket, but it's still a very viable "The record industry continues to as 30% over last Torrell attributes his substantial from 5% to as high organization. format." be extremely successful in getting re- gain to his continual promotions. year so far. The memo, titled "A.O.R.'s Chal- "SuperStars" consultant Dwight cords played ... that have no busi- increase in busi- "Instead of just creating a WEA Estimating a 30% lenge," confronts the rise of contem- Douglas, who wrote the six -page ness being on the radio, " he states. are Jerry month, as everyone does, we made ness response to a survey porary hit radio stations in major memo, says in it that while the AOR The consultant urges programmers Bros.. Pennsau- humorous radio spots. The spot is Richman, Richman markets across the nation and their format is inherently sound, "There is to avoid "vertical songs," which he John ken, N.J., one- stop /distributor; (Continued on page 69) appeal to the principal " SuperStars" a problem with the way program- defines as music that has "the least Torrell, Rainbow Records, 16 -store chance" of becoming a hit, and adds San Francisco retailer; and Lou La- that stations risk "ratings suicide" vinthal, Roundup Music, Seattle, with such acts as Axe, Saxon, Elvis which racks the 62 Fred Meyer dis- CBS Seeks A `Wedding' With Major Label(s) Costello, Twisted Sister, SPYS, Ian count department stores in the Hunter, Robert Palmer, Joan Arma- music interests of Warner Communi- lin comments to Billboard, Yetni- Northwest. By IRV LICHTMAN trading, Juluka, Bananarama, Gra- cations Inc. and PolyGram (Bill- koff, an outspoken critic of the "There's less competition here," NEW YORK -CBS Records says ham Parker, the Plimsouls and the board, July 8). Warner /PolyGram discussions, ad- says Richman. "There were 10 one - it's prepared to enter negotiations Lords Of The New Church. "The possible merger of the mits that no contact with a major la- stops, now there are two. Our Variety with "one or more major record com- Douglas, in a graph used to illus- Warner and PolyGram recorded in- bel has been made, but notes, "It's and Sound Odyssey retail stores panies" in hopes of working out a trate "Why Top 40 Is Hurting terests," states Yetnikoff, "promises not a tactic. This is a fair assessment helped. There's no doubt in my mind merger. could A.O.R.," defines "precise positioning Thursday to change the worldwide competitive of intentions. I suppose you that the economy is improving. I ex- A terse announcement invita- image management" as selected sin- Walter Yetnikoff, presi- landscape of the record business in characterize this as a wedding pect a fantastic Christmas." (13) from for a gles by Donna Summer ( "She Works in- significant ways. As a consequence, tion, or akin to advertising Says Lavinthal, "Cassettes repre- dent of the CBS /Records Group, Hard For The Money "), Toto ( "Afri- are a di- CBS Records will be actively seeking bride." sent 87% of our album business right dicates that CBS' intentions ca"), Shalamar ( "Dead Giveaway "), out important merger candidates in But as he has in previous remarks, now. Almost all of our Music Mar- rect consequence of the anticipated on page 69) business." (Continued on page 76) (Continued kets and the in -store departments merger of the international recorded the record - Inside Billboard - CASSET1 E PIRACY is rampant in Latin America, according to an IFPI survey just released in England. Of 11 countries studied, Peru was found to have the most serious problem, with an estimated 80 % -90% of the market there in the hands of pirates. Page 3. COMPACT DISCS are not yet being made available for free to retail, ra- dio or the press, due to limited production capacity. But the still embryonic CD market has gotten a boost with Sony's announcement that it will begin market- ing a player next month for $700, which is $200 less than its current model sells for. Page 3. RADIO VETERAN BUZZ BENNETT, after several years out of the limelight, has emerged as a partner with promoter Jan Jacques in a new audio/ video company specializing in the marketing of recording acts "from the cradle to the grave." Radio, page 15. MUSICAL COMPUTER SOFTWARE packages, which enable home computers to function as synthesizers, are hitting the market this fall. Commo- dore, Texas Instruments, Atari and Apple are among the firms already on the market with the newest wrinkle in the computer boom, Page 4. THE VIDEO STORE LOCKOUT planned for this Friday to protest legislation has triggered related activities and garnered considerable pending Did the song make the movie a smash or did the movie make the song a TOMMY BOY announces the third single from the brand new PLANET But it appears that there will not be widespread active participa- moral support. smash? What's the difference. BOB SEGER'S OLD TIME ROCK & ROLL PATROL LP -TB 1002. The new single is an updated version of the in the planned two -hour shutdown. Page 3. tion is a hit and so is RISKY BUSINESS, the movie it comes from. And there's Gary Glitter classic, "I DIDN'T KNOW I LOVED YOU (TILL I SAW has abandoned its country format in favor of an ap- WSIX NASHVILLE only two places your customer can get it. That's the single, or better yet, YOU ROCK & ROLL)" TB 837. Available as a limited edition 12' on by PD Gerry House as "just shy of contemporary hits." House proach described inside BOB SEGER'S STRANGER IN TOWN album. The one we've just Oct. 28. (Advertisement) the market's vast country competition as the key reason for the switch. cites stuck a special sticker on. Look for it. You can be sure everyone who 15. Radio, page loves to rock & rock will. On Capitol. (Advertisement) (Adrerämement) 20 REASONS WHY HE'LL ALWAYS BE A GOOD FRIEND Love Or Something Like It The Gambler Reuben James M Lucille Coward Of The County Lady She Believes In Me Through The Years I Need You Love Lifted Me Ruby Don't Take Your love To Town Daytime Friends Don't Burning We've Got Tonight Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer You Decorated My Life Something's ó Love Will Turn You Around Scarlet fever You Were A Good Friend 'Til I Can Make It On My Own KENNY ROGERS' TWENTY GREATEST HITS D FEATURING THE SINGLE, "YOU WERE A GOOD FRIEND'' Ken Krage/Kragen & Company Album available on Liberty Records and High -Quality XDR Cassettes. Management LIBERTY ,98J.flf.HfYHFtOHOS atlivia.or+ofC H.g%luRnnervrvn www.americanradiohistory.com i L d -11 K1 El\\S6 _n_ A I MM MOM MI _ _ _ _ __ NM _ MO MI_ ___. I_ =I ME IMM a __ a __ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ a a a a _ ..N,Ii _ a __MINIM, _ ___ _ a Ma. ___ ___ a a a __a MN 1M _ a a OM NM MI _ a a_MIIIMIN __ M __ MI Me _ O 1 = MLP-15014 X x The solo album debut by MINM.- =MI MR- MIR w. -- !MI IMN J - w wMIC UM - - MINI AMM-.- - MM- --- -_-- w -MUM - - w - 1410NIMw -a _ IIIII _J w- --j= MINIM -------IME - - MO IM - - _J -- - - - -wUM-MIll ---'.- - - - -- - -w_- -. MIMI -_. - - -- - - IUMI ---- ---s- !- -- - -.-L - ----- --- - MIN MUM/ Featuring thé single, 4 mamii MI MN MI IMI MI IMI MN IM 1MM MN MIMI I1 MI m Mi L }; hÑVIM OC C3 sl n G61 0 ACDILL . r ON RECORDS AND HIG *UALITY CASSETTES FROM CAPITOL www.americanradiohistory.com 3 News Study. Latin American Piracy Rife IFPI Calls Peru Most Seriously Affected Territory fight piracy, the current situation will by PETER JONES year. Nonetheless, the Peruvian re- cording industry estimates that a simply worsen." points out that the LONDON -Peru earns the dubi- staggering six million illicit cassettes The association advent of tape recorded music pro- ous distinction of having the reputa- have already been sold nationwide to duced the problem.