ARISTA'S STONE FINDS A UDIENCE (Continued from page 13) Music Spending pected it." "master Gladys sample," as well as rary; she's dealing with universal of "men and women, black and "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" is its overall "radio- friendly vibe." issues in a way that other artists white, gay and straight. She's touch- receiving major play from stations Additionally, he says, the song's aren't." ing many people with this record." Expected to Rise like WZHT Montgomery, Ala.; tale is full of happiness. "After all Also, says Farr, "More and more On Nov. 10, Stone, who is man- WBLS New York; KBXX Houston; the trials and tribulations Angie's people are desiring Angie's brand aged and booked by Breyon KXJM Portland. Ore.; WQOK been through, she's embracing hap- of classic- sounding R &B music. It's Prescott and Sheila Eldridge of 5.5% Per Year Raleigh- Durham, N.C.; WROU Day- piness [by the end of the song]." different from everything else out Washington, D.C.-based Chameleon ton, Ohio; KJMM Tulsa, Okla.; Stone believes the reason her mu- there. The public is sensing that Management, taped a segment of BY DON JEFFREY WWWZ Charleston, S.C.; and WIIZ sic is finding an appreciative audi- Angie is about quality." BET's new show "All." With a NEW YORK- Consumer spend- Augusta, Ga., among others. ence is because people can "find Farr says that when customers scaled -down band, she performed ing on recorded music is pro- Concurrently, the Andrew Dosun- themselves in the lyrics," which she discover "No More Rain (In This "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" and jected to increase at an average mu- lensed video is airing on BET, describes as warm, inviting, and Cloud)" isn't available as a commer- "Everyday," which Ridenour annual rate of 5.5% in the U.S. M2, and the Box. At press time, it had inspirational, with a touch of subtle cial single, they immediately pur- believes will be the next single. over the next five years, down been accepted by MTV and VH1. victory. chase the album, which he says has On Nov 11, she was scheduled to from 6.4% over the past five "This song has major mass ap- "There's no direct slapping in the been steadily increasing in sales perform at a Hennessy- sponsored years. peal," says Darryl E., PD /music face in my songs," Stone says. "I each week since its release. showcase at the Zanzibar club in The projection, from New director at R &B mainstream outlet prefer soft slaps. They usually last Ridenour confirms that national Washington, D.C. York -based investment bank WZHT (Hot 105.7). "I'm finding longer. It's like, `slapping me softly sales of the album have been "We're on the cusp of breaking Veronis Suhler & Associates, is that it crosses generational lines. I with her song.' " increasing each week. "We're aver- Angie in a big way," says Ridenour. based on the presumption that had one 68- year -old woman tell me Says Eric Farr, singles buyer at aging about 14,000 units per week," "All I can say is that when we reload the shift to CDs from lower - that she loves the song." HMV's Fifth Avenue location in he says. with the next single and get her on priced configurations of music E. attributes this to the song's New York, "She's very contempo- In the beginning, says Farr, the road in 2000, well, get ready, will have less impact on sales in women were the album's sole buy- because this train is just leaving the the future than previously. ers. These days, he says, a mix J it's station." Veronis Suhler estimates that consumer spending on recorded music will reach $18 billion in 2003. Last year it rose 12.1% to $13.7 billion, according to the Recording Industry Assn. of HOT100 America. ri Overall unit sales of music are projected to rise at only a 3.6% s ro'i' i i i i compound annual growth rate through 2003, compared with a by Silvio Pietroluottyo 3.3% annual growth rate for the years 1993 -1998. Veronis Suhler estimates that G RAND SLAM: "Smooth" (Arista) by Santana Featuring Rob music prices will rise at an Thomas moves into the pole position of the Hot 100 Singles Sales and annual rate of only 2.7% in the Top 40 Tracks charts, for a clean sweep of four Billboard singles charts. next five years and reach $13.91 "Smooth" sits atop The Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth week and the Hot on average in 2003. Over the last 100 Airplay chart for a second week. five years, prices rose 3% a year This sweep has only happened one other time in the brief one-year on average. In 1998 the average existence of the Top 40 Tracks chart, when TLC's "No Scrubs" price was $12.21. (LaFace /Arista) was No. 1 on all four charts in the May 1, 1999, issue. In their annual forecast on the "Smooth" enters No. 1 slot on the sales chart with a slight gain for communications industry, the a total of 61,000 units scanned. This is the lowest amount for a No. 1- bankers say that although the selling single since Mary J. Blige's "Not Gon' Cry" (Arista) moved Def Soul Sets Sail. The Island /Def Jam Music Group launched its Def Soul digital music format MP3 can 60,500 pieces in the Feb. 17, 1996, issue. With the singles market so Records label with a reception for Def Soul recording artist Montell Jordan at New contribute to music piracy, "on soft this issue and the airplay of "Smooth" so strong, we could eliminate York's China Club. Jordan performed tracks from his fourth album, "Get It On ... balance we believe that MP3 will the sales total from "Smooth's" Hot 100 equation and the song would Tonite." Shown at the party, from left, are Jim Caparro, chairman of the Island /Def be a net positive because it will still be at No. 1 based on its audience of 113 million listeners. The only Jam Music Group; Def Jam founder Russell Simmons; Kevin Liles, president of facilitate the transmission of other time that has happened this year was also May 1, when TLC's Def Jam /Def Soul Records; Jordan; and Kelly Price, Def Soul recording artist. music over the Internet." phenomenal 140 million audience total for "Scrubs" would have been enough to maintain its No. 1 ranking on the Hot 100 over runner -up "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None The Richer (Squint /Columbia). COALITION GOV. IN PLEA FOR TAX -FREE NET ALMOST AT ONE: Brian McKnight's "Back At One" (Motown) JOINS (Continued from page 6) earns the Greatest Gainer /Airplay award for the third time in the last four weeks and moves 6-2 on the Hot 100 with an increase of 8.5 mil- 1433-that would levy a 5% federal orders sold by a business on the In- issue. Further, according to a poll lion listeners. If we dismiss the small sales total garnered by the 12- sales tax on all goods sold on the ternet could only be collected by a released by the Gallup Organization inch vinyl dance remix version (less than 1% of its Hot 100 point total), Internet or through catalogs. state, county, or city if the business Sept. 14, 36% of registered voters "One" would be the highest charting radio -only single on the Hot 100 With the 106th Congress soon to "has a strict, tangible presence in that who are active Internet users would since we revamped the chart at the beginning of this year. However, as adjourn, insiders say none of these jurisdiction." Under current law, be less likely to vote for a political some chart purists have argued, "If it's available at retail, it's not a bills will make it to committee hear- state and local governments cannot candidate who supports online taxes, radio -only track." ings and will have to be reintroduced require businesses that do not have a and more than 70% oppose the idea of As with Santana's "Smooth," if we subtract the sales total from Mc- next year. The current moratorium physical presence within their bor- levying online taxes. Knight, his position would be unchanged. The two situations differ, expires in October 2001. ders to collect sales taxes. In 46 Gilmore's proposal calls for the however, because "Smooth's" sales account for 30% of its point total, The coalition recommends law- states, purchasers are supposed to abolition of sales taxes on "Internet - rather than the negligible amount of sales points on "Back At One" or makers make permanent a tempo- pay the sales tax directly to state gov- based sales of goods, services, and Lou Bega's "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of ...) (RCA). rary international ban of tariffs on ernments, but most citizens do not. information." To compensate states electronic commerce, repeal the 3% The coalition also maintains that for the obvious revenue losses they D0 YOU PIKACHU? Anyone not surrounded by children might find excise tax on telephone service, initi- Internet taxation would create a mas- would sustain as a result of the plan, this question confusing. Those of you with access to kids within the 5- ate a ban on special Internet access sive bureaucracy to monitor and col- Gilmore proposed that the federal to 12-year -old age group most likely find the mention of this yellow taxes and special online purchase lect taxes, could stifle growth of E- government cede $1.7 billion in fed- pocket monster annoying.