TOPLINE

CHRISTIAN gry for their piece of the pie. Capitol CMG president/ CEO Bill Hearn says, "Our job in this day and age is to find the right songs that really impact culture ... I think we can get Michael W. Smith back on the radio, Christian's and I don't think it has anything to do with age. It has to do with the songs, timing, positioning in the mar- ketplace and the story around it." Good Playbook Sales of Christian/gospel albums outsell dance/ electronic and jazz combined. Though total Christian The niche sector is seeing some upheaval and gospel album sales for the first half of 2013 were with artists switching labels even as top 9.5 million, down 11% compared with the midyear point of2012,the Christian market's decline in physi- sellers outperform year-to-date sales cal sales hasn't been as steep as in other genres, and there's slight growth in the digital realm, with digital By Deborah Evans Price album sales up 1% thus far in 2013. Creative Trust's Jim Houser, who manages such art- ists as Chapman, and , ob- serves, "There are bright spots. In Christian music, per- Christian music is experiencing one of its most signifi- After 30 haps because our genre has always been a bit of a niche, cant shake-ups in recent years as artists and labels years with TOPCHRISTIAN ALBUMS THROUGH JUNE 2013 we have the know-how to champion our artists and their Provident reassess relationships across the board in one of the Music 1 , Burning Lights 220,000 COPIES music with smaller budgets and numbers." music industry's traditionally stable niche genres. Group, 2 AlanJackson, Precious Memories vol. 2187,000 COPIES Interestingly, though sales were down the first half Surprising news of Christian superstar Michael W. Michael Tamela Mann, Rest Days 133,000 COPIES of the year, the top five sellers of 2013 have all outsold W. Smith n Smith's move to Capitol Christian Music Group after 3o years with is moving 4 Various Artists, WOW Hits 2013 132,000 COPIES their respective top five counterparts a year ago. Provident Music Group (Billboard.biz, July 18) was only the latest to Capitol ElRed, Release the Panic 120,000 COPIES "The cycle of sales is very release -oriented, partic- example of a Christian music icon looking to revitalize a career Christian ularly in a market the size of ours," Provident Music Music with a new label relationship. Group. Group president/CEO Terry Hemmings says. "I'm exited Capitol CMG's Sparrow label last since 1997's Behind the Eyes peaked at No. 8. It has encouraged by the fact that those artists and those year to sign with Provident Music Group and has a new studio al- sold 63,00o, according to Nielsen SoundScan. bigger records are performing as well or better than bum, The Glorious Unfolding, due Sept. 3o. Meanwhile, Amy Grant "Obviously I watched that from afar to see what prior years, but the discouraging part is that it's hard- has released her first album of all -new material in a decade, on Capi- they were putting on the table," Smith says of Grant's er to break new artists and harder to take an artist tol CMG, after 3o years with Word Entertainment. The album, How new set. "I don't know how they could promote the from a breakout point to A -level status."O Mercy Looks From Here (April 2), debuted at No. 1 on Top Christian record any more than they did." Albums and No.12 on the Billboard zoo, her highest -charting album As newer acts emerge, veteran ones remain hun- Additional reporting by Keith Caulfield.

LABELS ry Fraud's Surf School label has signed with Priority. comprises Complete Con- Fraud's production credits include Rick Ross, Wiz trol Management and its Khalifa, French Montana and Mac Miller. associated Control Music Appointed chairman/CEO of CMG last year, Barnett Group management com- Pink stated that his goal was to "help bring the tower back panies: United Manage- Floyd has A Priority For partnered to its former glory," referring to Capitol's famous Hol- ment, Undocumented with lywood, Calif , headquarters. The label behind such Management and Mixed Imagem legends as the Beatles, the Beastie Boys, the Beach Management. Music Capitol U.K. for its Boys, Frank Sinatra and many contemporary hit mak- "I don't come from publishing. Next -generation imprint will be ers, from Katy Perry to David Guetta to Coldplay, has the hip -hop world," Co- Pink Floyd clocked success during the last several months with hen acknowledges. "But Music producer -driven; focus on electronic, Publishers projects by Swedish House Mafia and Emeli Sande. Priority broke the mold struck an progressive urban music Also home to such stalwart label entities as Blue Note, in terms of bringing street -level music to the main- agreement Capitol recently welcomed Grammy Award -winning stream without any compromise. And the producer- here By Gail Mitchell Imagem will producer RedOne's not Records to the fold. who has always played a strong role in hip-hop-has administer Bamett's revival of the dormant Priority is in keeping become the focal point coming out of the global elec- the songs of David with the executive's focus on embracing both Capitol's tronic music space." Gilmour, historic legacy and the next generation of music. Cohen Both Barnett and Cohen say that future releases could Nick Mason Capitol Music Group (CMG) and Insurgency Music notes, "There's a real energy building at Capitol." also involve Priority's rich catalog. Established in 1985, and Richard Wright In joined forces to relaunch the pioneering rap imprint Based in the historic tower, Priority will operate on Priority Records helped bring West Coast rap to promi- Pink Floyd's Priority as CMG chairman/CEO Steve Barnett pur- a two-tier level. Releases will be distributed domes- nence with its who's -who roster and such distributed la- catalog. sues an aggressive strategy to rebuild the storied label tically through CMG's independent services division bels as Rap -a -Lot, Ruthless, Death Row and Roc -a -Fella. The works of Roger group from the ground up. Caroline, as well as through the worldwide Universal An early-'9os distribution deal with EMI eventually led Waters Priority, once home to names like N.W.A, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (aka Music Group system. to EMI fully owning Priority in 1998. After ceasing opera- remain with Snoop Lion), will now be a producer -driven label focusing on electronic Citing Priority's defining role in Capitol's history, tions in 2004, Priority was initially relaunched in 2006, Warner/ Chappell. and progressive urban music. Helming Priority as president is Insurgency Barnett notes, "Priority was also a street label focus- with Snoop Dogg appointed creative chairman in 2009. Music co-founder and electronic musicveteran Michael Cohen. ing on music that thrives outside the mainstream." Cohen's senior executive team includes chief mar- The Aug. 13 release of underground club track "Higher," by Just Baauer shot to fame with the viral video phenom and keting officer Josh Neuman; executive VPs Adrian Blaze & Baauer featuring Jay Z, will formally signal Priority's re- No. t single "Harlem Shake." He's among the artists man- Martinez, Simon White and Chris Gentry; and senior launch. Simultaneously, Cohen also announced that producer Har- aged under the Insurgency Music umbrella. Insurgency VPs of A&R Ben Persky and Mason Klein. 0

0 BILLBOARD I AUGUST 3, 2013