Mercury Falling? Few Established Names on the Overlooked Simply Because It's Been Successful." U.K
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the Portico Quartet's "Knee - There Management, says the Mercury has become too pre- Deep in the North Sea" (Vor- dictable in terms of the genres covered. tex). Total sales increased 63% "A pop band hasn't won it since the '90s," he says. "I was so sure from 1,380 to 2,250. we wouldn't get nominated, I arranged [for the Ting Tings] to be "For someone undiscovered in America for radio shows over the day of the awards." and underground, [a nomina- The Mercury has always championed new and left -field acts: tion] is huge," double bass Previous winners include Dizzee Rascal's "Boy in Da Corner" player Milo Fitzpatrick says. (XL Recordings), Antony & the Johnsons' "I Am a Bird Now" "We've been talking about (Rough Trade) and Talvin Singh's "OK" (Island). But previous publishing and record deals shortlists have also included such mainstream acts as Amy Wine- PORTICO QUARTET saw sales and getting gigs." house, Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls and U2. Previous win- of its Mercury- shortlist d The next -biggest boost ners include M- People and Pulp. album 'Knee-Deep in e Wirth Sea' surge after the list went to electro -pop concept "It always helps to have a few higher -profile artists and re- was announced in idly. album "Stainless Steel" (Lex leases included that help create more of a story for the media," GLOBAL BY ANDRE PAINE Records) by Neon Neon, with says Melanie Armstrong, product manager at market -leading a 27% increase on its previous retailer HMV. "Duffy might have achieved that, or maybe even total sales, from 11,000 to Coldplay. I totally appreciate the judges have to recognize more 14,000 units. left -field offerings and [not] just turn the event into the BRITs But Radiohead, one of the Mark 2. Equally, however, an outstanding album shouldn't be Mercury Falling? few established names on the overlooked simply because it's been successful." U.K. Industry Uneasy Over Esoteric Shortlist Selections list, increased its total sales by Armstrong notes the big percentage increases for left -field just 1% to 182,720 during the artists "may not always add up to much" in terms of unit sales. LONDON -The Nationwide Mercury Prize -which honors the nomination period. She adds: "The Ting Tings would have been ideal -there are best British /Irish album of the year -is no stranger to contro- The omission of the United Kingdom's biggest -selling album enough people out there that have read good reviews or versy. But its 17th edition has raised concerns among the U.K. of 2008, Duffy's "Rockferry" (A &M /Universal), has raised the caught the band at a festival, but still haven't got round to biz that its focus is becoming too narrow. most eyebrows. No one in her camp could be reached for com- buying the album." This year's 12- strong shortlist is dominated by left -field album ment on the Mercury list, but privately several senior Universal Mercury Prize organizers, however, insist it's simply business selections (billboard.biz, July 22) and ignores the big -selling executives are unhappy at Duffy's omission, saying the panel - as usual. "The music on the album is the only thing taken into likes of Duffy and Coldplay. made up of media figures -was overly influenced by initial luke- account," the official Mercury Prize Web site states. The winner can expect a sales boost after the televised Sept. warm press reviews for the album. "It's always difficult to draw too many grand conclusions about 9 ceremony, but figures from the Official U.K. Charts Co. show only Previous nominee Coldplay also missed out with "Viva La the state of British music from the list," Mercury Prize director modest rises in sales for nominated albums since the shortlist Vida or Death and All His Friends" (Parlophone), while many Kevin Milburn says. "All it is is 12 albums that ourjudges really felt was announced July 22. were surprised the Ting Tings' "We Started Nothing" (Columbia), passionate about." Sales from the week ending July 19 through Aug. 23 show the a top 10 regular since its May release, failed to make the list. biggest percentage uplift was enjoyed by jazz instrumentalists The band's manager, Stephen Taverner of London -based Out Additional reporting by Mark Sutherland in London. MMI's FRANK DICKSON GLOBAL BY JULIANA KORANTENG and STEVE McCLURE (inset) predicts that ringback tone sales in Asia by such artists as SHOTA SHIMIZU will keep Hanging On The Telephone on rising. Ringback Sales Surging In Asia As Europe Lags Ringback tones have taken Ringbacks accounted for than the same period last year, Mobile markets them as Asia's mobile music biz by 62% of digital music revenue according to the Recording In- "Caller Tunes." But in Ger- storm, but experts warn that in China during 2007, ac- dustry Assn. of Japan. Mean- many, T- Mobile brands them European markets will only cording to the IFPI. In the while, they bought 45.5 "SoundLogos." follow suit if companies unify more mature digital markets million master ringtones dur- "The rollout of [ringbacks] their marketing plans. of South Korea and Japan, ing the quarter, down 17% in Europe has been limited," According to a recent report they accounted for a much from a year earlier, spending says Francis Keeling, London - by U.S. technology consul- smaller but still important 5.1 billion yen ($45.7 million), based head of commercial and tancy MultiMedia Intelligence, 10% and 7% of digital music or 16% less than a year earlier. digital at Univer- global sales of ringbacks will revenue, respectively. Insiders say sales have been sal Music Group total $4.7 billion by 2012, up Tim Smith, manager of boosted by labels releasing International. "If from a projected $1.8 billion business incubation at Tokyo - songs as ringbacks ahead of it is to reach crit- in 2008. MMI expects ring - based investment company physical CDs, citing such ex- ical mass in the back sales in Asia alone to AC Capital, notes that ring- amples as Sony Music Enter- region, it needs reach $2.9 billion in 2012, up backs are cheap and can be tainment (Japan) artists unified market- from a projected $1.5 billion purchased by any mobile user, Miliyah Kato, Shota Shimizu ing support." in 2008. even those on prepaid calling and pop group Aqua Timez. Keeling says "Ringback tones have two plans. This has boosted sales "Since [master ringtone] that European characteristics that will appeal in China, where 60% of the services are now being hit operators may to labels," MMI chief research user base uses prepaid plans. pretty hard, they're looking outsource the officer Frank Dickson says. By contrast, prepaid users back at other formats they service to specialist mobile riers should follow their Asian and North America are ex- "They know music fans love account for only 10% of the haven't pushed so hard," content developers to estab- counterparts and offer "flexible pected to lag behind Asia. Dick- to personalize their handsets market in Japan. But there, Smith says. lish a single brand solution. retail and distribution models son predicts European ringback with content, and [ringbacks too, ringback sales are rising, In Europe, Dickson warns Handset manufacturers re- to third parties" says Paris - sales will reach $738 million in are] the most protected format helping compensate for the that disjointed marketing of main reluctant to promote based Thomas Husson, senior 2012, while he expects sales in [ from piracy] -far more se- continued slide in master ring - the format is confusing such a network- centric format analyst at JupiterResearch. In the United States and Canada cure than ringtones." tone sales. In the second quar- consumers, with carriers on their branded music South Korea and China, a wide will total just half that amount. Since its introduction in ter, Japanese consumers marketing ringbacks under a stores -unlike ringtones, variety of independent market- Comparable current sales fig- South Korea in 2002, the for- purchased 23.9 million ring- multitude of different names. ringbacks reside on the wire- ing organizations -not just car- ures weren't disclosed. mat has become hugely pop- backs, up 11% from a year ear- For example, in the United less carrier's server, not on riers- promote ringbacks. ular in Asia, particularly in lier, spending 2 billion yen Kingdom, Orange dubs them the handset. But for the foreseeable fu- Additional reporting by Christie southeast Asia and China. ($18.1 million), or 31% more "calling tunes," while T- Consequently, European car- ture, ringback sales in Europe Leo in Kuala Lumpur. 13, 12 I BILLBOARD SEPTEMBER 2008 www.americanradiohistory.com.