$6.95 (U.S.), $8.95 (CAN.), £5.50 (U.K.), 8.95 (EUROPE), Y2,500 (JAPAN) 1111... 11111111 IIiIiiIIiiJ iilJlr nlni[iiIIiIi.Illnni[I[niii #BXNCCVR * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * ** 3 -DIGIT 908 #90807GEE374EM002 # * BLBD 872 A06 B0114 001 MAR 04 2 MONTY GREENLY 3740 ELM AVE # A LONG BEACH CA 90807 -3402 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC, VIDEO, AND HOMEv ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 8, 2003 DVD Enjoys Big Role Indie Pub Catalogs Are In Black History Month Hot Investment Ticket BY JILL KIPNIS music -related promo- BY BRIAN GARRITY and GAIL MITCHELL tions are also planned for NEW YORK- Indepen- LOS ANGELES -A the month, which hon- dent publishing catalogs wealth of new DVD titles ors the contributions of have seen their market Y i i value more than double in just in time for this year's The key video title this the past decade, and at celebration of Black His- Black History Month is the least three companies tory Month. Audio titles film adaptation of Alice now hope to take advan- are less evident than in Walker's The Color Purple, tage of that trend. But past years, but several which will be released Feb. with the music industry 18 as a double -disc DVD financially strained by ($27.95) from Warner slumping CD sales, many Home Video (WHV). The large publishers and other 1985 film, which is the potential acquirers of story of an African -Ameri- such assets are experienc- cati _irl _rowiu: up in 11íe ing sticker shock when rural South in the early Lorrie Morgan, Billy Ray Cyrus, Collin Raye, Chely Wright, and Bryan White. examining the price tags 1900s, was directed by of the would -be targets. ment that Bertelsmann Steven Spielberg and stars "In my opinion, [valu- requires or that any other Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi ations] have become un- sane company requires." Goldberg, and Danny Country's New Reality: reasonable and uneco- Among publishing jew- Glover. The project was nomical," BMG Music els said to be open for the nominated for 11 Acade- Publishing president Nick taking for the right figure (Continued on page 66) Stars Without Label Deals Firth says. "There is no are the catalog of blues BY PHYLLIS STARK Ty Herndon, Chely Wright, Bryan way that with some of the and R &B specialist Arc IW NASHVILLE-In his current country White, Collin Raye, Suzy Bogguss, multiples being proposed Music, the non- propri- single, "Next Big Thing," Vince Gill Billy Dean, Lorrie Morgan, Ricochet, that we can make the etary rock and pop assets sings about an industry obsessed with the Kinleys, David Lee Murphy, Lila kind of return on invest- of Leiber & Stoller Music, Foes Swap Barbs At Radio finding new stars, often to the detri- McCann, Rick Trevino, Kevin Sharp, and the catalog of U.K. ment of established ones. Gill sings, and Paul Brandt. (Travis has released classical music house Ownership Hearings "When you finally hit the top/Man, you two Christian music albums in the Boosey & Hawkes. know what that means/Well, every- past few years but has no country deal, The asking price for BY BILL HOLLAND snuffed out local pro- body's ready for the next big thing" (see although some of his Christian music each of those catalogs, as WASHINGTON, D.C. - gramming input, or it is story, page 31). has been worked to country radio, in- well as many much small- Depending on who was a diverse media platform That song, while tongue in cheek, cluding "Three Wooden Crosses," er ones, is said to be more testifying Jan. 30 before under attack by the speaks to a larger truth. An astonishing which is No. 39 on Hot Country Sin- than 15 times the gross the Senate Commerce meanies of cable, satellite number of country acts that were gold gles & Tracks this issue. Brandt margin on the assets-a Committee, big radio programming, and even and platinum sellers as recently as the remains successful in his home coun- metric known as net pub- today is either a bullying the Internet. 1990s no longer have label deals. try of Canada but has no U.S. deal.) lisher's share (NPS), which brute who bosses around It is a classic fight be- The roll call of free agents reads like The collective success of these 18 is a proxy of free cash flow. record companies and tween the Goliaths and an hour of a typical country station in acts is dramatic. Among them, they NICK FIRTH In some cases that figure BMG MUSIC PUBLISHING recording artists and has (Continued on page 11) the mid -'90s: Clint Black, Randy have 29 platinum or multi -platinum (Continued on page 65) Travis, Billy Ray Cyrus, Wade Hayes, (Continued on page 64) Retailers Plan Digital-Music Service; BMG Claims Record Earnings For 2002: Page 3 Ted Turner, Norio Ohga Exit: Page 8 Asía Pacítie Quarterly FOLLOWS PAGE 42 CONGRATULATIONS 86.95US $8.95CAN DAVID BOWIE : NORAH JONES : HUSKY HOSKULDS & CRAIG STREET 0 6> ON YOUR 2003 GRAMMY NOMINATIONS FROM ALL OF US AT ALLAIRE STUDIOS. allaireemao iii ' 845.657.6553 ! WWW.ALLAIRESTUDIOS.COM o 486 02552 8 i ADVERTISEMENT www.americanradiohistory.com On February 23rd, we celebrate their nominations. (Every other day we celebrate their music.) IrtMUSIC TELEVISION 2 www.americanradiohistory.com Retailers Echo Majors' Online Presence Billboard. BY BRIAN GARRITY offering locked content in bulk that could be demand music offering says it is in advanced Editor In Chief (1991 -2002): TIMOTHY WHITE Word that a consortium of six of the transferred to iPod -like portable hard -drive talks regarding a distribution agreement with largest music merchants in the U.S. plans devices and later opened. an Echo investor.) Plus, Echo still has to EDITORIAL licenses from the labels Managing Editor. MICHAEL ELLS to launch a digital -music subscription But specific details surrounding the ven- acquire content -a Bureau Chiefs: Leila Cobo (Latin, Miami), Bill Holland (Washington, D.C.), rival such major -label ventures ture are limited. The retailers have each process company executives say they hope to Melinda Newman (L.A.), Phyllis Stark (Nashville) service to Senior Editors: Ed Christman (Retail), Larry Flick (Talent), Marc Schiffman (News), as MusicNet and Pressplay marks retail's invested an equal, undisclosed sum in Los complete in the next six months. Chuck Taylor (Features), Ray Waddell (Touring, Nashville) Senior Writer: Chris Morris (LA.) most aggressive move to date to embrace Angeles -based But those in the digital industry view the Art Director. Leff Nisbet Section Editors: Jim Bessman (Music Publishing), Brian Garrity (Merchants & Marketing). digital distribution. Echo, formerly venture as a potential serious rival that even Rashaun Hall (Rap), Carla Hay (Film &TV Music), Jill Kipnis (HomeVideo, L.A.), in its commands instant legit- Gail Mitchell (R &B, L.A.), Michael Paoletta (Dance), The retailers in question-Best Buy, Hast- Echo Networks, nebulous state Deborah Evans Price (Country/Christian, Nashville), Christopher Walsh (Pro Audio) Entertainment, Tower Records, Trans a streaming -mu- imacy, courtesy of its backers. Staff Writers: Susanne Ault (L.A.), Matthew Benz, Was Orshoski ings Copy Chief Emma Warby World Entertainment, Virgin Entertainment sic service. "The Echo consortium was established to Copy Editors: ChristaTitus, Chris Woods Art Assistant: Raymond Carlson Group, and Wherehouse Music-have tin- Echo founder create a viable business strategy that combines Contributors: Bradley Bambarger, Rhonda Baraka, Fred Bronson, Ramiro Burr, Lisa Collins. Steven Graybow, Larry LeBlanc, Moira McCormick, Catherine Applefeld Olson, kered with promotional and commercial Dan Hart will physical and digital -music distribution," Hart Matthew Robinson, Steve Smith, SteveTraiman long his- Assistant To Editor in Chief: Allison Farber downloads via the likes of Liquid Audio and head the new says. "Music retailers can utilize their INTERNATIONAL (London) Rioport for years. But concerns regarding company, in tory and expertise in building customer rela- International Editor: Tom Ferguson News Editor: Gordon Masson everything from revenue sharing and pric- which the con- tionships, marketing music, and breaking new &seau Chiefs: Christie Biezer (Australasia, Melbourne), Steve McClure (Asia, Tokyo), a experience Wolfgang Spahr (Germany, Hamburg) ing control to customer-data ownership have sortium holds a artists to provide digital -music Contributing Editors: Sam Andrews, Nigel Hunter, Kwaku, Paul Sexton, Nigel Williamson kept them on the sidelines in the on- demand controlling in- that truly serves the consumer." SPECIAL SECTIONS - Director of Special Sections: GENE SCULATTI (LA.) subscription business, until now. terest. Represen- Hastings Entertainment CEO John Mar International Editor. Thom Duffy adds, `We have always excelled at Associate Director: Dalet Brady (LA.) With CD sales in a tailspin and competi- tatives from the maduke Assistant Editor: Katy Kroll tion in cyberspace rising, the consortium's six retailers selling music to consumers, and we plan to Coordinator: Margo Whitmire (L.A.) - CHARTS & RESEARCH members are hoping to use the venture, as well as Arnie extend our consumer relationships from the Director of Charts: GEOFF MAYFIELD (LA.) Bernstein, for- physical world into the digital world." Chart Manages: Bob Allen (Boxscore, Nashville), Keith Caulfield (Pop Catalog, Soundl ados, called Echo, to control their own destinies Produdion Credits, LA), Anthony Colombo (Mainstream Rock, Spotlight Recaps), in the subscription arena. Retailers are mer president of the National Assn. of Record- Wherehouse Music CEO Jerry Comstock Ricardo Companáni (Dance, Latin), Steven Graybow (Jazz, Blues, Modern Rock), Wade lessen