ICD 08120 L:18J5 uJ HDV39 ONDI Wl3 04LE V 1dV ZHleaöv 159e IÓbb3ÉÉ6L16ÓÓÓ 306 IIDIO-E************* VOLUME 99 NO. 2 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT January 10, 1987 Whitney Set The Pace For 'TWAS THE SEASON '86 Triple -Platinum Spree the factor of belated certification of Retailers Jolly Over Music Sales BY PAUL GREIN back catalog. eludes Sam Goody and Licorice Piz- tions." LOS ANGELES The past year The year's triple -platinum albums BY GEOFF MAYFIELD za. "We had high expectations, and Stan Goman, senior vice president yielded a bounty of 10 triple- plati- covered the musical gamut, from NEW YORK Compact disks and a it ran close to projection through- of the 42 -store Tower Records/ num albums, but only one block- Barbra Streisand's "The Broadway batch of strong -sell:ng titles from out. Christmas week, including the Tower Video web, terms the holiday buster- Whitney Houston's debut Album" to Bon Jovi's "Slippery established and developing acts two days after Christmas, [busi- selling period "wonderful." He says album on Arista, which sold 5 mil- helped many music dealers beat ness] was ahead of our expecta- (Continued on page 76) lion copies in 1986. The album also their projections for the crucial holi- sold 2 million in 1985. MCA Expected day sales period. Below the triple -platinum level To Buy Motown Like other retailers, record stores (sales of 3 million copies), platinum - grabbed booming traffic during the Yid Sell- Through Booms albums were flat. The Recording In- week before Christmas. While that dustry Assn. of America (RIAA) Inside Track, p. 78 late surge proved to be a lifesaver This story prepared by Earl Paige 1985's holiday season were posted certified 55 platinum albums last for department stores and other and Chris Morris in Los Angeles by such large specialty chains as year, compared with 56 in 1985. (See When Wet." The list also included merchants, it was icing on the cake and Ed Morris in Nashville. New Jersey -based Palmer Video, related stories, page 4.) Both totals Houston's debut collection, Z.Z. for music chains. national web Adventureland Inter- include only albums that were certi- Top's "Afterburner," Van Halen's "For comparable stores, we had LOS ANGELES Home video retail- national, and Philadelphia -based fied within two years of release. "5150," Janet Jackson's "Control," 15 %-20% increases, with accelera- ers say the strong sell -through busi- (Continued on page 71) Therefore, the figures better reflect Madonna's "True Blue," the "Top tion in the last week before Christ- ness that kicked in at Thanksgiving current sales activity and eliminate Gun" soundtrack, Lionel Richie's mas beyond those numbers," says continued through Christmas. "Dancing On The Ceiling," and Bos- Jack Eugster, president of the 521 - Among retailers polled by Bill- RCA Revises (Continued on page 77) store Musicland Group, which in- board, the greatest increases over Return Policy Is Double -Well ADVERTISEMENTS BY FRED GOODMAN NEW YORK RCA /A &M /Arista VCR Welcome Distribution has revised its return policy for all customers to reflect At Winter CES? the incentive-disincentive programs already adopted by several labels. The new program, which was ef- BY STEVEN DUPLER fective Jan. 2, provides retailers NEW YORK Go- Video, an Arizo- with an incentive discount of .85% na -based video franchising firm, and wholesalers with a discount of says it will display a double -well vid- 1.05% on all album product pur- eocassette recorder at the Winter chased and assigns a disincentive Consumer Electronics Show (CES) charge of 5% for all returns. The Thursday- Sunday (8 -11) in Las Ve- break -even point for retailers re- gas despite a voluntary ban on such mains at approximately 18 %, similar devices by major manufacturers. to the allowance under a plan adopt- The founders of the 3- year -old (Continued on page 71) publicly held company say they have applied for patents on their VCR -2 dubbing recorder in Japan B and the U.S. They say they are FOR INBAL'S MAHLER, THE APPLAUSE CONTINUES. Eliahu Established as a bonafide AOR smash, JASON & THE bringing a working prototype to Inbal's interpretation of Mahler's Second has been heralded for SCORCHERS "GOLDEN BALL & CHAIN" makes its entrance CES in an effort to seek licensing "soaring vitality and ardor." Inbal's Mahler #4 was awarded as the debut single from the group's EMI America album "STILL O YO,YsY agreements with companies wish- France's "Diapason d'or" and called "full of tenderness ... STANDING." ing to manufacture and distribute inward seriousnes." Now this historic Mahler cycle continues with Symphony No. 5, 1088), recorded Follows page 40 (Continued on 74) (CO- digitally by DENON, \I page THE FIRST NAME IN DIGITAL RECORDING. N 0 'Wishing all pur friends a greet 1987! ADVERTISEMENT www.americanradiohistory.com START a RU NON SALES pK? ITH r.F 30,viii ii% N S N S Retailers know a sure winner when increase your turns on TDK quality audio and video cassettes. they see one. And TDK's $450,000 Unlike some promotions that get off to a quick start and fizzle, TDK "Dash e for Cash" Sweeptstakes strides powerfully to the finish. The only way you can lose is if you let promotion will definitely be ahead of your inventory run out of TDK. the pack. Contact your TDK rep today -or call 1- 800 -TDK -TAPE and learn We've already established a how easy it can be for you to be a winner in the TDK $450,000 "Dash proven track record with full line our for Cash" Sweepstakes. Your opportunity begins February 1, 1987. of quality audio and video cassettes . Now we're pushing to set a record sales pace in 1987. F You'll get off to a fast start with our extensive national media TDK,1 sprint that lets your customers know they could win a FREE SUPER AVILYN ' Ta.!< fully paid trip for 2 to the World SA X': Championships in Athletics in Rome, Italy; plus an additional $40,000 in cash -or one of over 20,000 other great prizes, simply Vfifi by submitting an entry in spe- + `(%' r(it) cially marked packages of TDK audio and video cassettes. THESE AND OTHER SPECIALLY MARKED PACKAGES TDK When your see this customers OFFICIAL AUDIO AND VIDEO TAPE SUPPLIER TO THE sales -stimulating promotion on WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ATHLETICS ROME, ITALY display at your store they'll :TDK THE ART OF PERFORMANCE. CALL YOUR NEAREST TDK REP TODAY WEST MIDWEST SOUTHEAST NORTHEAST DAMARK INDUSTRIES SER, INCORPORATED Skokie, IL ALPHA SALES RICHARD DEAN ASSOCIATES Woodland Hills, CA 91364 60076 312/673 -2250 Indianapolis, IN 46240 Newburyport, MA 01950 818/888 -2488 CLARK R. GIBB COMPANY Minnetonka, MN 317/257 -4167 617/462 -1150 HAL ABRAMS MARKETING 55343 612/938 -5050 CAROLINA MARKETING CONCEPT MARKETING San Mateo, CA 94402 MARCOM Fort Mills, SC 29715 Albany, NY 415/349 -6153 Southfield MI 48076 803/548 -3452 12206 518/459 -0012 REPTRONICS 313/645 -2034 LEN HAAS COMPANY CARDUNER SALES Roslyn, NY Seattle, WA 98104 MCFADDEN SALES, INC. Columbus, OH Hialeah, FL 33016 11576 516/484 -5454 206/624 -2790 43220 614/761 -3177 305/822 -2300 LIENAU ASSOCIATES Newtown, PA WALTLEN & SONS, INC. CARMINE A. VIGNOLA ASSOC., INC. UNITED STATES SALES 18940 215/860 -2100 Waipahu, HI 96797 Jefferson City, MO 65102 CORPORATION MARKET CONCEPTS Pittsburgh, PA 808/671 -1771 314/636 -3121 Virginia Beach, VA 23450 15237 412/366 -3044 NORTHSTAR SALES COMPANY DOBBS- STANFORD CORP Virginia Beach, VA 23452 LIENAU ASSOCIATES Columbia, MD Anchorage, AK 99502 Dallas, TX 75220 804/340 -4000 21045 301/621 -4113 907/561 -1164 214/358 -0800 214/358 -0180 JOHN AXTELL & ASSOC., INC. Lakewood, CO. 80215 303/235 -6336 1986 TDK Electronics Corp. See us at WCES Booth D -106 www.americanradiohistory.com New CD Units, VCRs On Tap At CES IN THIS ISSUE But DAT Controversy Also Looms VOLUME 99 NO. 2 JANUARY 10, 1987 Home Video, whose firm will not ing blank DAT cassettes. Still un- BY JIM McCULLAUGH have a corporate presence at CES. clear, though, are questions about CANADA CERTIFICAT IONS DOWN LOS ANGELES New generations "Inherently, there's no reason that timetables for U.S. introduction, ex- Canadian gold and platinum certifications were down in 1986, according of compact disk and home video video should be seasonal. In 1987 act suppliers, price points, and soft- to preliminary tabulations by the Canadian Recording Industry Assn. hardware are expected to grab the there will be more of an effort on ware. Meanwhile, Janet Jackson, Bon Jovi, and the "Top Gun" soundtrack spotlight at the Winter Consumer the part of mass merchandisers to "I want to see where DAT is Electronics Show Thursday-Sunday make it a year -round business." standing," says Mitch Perliss of the scored triple platinum in the U.S. in December. Page 4. (8-11) in Las Vegas. And there will Among the expected highlights: Los Angeles -based Music Plus Vid- be - bit- eo chain. "It's a major concern. Our Winter CES controversy, too: Digital audio DAT hardware. Despite the Preview tape (DAT) hardware and double - ter protests of the U.S. music indus- cassette sales are strong, and we Jack Wayman of the Electronics Industries Assn., sponsor of the Con- well VCRs will be on display, vexing try, Japanese suppliers have left lit- are hearing through NARM that sumer Electronics Show, says this winter's confab expects the home en- the entertainment software commu- tle doubt that they will not slow in- DAT is more imminent than some of tertainment software community "back in force.'" Retail editor Earl Paige nity.