R &B 6HVTÑÏÌ 121111L ULU R &B PRESENCE SECTION (('o7i lied from pay( 2.3) tin iiJii±rfltLi:flihui are under construction. CABLE SELLS: This issue reflects the SoundScan tracking week that The Peeps site, which represents P followed Janet's "Velvet Rope" HBO concert, which first ran Oct. 11. more than 200 artists and 20 labels, UIIiI1 "The Velvet Rope" springs 47 -30 on Top R &B Albums, also capturing takes advantage of its virtual monop- J the Greatest Gainer award for the chart's largest increase, 72% over oly by running official concert last issue. The title wins the same trophy on The Billboard 200, moving footage and interviews. If you want to reach the world 68 -43, although the increase at the overall panel was a lesser 47 %. "We pride ourselves on being the Before last issue, "The Velvet Rope" had not seen an increase of more of music and video, you need the than 2% at the R &B core-stores panel since August. The concert was seen by 15 million viewers in 8.9 million households, according to HBO. International Buyers Guide. N OBODY'S CLOSE: Deborah Cox's "Nobody's Supposed To Be Here" (Arista) scores Hot R &B Singles' largest audience increase, a gain of more than 6.6 million listeners. Although that boost will not y`a.. ARTISTS SPOTLIGHT result in Cox winning the Greatest Gainer/Airplay award, since titles in the top 20 of the chart are ineligible, it does translate into a large 4 -2 chart move. That jump sets a new benchmark for Cox, whose pre- The 1999 International vious high, "Sentimental," hit No. 4 in '95, which the new song reached last issue. She gains six new supporters, most notably WBHK Birm- ingham, Ala. (23 plays), and WOWI Norfolk, Va. (17 plays), while BUYER'S GUIDE KBXX Houston increased rotation by 32 plays. "Nobody's Supposed "J.ñ Record Labels á: :.Ai.wS:ï¡..... To Be also saw an 8% sales spike at the R &B core panel. Here" Home Video Companies It would take only another 3,000 or so units at core stores, or 8 mil- lion listeners, for Cox to hit No. 1; growth similar to this issue's would Music Publishers place her there next issue. Time, however, is of the essence, since Wholesalers Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" (Ruff house /Columbia) hits premier genre Web site for the online Accessory Manufacturers stores Tuesday (27). Although "Doo Wop" is declining in audience, it community that is dedicated to offer- Packing and Labeling still has more than 47 million listeners and could hit No. 1 without a ing exclusive content of video, music, huge sales week. and performance clips and specialty etertainient Attorneys says Nicole Dollison, product CD items, Se ildirelMive Replicators STILL GOING: Jay -Z's "Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life" (Roc -A- Fella/ manager for BMG Online. bilawlloe iia,te Plants and Services Def Jam /Mercury) holds it down for a third consecutive week on both The site showed footage from R. for ionic Tape Duplicators The Billboard 200 and Top R &B Albums. At the R &B panel, his sales Kelly's benefit celebrity basketball Uiestay air a 25% decline, which still gave the rapper a lead of more than tournament in Chicago and A Tribe isefirmaiiee 25,000 units above the No. 2 seller, former chart- topper Lauryn Hill. Called Quest's New York in- store. Bolstering the sales effort are two singles, each of which is receiving The site is also the official home of strong support from radio despite their harder edge. "Can I Get Jamie Foster -Brown's gossip maga- A ..." moves 16 -15 on Hot R &B Singles with a 3.3 million listener zine Sister 2 Sister. It also features gain and a total audience of 26.4 million. The album's not- commer- Foster -Brown's weekly syndicated cially-available title track hits the 23 million audience mark, spring- radio reports. The artist news section ing 23 -14 on Hot R &B Airplay. is generated by news from SonicNet. The site also links to 88hiphop.com, F.Y.I.: Counting this issue's chart- topper, rap titles have dominat- Vibe magazine, Fubu sportswear, and ed the No. 1 spot on Top R &B Albums for a total of 39 weeks so far other R &B and hip -hop sites. Over 16,000 current and updated this chart year, while R &B titles reigned for nine weeks. At this time Artist chats are normally held in year last year, rap titles had accrued 30 weeks in the top spot. How- conjunction with America Online's listings worldwide - complete with ever, on The Billboard 200, rap -related titles have spent 12 weeks on "AOL Live" program. the throne so far this year, vs. 14 weeks at this time a year ago. Last- Universal Records is also setting key contacts, phone a fax numbers, ly, R &B and hip -hop titles logged 33 out of 48 weeks at No. 1 this up a site, which is expected to be addresses, e-mail addresses and year on the Hot 100. functional in November. But its dis- tributed label Kedar Entertainment web site listings. has had a Web site for more than two years, www.kedar.com. The site Record labels Music distribution companies includes information about Erykah Wholesalers & Distributors Vdeo companies Badu and Chico DeBarge. Music publishers CD, CD -ROM & Video Although many of the artist pages are label- driven, a few artists like disc manufacturers Equipmen- manufacturers Accessory companies PR companies SINGLS Deborah Cox, Whitney Houston BUBBLING UNDER (through her official fan club), and International listings Associations and s s ó upcoming Universal artist Calvin professional organizations Performing and 3 3 3 3 TITLE N a TITLE Robinson maintain their own sites. á á mechanical rights organizations 3 ARTIST (IMPRINT /PROMOTION LABEL) 3 ARTIST (IMPRINT/PROMOTION LABEL) "The Internet is a big part in com- BULLSH * * *** (B.S.'N) WORLD WAR III Music libraries Entertainment attorneys 1 14 11 6 in i 6 N'DEA DAVENPORT FEAT MOS DEF (V2) TOP AUTHORITY (TOP FLIGHT/WRAP /ICHIBAN) munication," Cox told Billboard an earlier interview "The site is main- Importers /Exporters Replicators Duplicators GSPOT CURSE ON YOU 2 10 5 15 2 3 KOMPOZUR TALL NET /PLATINUM /INTERSOUND) SLEEPY'S THEME FEAT KEISHA JACKSON (BANG III tained by myself and my manage- And much more! A CHANGE IS GONNA COME 8 ALL NIGHT ment, and ... we use it to get feed- 3 1 16 9 - MICHA). °HO)T)C)ABOBBY ACHACA ITENTCOCOA BUTTPPI! N2DEEP (SWERVE/LIGHTYEAR) back and response from the fans and To order send payment for $139 plus $6 S &-1 ($14 for international LIFE AIN'T EA 17 9 LET'S GET FREAKY 4 1 buzz - CLEOPATRA (MAVERICSY IVWARNER BROS.) WILLIS (VIKING) also to [create] sort of a Net orders) with this ad to: Billboard Directories, P.O. Box 2016, YEAH YEAH YEAH BED TIME STORY regarding the album." Lakewood, NJ 08701. Please add appropriate sales tax in NY, 5 2 18 16 10 5 JOHNNY P (C -TOWN /RAP- A- LOTNIRGIN) DOWN SOUTH PLAYERS (RESTLESS) "The World Wide Web is the fu- NJ, PA, CA, TN, MA, IL, OH, VA & DC. Orders payable in U.S. FOUL CATS END TO END BURNERS...EPISODE 2 6 3 3 19 22 13 ture of marketing," says Atlantic's KOOL G RAP (ILLSTREET /DOWN LOW'K T ELI COMPANY FLOW (OFFICIAL/RAWKUS) funds only. All sales are final Colamussi. "It's actually become an Y0 6 GIVE A LITTLE 7 4 4 HEAT - LAVONDRA(312 ENTERTAINMENTCOPPER SUN/PPI) integral part of overall marketing FOR FASTEST SERVICE CALL (800) 344 -7119. MONEYYpMAKINN'XANTHEM GET READY,AREAODY! because this is the very first time 8 7 13 21 25 5 Outside the U.S. (732)363 -4156. where record labels can speak di- BABY BE THERE Or fax your order to (732) 363 -0338. DOUBLE DUTCH DANCE 22 18 9 24 8 - NU FLAVOR (REPRISE/WARNER BROS.) rectly to an end user and they can KINSU (PLATINUMIINTERSOUND) speak back." CRAWL PUT MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS l0 18 11 BEFORE 23 1 labels. YOU BROS.) Besides official label sites, R &B Now available on diskette and mailing WHATTPHE WORLD NEEDS NOW' IS'LOVE 24 WAYZ music is represented on the sites of For rates call Mike Sisto at (212) 536 -5017. 11 13 14 - 13 60 (H.o. L.AJ such companies as BET (msbet. To advertise call Jill Carrigan at (213) 525 -2302 SABROSURA GHETTO STAR 25 13 12 8 7 (COOL CATS/ANANSU - DJ LAZ (PANDISC) com), Netnoir (netnoir.com), Ameri- GOLDY www.billboard.com 8- TRACKS AND CADILLACS ca Online's entertainment section, BDBG3169 13 7 Bubbling Under lists the top 25 singles under No. 100 - A.TOWN PLAYERS FEAT AMITA IWRAPIICEBERSIICHIBANI which have not yet charted. and music magazines. 26 BILLBOARD OCTOBER 31, 1998 www.americanradiohistory.com.