ICD 08120 cc aW Hlb3f? ^hOi 1413 CiiL£ V 1 d d 11N330 111tOk W CLE,LTFGta" Follows page 52 (U.S.), $5 (CAN.) VOLUME 99 NO. 39 THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT September 26, 1987/$3.95 `Platoon' To Carry Iacocca Definition Of Format Eludes Confab Tribute To Vietnam Vets `Wave' Takes NAB By Storm disclosed by the companies. BY AL STEWART "The Jeep /Eagle division has de- ers' Radio '87 convention, held here les and the handful of stations BY BILL HOLLAND NEW YORK HBO Video's release cided to join HBO Video in bringing Sept. 9 -12. It marked the first time broadcasting variations on its pro- of "Platoon" will include a 45 -sec- the message of 'Platoon' home," ANAHEIM, Calif. Doubters call it in several years that a program- gramming, the new format had pro- ond tribute to Vietnam veterans said Frank O'Connell, CEO of HBO yuppie elevator music and warn it ming issue stole center stage at the grammers and syndicators buzzing sponsored by Chrysler Motors' new- Video, at a press conference held won't play in Peoria, but one thing management. engineering, and pro- throughout the convention. The ex- a ly acquired Jeep /Eagle division. here to announce the auto maker's cannot be denied-the so-called new gramming convention. citement implicit in latching onto style of music with an ap- The appearance of Chrysler chair- involvement. O'Connell, who pre - age format was the talk of this Fueled by the initial success of different man Lee Iacocca at the start of the (Continued on page 87) year's National Assn. of Broadcast- KTWV -FM "the Wave" Los Ange- parently loyal listenership -and video will be the centerpiece of a maybe even mass -appeal ratings - Chrysler -HBO retail promotion to was the main attraction. be announced prior to the Oct. 14 re- Among the converted, optimism of the lease of the video. Neither Chrysler Yid Tag; Business As Usual and smiles were the order nor Jeep /Eagle is mentioned by $89,95 day. But as one not -so- enchanted name during the brief tribute, in NEW YORK The move to an and C titles they order, but distribu- the Nashville -based distributor. programmer put it: "One more step which a somber Iacocca stands be- $89.95 list price on most major video tors say unit volume for hit titles is "What's upsetting, though, is that and I thought everybody was going side a military Jeep and says, "I titles may have angered some video virtually the same at the $89.95 retailers didn't go up on their [rent- to hold hands and chant, 'Om.' " hope we will never have to build an- retailers, but suppliers and distribu- price point as it was when $79.95 al] prices. Retailers really have to In 1986, the classic rock format other Jeep for war." tors say they'd never know it from was the ceiling for major titles. look at tiered pricing as a result of was something of a hot item at the Financial terms of the corporate the amount of titles being ordered. "They swallowed it without a hic- the higher price points, but so far confab, but recent developments in sponsorship program have not been Dealers appear to have scaled cup," says Brian Clendenen, vice we haven't seen that." (Continued on page 83) back somewhat on the number of B president of sales for Ingram Video, (Continued on page 87) ADVERTISEMENTS Song Contest `Bad' Grooves Names Stars On Black Vinyl, As Judges Dealers Say NEW YORK A stellar lineup of This story prepared by Chris Mor- artists from the rock, pop, r &b, jazz, ris, Earl Paige, and Dave DiMar- gospel, country, and Latin music tino. worlds will judge the finalists in the first annual TDK /Billboard Song LOS ANGELES It is no surprise Contest, which kicks off Thursday that "Bad" looks great at retail, but (24) and runs through February the big surprise about the new Mi- its un- 1988. chael Jackson album may be Quincy Jones will chair a blue -rib- foreseen strength on black vinyl. bon panel that includes George Ben- The out-of- the -box success of the son, Peter Cetera, Roy Clark, David Jackson record, which debuts at No. Foster, Herbie Hancock, Julio Igle- 1 on Billboard's Top Pop Albums sias, Billy Ocean, Eddie Van Halen, chart this week (see story, page 3), Deniece Williams, Tammy Wynette, was almost a given. But retailers across the country are noting, with John Waite, and Heart's Ann and Van Shelton is on a roll. His single debut -"Wild Eyed Variety calls Dianne Reeves "the next big thing in jazz vocal" Ricky sales on Nancy Wilson. Reeves is -handedly resurrecting and redefining the Dream"-went top 20 and the follow -up "Crime Of Passion" some bemusement, that Dianne single close The song contest, co- sponsored art of pure jazz vocal. An extraordinary singer who can cut climbed the BB chart to 7. Now Ricky has the hottest record at "Bad" vinyl LPs are running by Billboard and the TDK Electron- across all formats to become a major star. Now on Blue Note country radio-"Somebody Lied" and a concentrated tour of to those for cassettes, the tradition- Compact Discs (CDP -7- 46906 -2), Cassettes (B4J- 46906) and the SW & SE Regions is paying big dividends. Ricky Van in recent ics Corp., provides unknown song - al configuration leader Records (BU- 46906). Shelton -WILD EYED DREAM the album, "Somebody Lied" the (Continued on page 93) (Continued on page 93) single, on Columbia Records, Cass. and C.D. 40602. LIFE'S HARD AND THEN YOU DIE Album of the year SP 6-5159 and a heroic debut The Debut Album From ...Melody Maker IT'S IMMATERIAL Featuring The Single DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME AM 2976 1987 UM Records. Inc. AH Rights Reserved. ADVERTISEMENT www.americanradiohistory.com FOR D TYPES THE THEME FROM GHOULIESII 1111111k2 NEW LIVE SONGS AND THE REST OF YOUR 111/ORITE W.A.S.P. TRACKS CAPTURED IN CONCERT. CN HIGH QUALITY XDR' CASSETTES, ALBUMS, AND COMPACT DISCS., NT RCP S,A'ALL. ^. .ND ANDY TAYLOR FOR SANCTUARY MUSIC. INC. PRODUCED BY BLACFIE LAWLESY. C19r .0 TL,AR'° ERODUCTIONS WC. www.americanradiohistory.com __-- _- ME -----_- - _-__ME - - - Musicland Acquires Musicden Chain - - - REM = Retailer Meet Buoyed By Buyout News --- VIM - -- -- - - - theme ---- -EMI Nomemp ed the conference, whose - tlta New York. Musicland, the nation's MMEW IMMI/ - t- - -.- i BY MOIRA McCORMICK largest retailer, now operates 578 was The Heat Is On. ALEXANDRIA, Minn. As befits stores in 47 states, under the In addition, over 150 record label put VOLUME 99 NO. 39 SEPTEMBER 26, 1987 its recent history of rapid expan- names Musicland, Sam Goody's, and other industry personnel sion, the Musicland Group report- and Discount Records. in appearances throughout the COMPACT DISK SPOTLIGHT ed Sept. 14 at its management con- The Musicden purchase was the week, with total attendance esti- it had acquired biggest news at the conference, mated at 400, according to Bruce The comfortable lead CD production currently enjoys over demand is ex- ference here that the 21 -unit music /home entertain- which was held Sept. 13 -18 at the Jesse, Musicland vice president of be- pected to continue at least until well into 1988 and most probably ment chain Musicden Retail Corp., Arrowwood Lodge in Alexandria, advertising and promotion. yond. That's the view of most seasoned observers. Executive editor Is a subsidiary of Thorn -EMI. 150 miles north of Minneapolis. The mood of the conference was Horowitz reports. Follows page 42 The acquisition, which is expect- Some 240 Musicland employees, confident and upbeat, buoyed by ed to be completed by the end of including 150 field personnel (dis- the company's latest expansion DAT Decks Sold At NAB Meet the fourth quarter, involves 11 trict and senior store managers and its health in general. As of vice and June, the midpoint of Musicland's Consumer model Sony DAT decks were openly sold to radio stations at stores in Texas, four in Iowa, two and divisional presidents) in and one each in Illi- 70 staffers from the company's fiscal year, revenues were $195.1 Broadcasters meet in Anaheim, Calif. The New Jersey, the recent National Assn. of nois, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Minneapolis headquarters, attend- million, with net income of $3.3 hardware was offered as part of a music production package. Washing- million. In the preceding 12 ton bureau chief Bill Holland reports for the pro audio /video section. months, sales were $467 million, Page 49 and net income was $16.5 million. "We're expecting revenues of THE MTV MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS close to $500 million by the end of RECAPPING Jackson And Houston 1987," said chairman and CEO Billboard goes backstage at the MN Music Video Awards, where Peter Jack Eugster. Financial analysts, Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" won a record -setting nine awards. Music vid- he said, are predicting this year's eo editor Steven Dupler reports; Los Angeles bureau chief Dave DiMar- Achieve Rare Chart Feats earnings per share to total $1.70- tino offers a critic's -eye view of the proceedings. Pages 60,61 the Supremes -the first two acts $1.80, up from 1986's $1.20. (Music- BY PAUL GREIN having amassed six consecutive land became a publicly held compa- majority Retailers Air Gripes At Home Video Seminar LOS ANGELES The king and No. 1 singles each and second two ny in February 1987; the five. stockholder is Primerica Corp., A Nashville seminar aimed at bolstering 1988 profits for home video re- queen of pop music add more rare having collected jewels to their crowns this week.