) IN THIS ISSUE the World of i=1 Country NEWSPAPER EB049GREENLY MON TOO MAP E3 PONT GREENLY 03 10 MUSIC . U C Y 1:' 374E ELM LONG BEACH CA 90ß" A Billboard Publication The International Newsweekly Of Music & Home Entertainment Oct. 16, 1982 $3 (U.S.) Musicland Outlets Add Tape Test Hailed At NARM Meet Releases And Packaging Computers & Software Debate On Early Cassette By EARL PAIGE the cassette were hot topics during And all the retailers said that the en- By JOHN SIPPEL the meetings, and though retailers thusiasm ..'if store personnel was a HOUSTON sales of prere- lauded the pricing moves, they major facror in the success of the LOS ANGELES -Ninety Music - move heralded Sunday (3) in black -Unit a bit more hesitant about test. land outlets in selected markets are and white ads in major metropolitan corded cassettes increased by up to sounded marketing ideas, in- As Car' Rosenbaum, Flip Side, dailies. 58% at NARM's four test stores of- other cassette fering tape at a (Bill- cluding tentative plans by CBS (Bill- put il, "Our store clerks read about Home computers are the new fron- This move by the nation's largest $2 discount board, Aug. 28). Participants re- board, Oct. 9) to release certain hot the test in Billboard and were really tier for music retailers and distribu- record, tapes, accessories and games ported this much -anticipated find- product on cassette a month before it excited." Marmaduke mentioned tors: page 42. retailer -with more than 400 stores - ing Thursday (7) at the association's is available on disk. During the that his test store personnel in iso- coincides with the addition of Timex retail advisory board meeting here. meeting, other labels revealed they lated Catlshad, N.M., "the only adding home computers and related Sinclair units and complementary were mulling similar plans (separate on page 84) software to their mix, a software in six Harmony Huts, The problems and potential of (Continued product story, page 3). by Schwartz Bros., via their owned Information about the NARM companion Tomorrow electronics pricing test was presented after two Price Resistance store. Tomorrow is already stocked PolyGram Aids AOR Battles hours of debate on tape packaging. with computer hardware and soft- The test showed that there were rela- Cuts Double LPs ware. Early Payers Are Intensifying tively level sales for blank tape in By PAUL GREIN "We expect 1983 to be the year of little of what retailer By LEO SACKS By DOUGLAS E. HALL test stores and the home computer," asserts a Mu- John Marmaduke characterized as sicland spokesman in a forecast NEW YORK- PolyGram Rec- LOS ANGELES -Faced with NEW YORK -Major shifts in "LP cannibalization" (his store's LP clearly held by other influential mu- ord:. in a unique cash inducement lingering consumer price resistance the Birch ratings for AOR sta- sales were off only 5% compared to a double albums, manufacturers sic retail executives. plan. is rewarding retailers with an on tions here and in Los Angeles control store). cutting back additional incentive for prepayment are on the number of Scott Young's three Franklin Mu- reflect slippage by Doubleday's The four stores varied slightly on its falli restocking program. The doubles they issue and are experi- sic Atlanta stores have sold both the WAPP here and the rise of new their methodology but stuck to cer- with plan, seen as a move to stimulate a menting lower list prices. computers and related programs for wave KROQ in Los Angeles, tain constants. There was nothing Warner Bros., for example, has set the Commodore VIC 200 and Texas sluggish cash flow, enables dealers Competition is intensifying in except in -store promotion on the $2- a $10.98 list price for a double studio Instruments' 99/4A since June, and as well as to capitalize on a 1% to 1.5% dis- (Continued on page 90) off deal. Sale merchandise (Continued on page 10) (Continued on page 90) regular items was marked down $2. (Continued on page 90) - Inside Billboard - COUNTRY MUSIC WEEK is under way in Nashville, and in spite of the continuing industrywide slump, it's business -and celebration -as usual in Music City. Page 3. THE INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE for video is going through a difficult period, but the industry's problems may not significantly hurt the eighth Vidcom, which is expected to draw 7,000 participants from 50 countries to Cannes this week. Coverage begins on page 3. THE MUTUAL NETWORK has set its sights on the AOR audience with the signing of a pact with Doubleday Broadcasting to produce a weekly show aimed at that format, beginning in January. Page 58. VARIABLE PRICING is being considered by CBS Records for its new line of two -albums -in -one "Double Play" cassettes, due later this month. Subsequent releases may carry prices equivalent to a $9.98 list. Page 6. RENTAL CLUBS can offer video retailers a powerful and direct link to customers, as Linda and Bob Rosser of the Phoenix store Entertainment Sys- Lani Hall ... Her newest album, ALBANY PARK, includes the hot new tems Of America explain in the second part of a three -part series. Page 18. n the spectrum of modern music, Gary Rumen occupies a rock 'n' roll single, Who's That Guy? Lani can be seen on tour with Herb Alpert all over wavelength all his own. "I, Assasin, (900:4) his newest album, continues the world from October of '82 to February of '83. Lani Hall ... ALBANY COUNTRY MUSIC PROGRAMMERS are seeking ways of sharpening to explore this powerful electronic soundscape. Look for Gary Numan's PARK SP4898. Produced and Arranged by George Tobin in association with the genre's competitive edge in radio's perpetual ratings wars. Reports from forthcoming tour. And the specially remixed 12" promotional disc, "White Mike Piccirillo for George Tobin Productions, Inc. On A &M Cassettes And the front are part of Billboard's World Of Country Music special, opposite Boys And Heroes," to be serviced to dance clubs. Produced by Gary Nu- Records. (Advertisement) page 48. man. On Atco Records and Cassettes_ A Division of Atlantic Recording Corp. 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Inc www.americanradiohistory.com 3 General News Yoko Ono Inks Retailers Lukewarm 5% Attendance Rise Worldwide At Opry/DJ Week Polydor Deal To Early Cassettes NEW YORK -Yoko Ono will By EARL PAIGE haps only branch distribution labels By KIP KIRBY and CARTER MOODY appear on PolyGram's Polydor could control in -front release for cas- HOUSTON -The one -month ad- settes, Stan Layton of Chrysalis dis- NASHVILLE -There will be and roundtables) kicked off the label worldwide under a long- term recording deal. She is cur- vance release of prerecoried cas- agreed, saying his label can success- plenty of festivities -but business week on Friday at the Hyatt Re- settes, as a marketing strategy is fully direct the street date. won't be neglected in formal and in- gency. In addition to extensive pan- rently finishing her first album under the new deal for release in being considered and acted on by la- Numerous doubts about the in- formal meetings -when the Grand els and discussions, this year's Tal- bels, but the concept doesn't rate Ole Opry Birthday Celebration /DJ ent Buyers Seminar also featured November. The title is "It's All front concept were expressed, in- Right." highly with retailers compared to cluding the fear that radio stations Convention celebrates its 57th anni- two afternoon showcases featuring improved packaging. versary this week. numerous artists onstage at the Ono, the widow of John Len- might exploit the advantage. "If I for Sales may be down elsewhere in nearby Tenn. Performing Arts Cen- non, had previously recorded This conclusion was suggested were an album -hour station p.d.," the music industry, but there are no ter. Geffen Records. She and her during debate here last week at (Continued on page 84) was murdered in cutbacks planned for any of the This year's DJ Convention is pro- husband, who NARM's retail advisory meeting, at events here, with pre -registration up jected to gross approximately the December, 1980, had appeared which Russ Bach of WEA said his Geffen with the multi -mil- 5% over last year's 3,000 plus attend- same amount as its 1981 counter- on organization had considered a two - Survey Finds ance. part, which pulled in a total of $2 lion- selling "Double Fantasy" week in -front cassette but found The nine -day event, which began million from registered attendees album following her husband's problems at the radio level and with a al- Composers Are Friday (8), encompasses the custom- and visitors to Nashville during the death, Ono recorded solo U.K. release dates. for Geffen, "Season Of ary round of awards ceremonies, week, according to Nashville Cham- bum Bob Sherwood, merchandising Mostly Poor in 1981. banquets, seminars, showcases, ber of Commerce tourism director Glass," vice president of Columbia Records, In announcing Ono's ties with record company parties and presen- Terry Clements.