08120 NEWSPAPER SOUTH *J09 1331 JUL79 52 +.. 312 318270141214 SOUTHERN MUSIC PUB CO BB 6922 HOLLYWOOD BLVD LCS ANGELES CA 90028 The International Music -Record -Tape Newsweekly May 22, 1976 $1.50 A Billboard Publication v N.Y. Looms As Cut -Rate Mecca; BACK ON ANNUAL BASIS Shelf & Special Prices Plunge Amsterdam Picked By IS HOROWITZ, JIM MELANSON & STEPHEN TRAIMAN holding He characterizes them as IMIC-7 chain has been conditions. For 1977 NEW YORK -Records aren't yet Korvette ® By BOB KIRSCH being given away gratis here. but sales on huge segments of their stock "not too different" from what the thrusts and counter- thrusts by some at $3.64 for $6.98 product. chain has done in the past, but LOS ANGELES -Billboard's In- IMIC that saw a greater injection fig- of the largest area dealers continue Of perhaps even greater signifi- agrees that the extent of the $3.64 ternational Music Industry Confer- than ever before of non -industry to force prices down. cance is the drop by local Korvettes (Continued on page 16) ence (IMIC) returns to an annual ures into the panels and discussions, For two weeks running the giant stores of non -sale shelf prices to a basis next year following several figures from such industries as new standard of $4.99, a level being years of biannual conferences, with (Continued on page 12) matched by some of the Sam Goody Joyce Out With IMIC -7 set for Amsterdam, Hol- TV Time Tight stores and by the string of Alex- land. May 9 -12, 1977. - ander's outlets. Bar -Coded LPs Lee Zhito, editor and publisher of $96 Mil In Until last Friday (7) the Korvettes Billboard, made the announcement Disk Promos Sag everyday price was $5.79 for $6.98 By NAT FREEDLAND at the closing banquet of IMIC -6 in Mex. Sales items. Goody's was $5.99. LOS ANGELES -Joyce Records Honolulu last Monday (10), before NEW YORK pox on politics, -A Much of the impetus behind the has become the first manufacturer the nearly 400 registrants who at- By MARVIN FISHER say television marketers of records latest wave of price slashes remains label to imprint bar -coding directly tended the conference. MEXICO CITY -Mexico's retail and tapes. And who needs the Olym- the Disc -O- the impact exerted by onto its album jackets. "Wherein for the past few years record market for domestically pro- pics! three stores. Located in Mat web of Already making up individual IMIC has been held on a biannual duced product increased .by 15% in campaign and the The political strategic, heavy- traffic locations, bar -code stickers for its product are basis," Zhito said, "we are returning 1975, reaching a dollar figure of upcoming summer Olympics are two these stores continue to nettle com- such merchandising giants as ABC to an annual format as a result of the slightly more than $96 million, ac- a of factors blamed by that of- among series petitors with a price policy Record & Tape Sales, Handleman quickening pace of the record, tape cording to a recent government sur- mail -order firms for shrinking time $6.98 at a ceiling of fers all albums and J.L._Marsh. and music publishing industries and vey. availability and sharply rising $3.69. Joyce Records is the reactivated the ever -changing conditions of all The statistics cited state that prices. And without plentiful time at The nine Jimmy Music World label of Nehi Records, Toni Hei- facets of the industries. A greater fre- 54,700,000 units were sold in 1975, Ithe right price, grosses suffer, they stores (the latest has just been man's massive distributorship /one- quency is demanded for the key up from 45,600,000 in 1974. Albums report. opened) also remain a thorn in the stop here which operates the na- leaders of each industry to meet for represented the largest quantum is to contract for side of area retailers with their periodic Normal practice tional Peaches retail chain. an airing of mutual problems and jump, going from 19,600,000 units tv time about 60 days in advance. print ads of charted albums at $2.99. 24,300,000 in 1975. Joyce album, "Buzzard the unified pursuit of solutions." sold in 1974 to But that schedule runs head on into Dave Rothfeld of Korvettes de- The debut in- country -rock The decision was applauded by This figure also meant a slight coverage due to be given scribes his price adjustments as a Bait," by active local saturation registrants who had attended an (Continued on page 57) (Continued on page 8) "competitive response" to market (Continued on page 14) Frampton a Forum Keynoter LOS ANGELES -In a dramatic Also coming at the Talent Forum, new development on Billboard's to be held June 1 -4 at the Beverly Second International Talent Forum, Hilton Hotel here, are two more top A &M artist Peter Frampton. who level surprise speakers now being currently has a platinum chart al- added to the June 2 morning key- bum and who headlined before note session, "Working Together some 165,000 persons in three con- Better," chaired by Iry Azoff, man- certs this month. will be a special ager of the Eagles. Already an- keynote artist speaker the morning nounced for this panel on "Over - of June 3. (Continued on page 39) Ops Strike Used -45 Lode By JOHN SIPPEL LOS ANGELES -Detroit juke- put several bargain tables of used box operators have struck an un- jukebox singles into the Redford tapped bonanza for their used rec- Township store last weekend. With man- ords in a pilot program developed the help of Korvettes' regional When KEITH CARRADINE won the Academy Award for his poignant and Maxine Nightingale is right back. With a hit album follow up to her were by Chet Kajeski, longtime manager ager Jim Marshak, the tables self- penned song "I'm Easy" from the highly acclaimed film Nashville, career launching single. She's right back with the stuff that made her singer/ of Martin & Snyder's one -stop divi- placarded: "Jukebox Records. Satis- it signalled the beginning of a bright new career for the young single jump straight to the top of the pop charts. She's the hottest new faction Guaranteed. Four for $1." songwriter. And now with the release of his debut Asylum album I'M EASY enough, Maxine sion. female find of '76. And her album is called naturally the title tune, Martin & Snyder, which has Marshak reports 1,800 singles (7E- 1066), the promise becomes reality. I'M EASY includes Nightingale, "Right Back Where We Started From." (Advertisement) racked singles at the five Korvettes moved out of the department. He is plus nine more reflective Carradine compositions with built -in across - record /tape departments in Detroit, (Continued on page 10) the -board appeal. KEITH CARRADINE'S I'M EASY. (Advertisement) (Advertisement i THE BROTHERS JOHNSON Their first album, "Look Out Fors #51;' u is already gold and their first single, Be Good To Your is on the way. "I'll Produced by Quincy Jones www.americanradiohistory.com 5101XKETING?'---TilD THE 1P! beth Gouinitrg and Pe Ui1Igrushriddceck }= Headed for 41 C&W. Strong MOR airplay startup. t} Heavy sales...Already over 100,000. Coming off a big crossover,'EASY AS PIE this one looks even stronger! 'WALK SOFTLY' DOA-17619 Billboard *CashBox*RecordWorld Narvel melts #1 Headed for C &W. Great early action top 40 rock: 1 21 -16 WAKY, 24 -KLIF etc. Sales nearing 150,000. Perfect demographics all ages! 'LONELY TEARDROPS' DOA-1762C COUNTRY Billboard 16 CashBox'RecordWorld POP 90 1(6 Billboard CashBox 91 RecordWorld cJceStampley Headed for #1 C &W. Instantaneous top 10 requests and sales! 80,000 after only three weeks out. A sure crossover successor to Joe Stampley and -4( the Uniques pop hit of 1966 with the same song. 'AL LTH ESE THINGS' -Yr- DOA -17624 Billboard ''Cash Box '*Record World 1, V "of ABC %DOT RECORDS www.americanradiohistory.com 3 General News British Musicians Assert Motown & CTI Pound Plummet Ups BBC; They'll Strike the Reach Accord U.K. Import Costs By JIM MELANSON Protested By NICK ROBERTS' IAN/ Employment Cut NEW YORK -A settlement has LONDON -The recent dramatic "It is based on an optimistic view By been reached in the distribution im- PETER .ZONES fall in the value of the pound ster- of sterling, but it is also a realistic passe between Motown and CTI. Morton, gen- agement discovered that it had a fi- ling, currently worth 91/2% less than view. The pound is undervalued. LONDON -John Final papers based on a new dual the end of 1974. the at the beginning of March this year. trading -wise. l think it has reached eral secretary of the British Musi- nancial crisis at distribution setup were inked by is threatening "the ulti- first reaction was to cut musical em- has generated substantial increases bottom and will steady out. I don't cians Union, both parties May 10. The pact re- of a strike," should ployment. We pressed for a in the cost of imported records. feel that the rise will affect sales. mate sanction places a disputed contract which financial structure But now more importers are opti- "But we have not had a general the British Broadcasting Corp. go reappraisal of the brought the labels into court late last But the BBC un- mistic sterling will remain price increase for nine months and ahead with plans to cut back on its of the corporation. year. that to an inade- steady and that the volume of busi- our records have always been com- employment of musicians.