A Highway To Success: AC/DC who has sold more albums than the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin refuses to sell its music online. “It’s like an artist who does a painting,” Angus said. “If he thinks it’s a great piece of work, he protects it. It’s the same thing: this is our work.” The band has said it does not want to break up its albums to sell individual songs as iTunes usually requires. “They have a purist approach,” said Steve Barnett, the chairman of Columbia Records and former AC/DC manager. “Their instinct was always to do the right thing for fans, think long term and not be influenced by financial rewards.”

Touring Takes a Downturn? Rolling Stone Mag published an article titled ‘Tour Biz Strong in a Weak Economy‘ and they point to blockbuster tours from Tom Petty to the Police. Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, the Police and Rush did their usual solid business. And the Jonas Brothers sold out amphitheaters everywhere, averaging almost 18,000 people a show and grossing more than $11 million. Acts that appeal to a less affluent audience like NIN and Maroon 5 were hit with a few sellouts. Warped Tour founder, Kevin Lyman, “People were holding their money tighter to their vests this summer.” In response, many amphitheater tours, including Stevie Wonder’s, Motley Crue’s and Maroon 5/Counting Crows’, reduced lawn prices drastically to fill the venues.

Rising To The Top: Punk band Rise Against sold an impressive 64,701 copies this week of their new album titled ‘Appeal To Reason‘. Check out the Rolling Stone review of the album and listen to the track Savior.

Metallica’s ‘Death Magnetic‘ has been certified platinum only after 4 weeks and sold 65,741 this week. Kid Rock’s ‘Rock N Roll Jesus‘ is double platinum and remains in the top 10. Ironically, after 12 weeks on the charts Miley Cyrus ‘Breakout‘ hasn’t reached a million in sales, which means 11 year olds are fickle and the hype is over.

New Music: Paige Williams hailing from Los Angeles has been nominated for Best Rock Artist and Pop single for the 2008 LA Music Awards, listen to the track Wasting Away.

Signings: The Dallas outfit Rescue Signals has signed with New York based label Rock Ridge Music and Florida rock band Crooked X have signed with Capitol Records

Let’s welcome Chris Nathan, a Nashville prodigy artist. Nathan has the spunk of Kid Rock and musically falls towards bluesy artists such as Black Crowes and Gavin Degraw which makes him our CMJ pick. Our favorite songs include radio ready Bonnie and Clyde and I Wouldn’t Change A Thing.

Show Dates:

Oct 16 Â Â Â World of Beer – Tampa, Florida
Oct 18 Â Â Â World of Bee r- Tampa, Florida
Oct 23 Â Â Â CMJ Music – Sullivan Hall – New York, New York
Oct 25 Â Â Â State University of New York – Geneseo, New York

Lil’ Wayne even makes emo rock hits? Take Tennessee emo rockers
Framing Hanley who have scored more reaction and radio play from their cover of Lil’ Wayne’s hit “Lollipop” than from any song off their Silent Majority Group debut album. Would you dismiss it as a harmless cover or could this seriously help the band gain momentum heading into their second album? Either way, the track has turned some heads at alternative and active rock radio.

Lil’ Wayne also doesn’t have to say much to help propel a virtual no name to the top of the pop charts. Singer/songwriter/producer, industry veteran
Kevin Rudolf has paid his dues over the past ten years and is on the verge of a top 10 Pop hit with his debut single, “Let it Rock”. Call it generic, or call it catchy, it’s a hit.

A singer/songwriter who hasn’t instilled the help of Cash Money/Universal or Lil’ Wayne is the newly independent Butch Walker. Readying his first independent release on his own label Power Ballad (in=2 0conjunction with Original Signal & RED) since the major label botching of what I thought were surefire hits in his songs “Mixtape” & “Don’t Move”. Walker may have his best shot at radio success since those tracks on 2004’s Letters with his new single, “The Weight of Her”, where he can contend on the Triple A charts. Download the track for free here.

Alkaline Trio recently asked for fan input as to what their second single should be between tracks “I Found Away” & “Calling All Skeletons”. Check out the latter on their myspace and you might agree that “Calling All Skeletons” could be the catchiest and one of the most memorable tracks the band has produced in recent memory. It’s got my vote.

Quick Picks:

The Constellations – CLove is a Murder” (feat. Cee-Lo) – If no one in the U.S. is going to pick these guys up, the UK could be very fertile ground for this band. See: Iglu and Hartly & Orson

Starewell – “Broke and Out of Money” – Some comments on here have asked where the rock went? These Canadians are at least attempting to bring some of it back.

Ryan Star – “Right Now” – Star may have his pop/Hot AC hit with the track he just debuted called, “Right Now”. Check out the last minute of the track to hear this singer’s great voice – click on his audio player

Brightwood – “Swan Songs” – Check out this DIY Alternative rock band and their new album, “Wake”.

Soundcheck is written by Dallas Osborn who currently attends San Francisco State University and works on the Live 105 (KITS) Action Team.

Sony Music is contemplating the possiblity that Clive Davis can bring the HITS back, even after he was stripped from his role as CEO at BMG.

The New York Post says, “He helped break out UK “Pop Idol” winner Leona Lewis in America, where she’s sold 1.1 million albums and 4.2 million downloads of the hit song “Bleeding Love,”. And this week Oscar winner and former “American Idol” contestant Jennifer Hudson’s 217,000-selling debut, was good enough for No. 2 on the Billboard charts.

The Post claims that Sony Music, US label group boss Rob Stringer has asked Davis to talk with the heads of Columbia Records and Epic Records about working on projects for some of the artists on their labels.

“Sony is turning to Clive as a resource because there’s no great [artist & repertoire] guys there anymore,” said one source.

Davis’ involvement with Columbia is certain to raise eyebrows given its hiring last year of uber-producer Rick Rubin as co-head of the label. Sources inside and outside Sony Music said the company considers Rubin “unproven” and his tenure a “disappointment.”

Others dispute that, saying Stringer and Barnett enthusiastically back Rubin.

With Rod Stewart set for a new release, and works by Houston and Kelly Clarkson, Davis has the talent. That, combined with Davis’ trust in the single, not the album, might be just what Sony Music needs in the singles-driven download market.

“Clive’s theory has always been about the song, not the artist or the album,” said Three Rings partner and artist manager Jeff Rabhan.

The Bottom Line: Why isn’t Simon Cowell mentioned in this whole mix? If it wasn’t for American Idol there would be NO Leona Lewis and Jennifer Hudson. American Idol is absolutely the best source for finding undiscovered talent as it gets hundreds of thousands of submissions. Isn’t it easy to put the best vocalists and performers with top songwriters and producers, and who already have the eyeballs through American Idol? I would say so! Also, you cannot compare Rubin and Davis. Rubin is in the studio with Metallica and Clive is hanging out at the Grammys. Clive wants a single and Rubin wants an album. Either way, it’s two different approaches to the record business and the last time I checked singles weren’t saving the biz.

Guns N’ Roses will finally release ‘Chinese Democracy‘ on November 23rd via Best Buy. Andy Gould, GNR manager, told the 900 employees the news about “Chinese Democracy” before previewing three songs from the album.

Recommended Listening: Still In The Dark by Aranda. This song is showing some signs of life on rock radio, they can sing live too.

Three music venues will open in Los Angeles capable of holding 8,000 concertgoers. Despite the economy, promoters believe they can keep venues packed, others are not so sure. “There’s an enormous pool of artists who can sell 1,000 to 2,500 tickets — more than at any time in history,” Goldenvoice president Paul Tollett said.

ReverbNation, a promotion platform for musicians, labels, managers and venues, has secured $3 million in funding.