The New York Times talks about the chaos in the major label world.

CD sales have plunged more than 20 percent this year, far outweighing any gains made by digital sales at iTunes and similar services. Also, It’s to costly to sign new bands and build a buzz.

Sources say “Everyone in the industry thinks of this Christmas as the last big holiday season for CD sales,” Mr. Sinnreich said, “and then everything goes kaput.”

EMI agreed last week to be purchased for more than $4.7 billion by a private equity investor, Terra Firma Capital Partners, whose diverse holdings include a European waste-conversion business. Rival bids could yet surface — though the higher the ultimate price, the more pressure the owners will face to make dramatic cuts or sell the company in pieces in order to recoup their investment.

Very few albums have gained traction. More than half of all music acquired by fans last year came from unpaid sources including Internet file sharing and CD burning, according to the market research company NPD Group.

Although Majors are trying different approaches in order to survive, the real million dollar problem is the creative drought and the lack of artists who ignite consumers interest in buying music.

Sales of rap, which had provided the industry with a lifeboat in recent years, fell far more than the overall market last year with a drop of almost 21 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (And the marquee star 50 Cent just delayed his forthcoming album, “Curtis.”)

Its a new world…………….

But….

You can read better news Here, aka the ‘Alternate Industry’.

(NY Times)

CABIN tap into the beauty of simplicity and power of negative space on their new EP, I Was Here. Although it’s only 5 tracks, frontman Noah Hewett-Ball’s unique style of cleverly straight forward lyrics combined with a melodic mastery and technical proficiency give listeners the feeling they are being gently lulled to sleep while their subconscious absorbs the full weight of the songs. Nevermind that their title track was recently #7 most added on CMJ and steadily climbing up the charts. Forget about their large regional fanbase, sold out shows and corresponding album sales for their 2005 release, Govern The Good Life. And please don’t put too much on Sufjan Stevens’ personal endorsement of the band and promotion on his MySpace. None of that matters as much as the music itself…hype not needed. You could see this band playing on a street corner and know there was something special about them.

CABIN is currently touring in support of I Was Here, released by Machine Records (available nationwide May 29). For more information, please contact Chris Buttleman 262.248.9010

Check out the tracks:
I Was Here
Cover Your Eyes

The best days may still be ahead for Jordin Sparks, but the same may not be said for “American Idol.” The 30.7 million people who watched Sparks win on Wednesday was a sharp drop from the 36.4 million people who saw Taylor Hicks in last year’s finale, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Industry observers said chances are that the 2006 season will stand as the peak for audience interest.

A lackluster pool of contestants, the general malaise among viewers this spring and the simple laws of TV gravity are all factors.

“People are getting tired of it,” said Marc Berman, an analyst for Media Week Online. “I know I am.”

Producers have agreed to make a spinoff for Fox, a band contest instead of one for individual singers, that will air Fridays in the fall. While Berman said it’s likely to fail in the same way that “American Juniors” did, the spinoff still represents a risk in diluting the brand. I would steer clear of it,” he said.

(AP)

The Parlor Mob inked a deal with In De Goot records. Sounds a like a 60’s – 70’s throwback ala WolfMother. Check them out if you are into jam bands.

Maroon 5 may approach the 400k mark in first week sales. A great campaign along with strong songs still proves to be fruitful.

Producer David Bendeth (Breaking Benjamin, RJS) is in the studio with Your Vegas (Republic). 10 Years (Republic Universal) will be jamming with Dean and Robert DeLeo from Stone Temple Pilots, Carl Bell from Fuel with a new record expected soon. Producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters) is finishing the new Coheed & Cambria’s album due out on Columbia Records.

Linkin Park debuted with sales of 622,000. Fans will always support an act that creates a record like Hybrid Theory that redefined a rock moment that goes onto sell 10 million+ records. Very nice!

Warner Music Group’s Rhino Records has let go 15 employees . (Billboard)

Managers Rick Smith and Scott Frazier tell KOAR that they will be arranging a (2 day event) in louiseville, Kentucky showcasing the best bands come September. Details will follow soon.

The EMI drama is tiring KOAR. Read the NY Post column ‘Suitor Circling EMI’.

American Idol Final Results…..
‘IDOL’ FINAL RESULTS SHOW PULLS 18.4 RATING/29 SHARE, IN OVERNIGHTS [DOWN FROM 21.5/32 IN 2006]… LAST 30 MINS OF SHOW HIT 21.2/31 [25.1/35 IN 2006]… THIRD MOST WATCHED BROADCAST OF SEASON, BEHIND ‘SUPER BOWL’
AND ‘ACADEMY AWARDS’

K-Rock returns to NYC………..

Well its about time K Rock returns. They got rid of that piece of crap FREE FM. The ratings were horrific. New Yorkers can now claim they have a rock station again. They kicked off the new format with Guns N Roses. Amen!

Looks like NIN Trent Reznor will be going indie soon and departing from his label…

Trent Reznor speaks in a recent interview:

I’ve have one record left that I owe a major label, then I will never be seen in a situation like this again. If I could do what I want right now, I would put out my next album, you could download it from my site at as high a bit-rate as you want, pay $4 through PayPal. Come see the show and buy a T-shirt if you like it. I would put out a nicely packaged merchandise piece, if you want to own a physical thing. And it would come out the day that it’s done in the studio, not this “Let’s wait three months” bulls—.

Speaking about NIN, any aspiring rock band that wants to put on a great live show needs to watch and study this NIN performance. Once you got this locked down reach out to us. KOAR’s bottom line is to propel NEW artists into mainstream.