Nickelback spoiled their critics: Chad Kroeger recalls the words of caution he received at the end of the cycle for 2001’s “Silver Side Up”—a five-times-platinum record with three hit singles including the mega-hit “How You Remind Me.””A lot of different people told us that ‘Silver Side Up’ was the biggest record we’ll ever have,” Kroeger says, “that we’ll never, ever have another big record like that again and our career would probably decline and then we’d probably just trail off and that would be the end of Nickelback. I didn’t want to accept that. I didn’t want to accept that we couldn’t make a better record than ‘Silver Side Up.’ ”

Nickelback’s fifth album, released Oct. 4, 2005, has become a phenomenon that’s not only eclipsed “Silver Side Up” but is arguably the biggest rock album of the century so far. It’s been in the top 30 of The Billboard 200 for 102 consecutive weeks and is currently No. 7. The last artist in that rarefied position was fellow Canadian Shania Twain, whose 1997 release “Come On Over” spent its first 123 weeks in the top 30. (Billboard)

Jay Z wants to rename NJ arena: Def Jam CEO Jay-Z, who’s is a co-owner of NBA’s New Jersey Nets, is making a bid to rename and rebrand the Continental Airlines Arena with his Rocawear Clothing line. According to the Bergen Record, Jay-Z is attempting to buy out the arena name since the Continental Airlines naming-rights contract recently expired.

Ford to offer HD radio on most vehicles: U.S. radio operators are working aggressively to promote HD radio, which receives over-the-air terrestrial stations with CD-quality sound and multiple new-program formats, in an effort to compete with the rise of digital music options. The industry has pledged to spend $250 million on marketing through the HD Digital Radio Alliance. Hyundai, BMW and Ford-owned, Britain-based Jaguar will offer HD radio.

Rascal Flatts Return with a big record: With a #1 country single, Rascall Flatts are expected to sell 500k first week. These are old school numbers. Foo Fighters are looking at 175k due to massive promotion at iTunes. (Hits)

KOAR’s Filter: Who wants to weed through 100,000 new record releases and 200 million videos on Youtube? You don’t, but we will. With that said,
The Almost has a new video on their myspace for the new single Southern Weather. Its a solid rock track and great video depicting the south – All I ask is that the singer Aaron Gillespie holds his mic with a firmer grip.

FCC Considering Fines Against Satellite Radio..

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said that his agency is considering forfeitures against XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio for a series of rule violations tied to receiver standards and power levels for terrestrial repeaters.

The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau is investigating claims that some of both companies’ receivers were built to operate at levels that exceed permitted limits, and is also investigating claims — including some lodged by the NAB itself — that terrestrial repeaters owned by XM were operating beyond the allowed limits. (RadioInk)

The superstar songwriter Diane Warren ends chapter with EMI: Diane Warren who had long lasting 20 years history with EMI has inked a deal with Bandier’s Sony/ATV Music Publishing to exclusively administer her catalog on a worldwide basis. Warren has written over 100 Billboard top-10 hits for artists including Aerosmith, Elton John, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand, Eric Clapton, Mariah Carey and Cher.

Rise fast, fall hard: Kanye dropped -76% to 225k this week. Fiddy fell -79% to 149k. Reba Mcentire opened up with 300k thanks to an Oprah appearence. Goth band HIM new record Venus Doom sold 38k. Eddie vedder’s solo record (39k). Colbie Caillat went GOLD while Nickelback will hit 6 million soon. Linkin Park is approaching 2 million.

The Rolling Stones lands in the latest edition of Guinness World Records: Although the German critics mocked their live show, it did not stop the tour from becoming the most successful. “A Bigger Bang Tour” took $437 million dollars to give them a new record. Madonna also made the annual compendium as the most successful female artist — her 60-date “Confessions” tour grossed almost $200 million. That meant she earned more than $3 million per concert. (Reuters)

Warner Music Group Stock Hits Rock Bottom: Warner Music Group shares hit new lows yesterday closing at $9.74. A year ago the stock traded at $27. WMG is the most visible recipient of growing investor doubts about the recorded music industry.

Buzz Show: North Carolina indie act Nathan Asher & The Infantry will be performing at Pianos in NYC Thursday – September 27th. A slew of small and big labels will be attending.

San Diego hardcore Christian act As I Lay Dying will surpass 100k sales in October.

Dashboard Confessional’s new record, The Shade of Poison Trees, can now be streamed in its entirety.

KOAR attended the Blaqk Audio show at Hammerstein Ballroom show in NYC. Watch this short clip of a Blaqk Audio live performance in Montreal – this amateur vid caught the intensity.

How many frontmen can go from hardcore to a rock infused techno band?

Amazon.com’s greatly hyped music store launched today: Read hear for an in- depth first impression.

Will Album art still have a place in digital marketplace? Fans want digital album art but labels and digital music services are slow making it available because they lack capabilities. Also, the diminishing profit from digital downloads does not motivate the labels to provide fans with extra art due to cost. (Reuters)

‘What’s the Future of the Music Industry’? Check out this post from the writers New York Times’. Steve Gottlieb, president of TVT Records and George Drakoulias, music producer/A&R at American Recordings look at the past, present and future of the music industry….(via coolfer)

Check out the band Fiction Plane. I was listening to G-Rock (106.3) and I thought I heard a new Sting track. My goodness, it sounds like Sting from the Police. In fact, Sting’s son Joe Sumner was on the mic. Dad passed down the vocal genes and the hook-ups as Fiction Plane is the opening act on the current Police Tour.

Giant advertisements set for world’s busiest airport runways: Imagine a photo of Nickelback the size of three football pitches seen by plane passengers coming in to land. Although it would require a bucket-load of marketing dollars, it now remains a possibility.

Upcoming big releases include: Bruce Springsteen, Dashboard Confessional, Matchbox Twenty, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Garth Brooks, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and Mariah Carey.

Vivendi blasts iTunes Contract: Vivendi chief executive Jean-Bernard Levy pointed to a lopsided iTunes contract, and suggested revamped terms. “The split between Apple and producers is indecent,” Levy said. “Our contracts give too good a share to Apple.” Apple gives roughly 70-cents to majors per 99-cent download, a figure that also includes publishing royalties. “We should have a differentiated price system,” Levy said. (DMN)

Authorities have seized ‘art porn’ owned by Elton John: The image, which featured two young girls one of whom was sitting down with her legs wide apart has been seized by police from a gallery on suspicion it may have breached child pornography laws. Please tell us you’re not shocked…