Money Money Money

Entertainers in the Music industry on Tuesday urged Congress to force radio stations to pay performers when their music is broadcast. When I read this at first I thought seriously? Don’t they make enough? Then I learned that Satellite radio, Internet radio and cable TV music channels already pay fees to performers and musicians, along with songwriter royalties. AM and FM radio stations do not pay performers' royalties, just songwriters.

If radio stations are paying songwriters royalties, should they be paying musicians? Honestly, if you think about all the money that musicians make with going on tour, CD sales, and everything else, is it really necessary for them to be paid for this too? Almost all musicians say they are in the business for “the music”, however, whenever a money issue like this arises, it becomes a huge deal.

Sheryl Crow, will.i.am, Herbie Hancock and other entertainers were present in Washington and spoke before congress. Hancock said people tune in to the radio because of the music."Just as radio promotes music, music promotes radio," he said. Dionne Warwick and Pattie Labelle were present at Capitol Hill for a news conference on behalf of the musicFIRST Coalition. This group wants radio stations to be required to pay musicians royalties for having their music on the radio, just like songwriters.

Warwick said she hasn't been compensated while her songs played around the world for 48 years."I think now is about time that I do get paid," she said.

Dionne Warwick cancelled her presidential inaugural ball due to low ticket sales. Tickets were sold for $450.00 dollars, and at the moment people are unable to get their money back because "technically" the non-profit organization they bought the tickets from doesn't exists. The 'Dionne and Friends Foundation Inc.' has not had incorporation status for nearly three years -- and there's no record it ever had IRS nonprofit status. Does it sound like she is hurting for money?

What do you think? Musicians make music for us to listen to and enjoy. They make millions, but don’t seem to think that is enough…is it?

She's Baaaack

Everyone was wondering if it would every happen. By some freak chance it did. Britney Spears made her comeback. How . . . I have no idea.I can’t say that I have ever been a huge Britney fan. I do remember jamming out to hit me baby one more time when I was listening to the radio waiting for my favorite Backstreet Boys song to play on Y94. However, I did enjoy the train wreck that was her life for the past few years. If that makes me a terrible person, so be it.

I continued to shake my head in disbelief and disgust week after week while I read about her walking barefoot into public restrooms, driving her vehicle with her children on her lap, AND my personal favorite shaving her head completely bald. I honestly thought that she would either end up tragically dead from some drug overdose or locked up in some loony bin. I guess I was wrong.

I about died when Britney’s Womanizer video debuted on primetime television. I remember walking into the living room and thinking “My God, she is back.” Immediately after that thought came “Good for her.” The song was great, the video was fun, and she looked amazing. Britney finally got her act together.

Last week it was announced that her Circus tour would begin in March and she has started rehearsing. She announced on her blog how excited she was for her fans to see her latest tour that will kick off in New Orleans. The Pussycat Dolls are said to be opening for Britney on this tour. No comment…

I guess there is just no getting rid of Britney. This is thanks to her fans. To them, nothing has changed. There were no up-skirt shots or messy divorces, no shaved heads or stints in rehabilitation facilities. She has always been the perfect, pig-tailed American Idol and she always will be. Somehow, she has become vital, she has become iconic, and — most of all — she has become infallible. I am not sure why… but to her fans, Britney can do no wrong.

Thanks for all the “crazy” years Brit. You entertained me for quite a while. I hope she enjoys her “comeback” and I hope you guys won’t hold it against me that I own her Circus CD.

Radio Stations Ban Chris Brown's Music

This week my blog is going to be about the alleged attack on singer Rihanna by her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown. If you watch television, listen to the radio, or hop on the internet, you have probably heard about this story.

Witnesses claim that they saw Chris Brown and “an unidentified woman” arguing in the front seats of his car at 12:30 am Sunday (Not the night of the Grammy’s but the night before). They then got outside of the vehicle where the fight escalated. The woman, who was later identified as Rihanna, was taken to the hospital, and cops booked Brown on “suspicion of making a criminal threat” which is a felony.

This happened the night before the Grammy’s; an event that both Rihanna and Chris Brown were scheduled to perform at. They cancelled just two hours before the award’s show began, and Justin Timberlake volunteered to fill in their time slot.

Photos taken by police show major contusions on both sides of the singer's face along with serious swelling and bruising. Her lip is split and her nose bloody. It was also rumored that Brown choked Rihanna until she was unconscious. All this information can be found on TMZ.

My boyfriend, all my guy friends, and I’m sure every other male who knows who Rihanna is are appalled. Honestly, if you were lucky enough to be dating her, why would you beat on her? She is waaaaay cuter than Chris Brown anyway.

How this story ties into the radio is Chris Brown’s music on the radio, or rather, the lack there of as of Sunday. There is a growing list of radio stations across the nation that are banning Chris Brown’s music; some because the radio station refuses to play it, and others because of “listener’s outrage”. The most recent radio station to join this list is Fargo’s Y94. I have to say, I agree with this decision, however any man that raises his hand to a woman deserves a hell of a lot more than his crappy music being banned from a radio station. Someone should smack Chris Brown upside the head with an umbrella-ella-ella…

Don't Mess With the Boss

I wouldn’t want to piss off the boss, but Ticketmaster has seemed to do just that. Bruce Springsteen is reportedly “furious” with Ticketmaster because of the way the website has been handling his concert tickets. Apparently, while fans were trying to purchase tickets on Ticketmaster, the site forwarded their requests to their secondary site, TicketsNow. This wouldn’t be a problem except TicketsNow sells the same concert tickets for higher prices. Springsteen heard what was happening, and immediately posted a letter on his fans website. Here is part of the letter:
“Last Monday, we were informed that Ticketmaster was redirecting your log-in requests for tickets at face value, to their secondary site TicketsNow, which specializes in up-selling tickets at above face value. They did this even when other seats remained available at face value. We condemn this practice.” -Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau and the entire Springsteen Tour Team

To read the entire letter to the fans click here.

Another reason for Springsteen’s anger with Ticketmaster is it’s rumored merger with Live Nation, another ticket selling mogul. Since both companies are having issues, they are thinking about merging together to create one enormous concert giant. The problem with Live Nation and Ticketmaster coming up with a single system is that it would bring is to a near “monopoly” situation in music ticketing.

I don’t know about you, but concert are definitely things I enjoy going to. Some prices for concerts are outrageous and I can’t imagine prices getting higher than they already are. Wouldn’t it be cool if we were back in “They Day” and waiting in line and camping out in the cold for concert tickets at 4 in the morning? That would be half of the fun of the concert experience; meeting all the crazy people in line waiting with you who are pumped to see their favorite band… That is what my parents did and I am stuck with the lousy internet. I wish I were a teen in the 70’s…