Rock acts ringing up sales via video games

DENVER (Billboard) - Games like "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero III" have proved their ability to breathe new life into classic rock sales. But can they do the same for new music?


Last month, Motley Crue decided to find out. The band placed its new single, the title track from "Saints of Los Angeles," for sale as a downloadable track on "Rock Band" well in advance of the album's release date, which has been pushed back to June 24. The only other place to obtain the track was iTunes.


According to data provided by the band's management, Tenth Street Entertainment, the track was downloaded more than 47,000 times via the Xbox 360 version of the game alone in the first week after it became available. ("Rock Band" publisher MTV Networks was unable to independently verify these figures, and total downloads that include the PlayStation 3 version of the game were not available.)





That's a pretty big discrepancy considering that music bought via "Rock Band" can't be transferred to a portable music player or even a computer for later enjoyment. It can be played only via the game.


FINDING THE AUDIENCE


Tenth Street CEO Allen Kovac shrugs off the gap in sales between formats, pointing out that a sale is a sale. In an age of rampant piracy, reaching fans where they are willing to spend money is the primary goal.


"We do research on every artist we have, and the research said that the people who bought Motley Crue music and tickets play 'Rock Band" and video games ... (so) it was our inclination to go there," he says. "As marketers, it's our job to find the audience. If our audience tells us they're sitting at Xbox and PlayStation, that's our job to do that." 

Troubled singer Winehouse in rehab

Troubled singer Winehouse in rehab

Years later she was seen in a television on an alleged dose orgy, soul isaac Merrit Singer Amy Winehouse has entered rehab.
In a statement released yesterday, Winehouse's record company Universal Music Group said: "Amy Winehouse's planned appearance at the NRJ Awards in Anatole France on Sat has been cancelled as the creative person has entered a rehabilitation clinic."
It continued: "Amy decided to put down the facility today afterwards negotiation with her record book label, direction, class and doctors."
"She has come to interpret that she requires specialiser treatment to continue her ongoing retrieval from dose addiction and prepare for her planned appearance at the Grammy Awards," the statement added.

Shoghaken Ensemble

   
Artist: Shoghaken Ensemble

   Genre(s): 
Ethnic
   

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Discography:


   
 Music Of Armenia

   Year:    
Tracks: 19

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Miranda Sex Garden

Dublin Film Critics honour Garage

Dublin Film Critics honour Garage

The Pat Shortt-starring rural drama 'Garage' has been named the Best Irish Film of 2007 by the Dublin Film Critics Circle.
In second place in the Best Irish Film category was 'Once', followed by 'Kings', 'Small Engine Repair' and 'Shrooms'.
The Oscar-winning 'The Lives of Others' was voted Best International Film with 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford', 'This Is England', 'Zodiac' and 'I'm Not There' completing the Top Five.
The late 'The Lives of Others' star Ulrich Muhe was named Best Actor with Julie Christie named Best Actress for her performance in 'Away from Her' and David Fincher winning the Best Director category for 'Zodiac'.
Young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan was the winner in the Breakthrough Award category for her performance in 'Atonement'.

The House Of Urban Grooves

   
Artist: The House Of Urban Grooves

   Genre(s): 
Other
   

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Discography:


   
 T.H.U.G. Jazz

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 11

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Blixa Bargeld

Jackson 5 to play New Year's Eve show?

Jackson 5 to play New Year's Eve show?

The Jackson 5 are reportedly set to reunite this Yule to play a Freshly Year's Evening picture in Capital of Georgia.
According to hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri, the 'ABC' stars will play a greatest hits lay out at his Studio 72 clubhouse to score Dupri's troth to Janet Jesse Jackson.
Michael Helen Hunt Jackson and his four-spot brothers will be flown into Battle of Atlanta by chopper for the bash, claims Dupri.
He told US radio place V-103: "It's the Jackson 5 Party. I blaspheme to you it's sledding to be the biggest political party this town has ever so seen."

Former stripper allowed to stay on Idol

Former stripper allowed to stay on Idol

'American Idol' producers have decided to let contestant David Hernandez to bide in the competition scorn his past as a stripper.
A number of media reports recently unveiled Hernandez's former job as an grownup entertainer at a strip club, where he appeared nude and performed lap dances.
Reacting to the reports, 'American Idol' executive producer Ken Richard Neville told TVGuide.com: "We've had strippers on the render in front."
"We're never judgmental about people wHO do things like that," he said.
"If it were just about sort of heavy smut, then peradventure we'd have to accept natural process. Merely for certain not on this."
The Fox network, which broadcasts 'American Idol' in the US, declined to gossip on the matter.