Lorde, Linkin Park, Kendrick, Eminem E Mais Algumas Razões De Que A Música Foi Boa Em 2017

Lorde, Linkin Park, Kendrick, Eminem And More Reasons Music Was Awesome In 2017

First of all thanks to Steve Baltin for this article.

The normal year-end music lists are built around the best albums of the past 12 months. But my year in music is never measured in albums. It is measured, first and foremost, by live shows. And then the conversations and unique moments I am very fortunate to experience.

So looking back at 2017 these are the shows and artists, from the National, Linkin Park and Bruce Springsteen to Tom Petty and Kendrick Lamar, that defined a 2017 that was, for music, very impressive

Band Of The Year: The National

The alternative heroes delivered the year’s best album with the brilliant and typically articulate Sleep Well Beast. In addition, they were also among the most politically outspoken, going after not just the current administration, but Karl Rove as well with “Walk It Back.” If there was any doubt that the National were the most interesting and challenging band of 2017 it was laid to rest with the band’s devastatingly powerful show at the Hollywood Bowl this past October. One of the top three shows in L.A. this past year the two-hour set proved they are as compelling and dynamic live as almost any band in rock today, all done while delivering songs as diverse as the horn-infused “Fake Empire,” the rocking “Mr. November” and “The Day I Die,” the gorgeous “Pink Rabbits” and “About Today” and so much more. For all the thoughtfulness and ambition the National brought to music in 2017 they are an easy choice for the most important band of 2017.

Rock Star Of The Year: Eminem

Four years after his last album, the Detroit rap icon reemerged with “The Storm,” his blistering freestyle attack on Donald Trump. The video went viral with more than 42 million views and just over two months later Eminem made history as Revival debuted at No 1 and he became the first artist to ever have eight consecutive chart-topping albums. Eminem isn’t just the biggest rock star of the year he is the benchmark for rock stardom in the twenty-first century. Living in Detroit, he largely avoids social media and the limelight, then when he is ready to return does so under his terms, with very select interviews and tour dates. In an age where artists feel the need to share all, the way he maintains privacy and mystique make him a true rock star.

Most Inspiring Artist: Kendrick Lamar

Last Monday, December 18, thanks to a longtime friend, I got to watch Kendrick Lamar perform a short set at the jersey retirement of the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant. Lamar played “Humble” and other songs for “the living legend,” as Lamar referred to Bryant, in a private lounge at Staples Center for an audience that included NBA Hall Of Famers Bill Russell, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal, who DJed after Lamar, Elgin Baylor and more. Three days later, Lamar performed during the day for underprivileged kids at Watts’ Nickerson Gardens as he does every year. What makes Lamar so inspiring and so special as an artist is that he does both with grace, dignity and fun. He is clearly enjoying his moment as one of the biggest music stars in the world today, but still gives back and speaks out socially all the time. He has found the perfect balance of having fun and being involved, which is needed in the crazy world of 2017.

Rock God/Best Show Of The Year: Nick Cave

Ask almost any musician of a certain age or even Brad Pitt, who was hanging backstage at Cave’s godlike Greek Theater show in L.A., and they will tell you the Australian renaissance man – singer/songwriter, actor, author, composer – is the rock god of the moment. He showed why at the Greek, delivering a performance that, as I wrote at the time, “Transcended music in many respects.” (https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2017/07/07/seeing-nick-cave-and-the-meaning-of-art/#5283183a1ce2) In the span of a few moments Cave can bring either a power or beauty that are almost unrivaled on either count. Performing with a passion that is almost other worldly he merged art, spirituality and rock and roll into a timeless performance that, for those lucky enough to see it, will be deservedly remembered as legendary.

Activist Of The Year: Shirley Manson

What makes a great activist is an unyielding combination of conviction and candor. Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson has been sharing both for years, becoming a feminist icon for a new generation of musicians and music fans. Unapologetically speaking out for women, LGBTQ and artists with intelligence and passion, Manson is an inspiration for artists regardless of gender or age.

Triumph Of The Year: Linkin Park

In a year that saw so many horrific tragedies there were a lot of contenders for musical triumph of the year, especially Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester concert, which raised $13 million and brought together a country devastated. But if one show stood out as the single most triumphant it was the five remaining members of Linkin Park taking the stage at the Hollywood Bowl just three short months after the shocking death of lead singer Chester Bennington. Performing for more than three hours with a who’s who of friends, including Blink-182, Alanis Morissette, Avenged Sevenfold and more, the remaining members of LP shared their pain and doubt in a performance that I wrote at the time was part of a “night of beauty, of power, of love, of incredible sorrow and of joy. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2017/10/28/linkin-park-make-chester-bennington-proud-with-heartfelt-and-powerful-tribute/#2081ac255ed8). Two months later that feels even more so looking back. What makes the night so compelling is instead of masking their uncertainty and anguish as many artists would do, LP shared with their fans their own immense pain. To do so, so bravely, is something all musicians should aspire to.

Trailblazer Of The Year: Bruce Springsteen

With the recent news Lady Gaga is following in the footsteps of Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez in doing a Vegas residency, it’s becoming increasingly clear Vegas is the preferred home for pop stars who don’t want the demands and rigors of a full-time tour. So where do the classic rock acts, like Elton John, Rod Stewart and the Who, all of whom have done Vegas residencies, go? Thanks to Bruce Springsteen’s phenomenally successful Springsteen On Broadway, which has been extended twice and is breaking box-office records, Broadway is all of a sudden a viable option for many of music’s greatest troubadours. From Tom Waits and Bob Dylan to Alanis Morissette, there are numerous artists who could flourish commercially and artistically on the “Great White Way.”

Interview Of The Year: Dave Gahan

The Depeche Mode frontman does few interviews these days, so when I received an email saying, “Dave wants to do the email himself, can you meet him at his hotel?” I wrote back, “Hell yeah.” Gahan did not disappoint, opening up about politics, his relationship with band mate Martin Gore and how he went from being a fan of David Bowie to being “just dads” with him as their kids went to school together in New York City (https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2017/05/25/depeche-modes-dave-gahan-opens-up-about-david-bowie-enduring-four-decades-and-more/#60b8e2345644).

Tour Of The Year: Tom Petty

As I wrote about September 25 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2017/09/25/how-tom-petty-ruled-classic-rock-with-the-tour-of-2017/#54af1a6a79c9), just a week before his tragic death, Petty spent the year performing his greatest hits with the Heartbreakers for the fortieth anniversary of the band. Whether it was headlining festivals like BottleRock or Arroyo Seco or headlining his own shows, Petty and the Heartbreakers showed off one of the great catalogues in all of rock with a joyful glee and youthful passion every night, delighting audiences and cementing his status as one of rock’s all-time greats. Still hard to believe that just a week after wrapping up triumphantly at the Hollywood Bowl Petty was gone. But he truly did go out on top musically.

Best New Artist: Rationale

Two years ago I was walking into my friend Bryan Ling’s club at 432 N. Fairfax in Los Angeles. I was having a conversation with another friend, Tyler, who runs the venue. We were discussing how seeing so much music it was very hard for either of us to be blown away anymore. Then I walked in, listened to this British singer/songwriter deliver his soulful trip-hop bent in a stripped-down set that left jaws dropped. It wasn’t a fluke. His eponymous debut, released this past October, is stunning. His magnificent voice, as showcased on songs like “Loving Life” and “Something For Nothing,” is truly unique in music. Trust me, when he tours next, you need to see Rationale live.

Most Interesting Artist: ASAP Rocky

The rap superstar is probably going to give me crap for this title. Befitting his humility, he joked with me about being embarrassed by GQ magazine’s title of “The World’s Flyest Human.” All humility aside though, Rocky is that chameleon who can bound between the fashion world, Hollywood, big business and more. What makes him such a pop culture icon and a for certain future mogul is he is one of the rare artists, like Mick Jagger, Dave Grohl and Dr. Dre before him, who can fit into any scene. Rocky can talk about the Doors and smoke in the studio until two in the morning and then be at a GUESS meeting the next morning and both worlds feel natural for him. That’s what makes him so interesting.

Lyricist Of The Year: Lorde 

How do you follow up a debut album that is released when you are 17 years old and goes No 1 in more than 20 countries? If you are a legitimate talent like Lorde you do so with a sophomore effort that earns a Grammy nod for Album Of The Year and should have been nominated for Song of The Year for the smart and biting “Green Light.” “Well those rumors, they have big teeth/Hope they bite you,” she delivers with a snarl. She showed a poet’s heart throughout the album, like the opening to “The Louvre.” “Well, summer slipped us underneath her tongue/Our days and nights are perfumed with obsession.” The gift to write like that shows Lorde will be around for a long, long time.

O Que A Neutralidade Da Internet Pode Significar Para Os Músicos

What the repeal of Net Neutrality could mean for musicians

What is Net Neutrality?

Last week the FCC voted to repeal Net Neutrality rules. What is was Net Neutrality?

According to Wikipedia:

Net Neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet the same, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, website, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or method of communication.

Without the concept of Net Neutrality, internet service providers (ISPs) can take action on the content flowing through their networks. One common example of what ISPs would be allowed to do is represented by the following graphic:

What a nightmare!

Common consumers don’t want to pay an added fee just to access free services such as Twitter, but even worse would be having to pay Netflix’s subscription fees and then another fee on top of that to Comcast in order to access Netflix at HD-level speeds.

Can anything be done?

Before we go further, I just want to say that fighting to save Net Neutrality is not a lost cause. We can still pressure Congress to use a “resolution of disapproval” to overturn the FCC’s vote to dismantle the Net Neutrality rules.

Urge lawmakers to reverse the FCC vote today!

Where does CD Baby stand on Net Neutrality?

Allowing ISPs to take action on the content flowing through their networks allows them to choose winners and losers, and will likely stifle innovation. If ISPs decide to enforce pay-to-play rules, then it’s possible only larger corporations with deep pockets will be able to pay up. That could mean ISPs drastically slow down delivery of content from those companies that do not pay. Worse still, they could outright block content provided by competing services. For example, Comcast owns NBC, so perhaps they would slow down or block streaming from CBS properties unless CBS or its consumers pay them an added fee.

These scenarios are not certainties, but they are possible outcomes of repealing Net Neutrality rules. Likely, the initial actions by ISPs will be small and seem innocuous. But as the Internet builds upon itself in layers, so too may ISPs build upon the lack of Net Neutrality in layers, making it that much more difficult to reverse in the future.

“It feels like a slippery slope to allow the big cable and internet companies to decide how fast your internet should be,” says Tony Van Veen, CEO of AVL Digital Group, the parent-company of CD Baby. “There’s no way this will lead to lower rates. To the contrary, rates will go up.”

How does the repeal of Net Neutrality affect artists?

If you look at Wikipedia’s list of Comcast-owned properties, you’ll see they own… quite a lot. Many of those properties have some musical component. Any musical artists signed to a Comcast property could have their music preferred on Comcast’s network. Perhaps Comcast would offer a fee to artists not signed to their own labels to allow fast delivery of music. This would add yet another burden to artists, and those without deep pockets would be left with their music either blocked or not loading as quickly on Comcast networks.

Something else to consider in a world without Net Neutrality – artists may end up forced to distribute their music with certain services if those services are given preferential treatment by ISPs. If Apple pays Comcast a fee to make Apple Music Comcast’s “official” music streaming service, to the detriment of Spotify and others, then artists will likely need to make sure they distribute to Apple Music as well in order to maximize the chance of their music being heard. This removes one element of choice that artists previously had when making decisions about what’s best for their music.

This kind of behavior is anti-competitive, and oftentimes works to the detriment of innovation. The repeal of Net Neutrality rules is bad for independent people throughout the country (and world). With CD Baby already championing independent artists, it only makes sense for CD Baby to champion Net Neutrality, which levels the playing field for all kinds of independent operators.

“Companies that need significant bandwidth – like Spotify, Apple, or Pandora – will possibly (if not likely) face higher internet access costs,” says Van Veen. “As for-profit businesses their goal is to make a profit — albeit eventually, in the case of Spotify and Pandora — which means the higher costs will get passed on to consumers in the form of higher subscription rates. This may impact adoption of streaming by customers, and therefore music consumption levels, if customers decide not to pony up for a Spotify subscription because the price is too high.”

Bandcamp Libera Os Números De 2017 Incluindo Fitas Cassete

Bandcamp Releases 2017 Year-End Numbers, Including Mind-Boggling Cassette Tape Stats

'Tis the season to look back at all that has happened in the past year, as New Year's Day hurtles closer and closer (it's Monday!). Today, Bandcamp got in on the fun, via a blog post by engineer Ben Walker that detailed a few notable, and surprising, trends the company saw in 2017.

Most notably, the company announced that 500 bands set up a Bandcamp page each day in 2017, or approximately 182,500 new bands in the calendar year -- and each page in that tally, the blog post notes, is an active one with music uploaded to it, rather than a placeholder or dormant one. And the post also noted that the new Bandcamp app, which was introduced Oct. 31 and provides users with real-time statistics and merchandising capabilities, has already seen 36,000 artists and labels begin using it in less than two months.

But the bulk of the blog post centers on a more unusual, and definitely surprising, metric: cassette tapes. According to Walker, 17,872 tapes were released on Bandcamp in the past year, equating to around 50 tapes per day and one every 29 minutes; in total, artists on the platform sold 22.6 years worth of tapes overall. As the post notes, "That’s 17,076 km of beautiful, crunchy tape. You could wrap it around the moon and still have enough left over to spool gently off the back of a raft as you travel the entire length of the Amazon River."

(For those less familiar with the metric system, those 17,000-plus km equate to about 10,600 miles. If you're keeping track at home, the circumference of the moon is around 6,786 miles, while the length of the Amazon River is approximately 4,345 miles, which means... well, it's close enough. The point stands.)

Parsing a few other data points, Walker notes that Atlas is once again the most popular band name on Bandcamp, with 77 artists using that in their name (six more joined the list in 2017); in terms of new bands (those that uploaded their first release this year), Apollo tops the list at 13 artists, with Grim coming in at No. 2 (10 artists) and Bloom, Indigo and Nova all tied at No. 3 (nine apiece). And, proving that we just can't get enough of that nostalgic feeling, the most popular album title in 2017 was Home, with 130 releases using that title this year (up from 115 in 2016); a four-way tie for second, with 71 titles apiece, includes Lost, Memories, Void and Waves. In a maybe-not-surprising upset, the title Love fell from a three-way tie for third-highest in 2016 down to 10th in 2017, though only one fewer album was released with that title this year (54) than last (55).

Below is the rundown of most-popular new band names and album titles of 2017, and check out the full blog post here.

Band names
Apollo (13)
Grim (10)
Bloom (9)
Indigo (9)
Nova (9)
King (8)
Void (8)
Milk (7)
David (6)
Smith (5)

Album titles
Home (130 albums released in 2017)
Lost (71)
Memories (71)
Void (71)
Waves (71)
Reflections (70)
Blue (64)
Dreams (62)
Bloom (58)
Love (54)

Conheça Os Compositores Responsáveis Pelos Sucessos Do 'Top Chart' de 2017

Meet the Songwriters Behind 2017's Chart-Topping Hits, From 'Havana' to 'Believer'

As streaming continued to revolutionize music, songsmiths from the pop, dance, country and rock charts had breakthrough years. Get acquainted with four songwriters who stood out in 2017, below.

JACOB “J KASH” KASHER

On the charts: Maroon 5’s “Cold” (No. 16), Charlie Puth’s “Attention” (No. 5) and “How Long” (No. 26) are among Kasher’s 10 appearances in 2017 on the Billboard Hot 100, where he was the chart’s 13th-ranked songwriter this year.

His story: Following a short-lived stint as a rapper himself, Kasher started focusing on songwriting with producer Kevin Rudolf circa 2008. It was a light-bulb moment: "I thought, I might suck as a rapper, but I can put some lyrics to good use," he recalls, laughing. The Virginia native now known as J Kash has since worked with everyone from Selena Gomez to One Direction. As for his 2017 success, Kasher thanks the "smorgasbord" of genres on this year's pop charts for pushing him to expand his comfort zone. “Country and Latin music got really big,” says Kasher. “Nothing is off-limits, and there’s no wrong way to create.”

ALI TAMPOSI

On the charts: Tamposi co-wrote a pair of top 10 Hot 100 hits -- Camila Cabello’s “Havana” (No. 2) and Kygo and Selena Gomez’s “It Ain’t Me” (No. 10) -- and dominated even more on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, where she was the year’s third-biggest songwriter.

Her story: “I don’t necessarily know what makes a hit, but I know what feels like a special song,” says the 28-year-old Florida native. Her star-studded resume proves it: Tamposi had her first placement with Beyoncé  at 18, co-penning Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger," her first Hot 100 No. 1 hit, two years later. These days, honesty is her secret songwriting weapon -- for "It Ain't Me," Tamposi mined her own relationship history for lyrics. “Artists are expressing their vulnerabilities in a way that resonates with listeners," she explains. "Honest lyrics always win.”

MATTMAN & ROBIN

On the charts: In 2017, the two were a force on the Hot Rock Songs chart (where they were the seventh most-credited team of the year), co-writing much of Imagine Dragons’ Evolve LP including the band’s No. 4 Hot 100 hit, “Believer.”

Their story: The famously reclusive Swedish duo -- Robin Fredriksson and Mattias Larsson -- is part of hitmaker Max Martin and Tom Talomma’s Wolf Cousins production entity, and have crafted pop gold for the likes of Gwen Stefani, DNCE and Hailee Steinfeld. But 2017 proved the duo's versatility: While working with veteran songwriter Julia Michaels on her lauded Nervous System EP, co-penning standouts like "Uh Huh" and "Worst in Me," the duo also left their fingerprints on Imagine Dragons' Evolve, dominating the rock charts with smash "Believer."

ASHLEY GORLEY

On the charts: The year’s top-ranked songwriter on the Hot Country Songs chart, Gorley penned hits like Jon Pardi’s “Dirt on My Boots” (No. 2) and Brad Paisley’s “Today” (No. 7).

His story: “I’ve always been restless,” says Gorley, who heads up Tape Room, the Nashville publishing company that released Sam Hunt’s record-setting, chart-topping smash, “Body Like a Back Road.” It shows. In November, Gorley was awarded songwriter of the year at the ASCAP Country Music Awards -- his record fifth time receiving the honor. And while his heart is with country music (with more than a decade of professional songwriting experience, he's worked with Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and countless others), he was excited to see the genre widen in 2017. “[Hunt] is following Rihanna and DJ Khaled on my pop station," Gorley explains. "I love being part of that.”

A IMPEL (Empresa Europeia De Licenciamento) Procura Obter O Mesmo Sucesso Da Merlin

European Licensing Organization IMPEL Looks to Replicate Merlin's Success As It Goes It Alone

Tom Petty, Sampha and writers for Britney Spears and One Direction are among those represented by member publishers 

Pan-European licensing organization IMPEL will become a fully independent collection society in a move that the organization says will benefit its members and help grow the digital music business.

Founded in 2010, IMPEL -- which stands for Independent Music Publishers’ E-Licensing -- is a collective of indie music publishers managed as part of the MPA Group of Companies and administered by U.K. collection society PRS for Music.

As per other collection societies, it provides independent publishers with the ability to offer their repertoire on a multi-territory basis to digital music services under a single license.  

IMPEL’s nearly 50 publisher members represent songwriters such as Ina Wroldsen (Britney Spears, One Direction), Grammy winner Amy Wadge (Janelle Monae, Keith Urban), Sampha (Beggars) and Tom Petty (Wixen), as well as songs recorded by Ed Sheeran, 2 Chainz, Drake, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Glass Animals, Rag'n'Bone Man and Camila Cabello.

Until now, the London-based organization has used MCPS (the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society) to license and administer its members’ online mechanical rights for Anglo-American repertoire.

Fulfilling long-held ambitions to become a separate entity, that agreement will now end, with multi-territory online rights transferred from MCPS to IMPEL over the coming weeks.

From that point onwards, IMPEL will be a standalone collection society owned by its members, regardless of whether they are based in the U.K. or internationally, and be subject to same requirements of transparency and efficiency as its European Union competitors.

IMPEL says that the new structure will give publishers greater flexibility by allowing them to take part in other licenses outside of those currently offered. The transition process is planned to be fully completed by April 2018.

“It is no secret that IMPEL has aspirations towards the success of Merlin and this is the next step on that mission,” said the organization’s chairman Simon Platz. He went on to call the collective “a group of publishers totally wedded to independence and totally wedded to being stronger together.”

Jane Dyball, CEO of the MPA Group of Companies added, “In a highly competitive market there is a group of independent music publishers who are firmly committed to sticking together to improve their position in the digital landscape, and to provide a nimble and adaptable service to their members.”

Advogado Paul Rothenberg Especialista Em Entretenimento Dá Dicas Para Artistas Emergentes

Entertainment Attorney Paul Rothenberg Shares Tips For Emerging Artists On Achieving Success and Longevity

Paul Rothenberg says that while he has always been analytical -- he was a math major at Dartmouth, after all -- he was also always passionate about music. “Being an entertainment attorney ended up being a great way to marry the two interests,” he tells Billboard.

Working with creative clients and in the field of law fits his strengths, and has allowed Rothenberg to excel since first becoming an attorney in 1998 before turning his focus to entertainment law in 2002. In April 2009, Rothenberg opened his own boutique entertainment law firm, Rothenberg, P.C., with locations in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. The firm boasts an impressive roster of acts including Charlie Puth, Logic, A$AP Ferg, Trey Songz and D’Angelo, and also has focuses on film, sports, theater and more.

“It’s very creative and entrepreneurial on top of the transactional work," the Tampa, Fla. native says. "A lot of times I’m the first person an artist may get in touch with on a professional level -- we become a trusted advisor and help them put together their team. I always felt that that role is very rewarding. You end up forming a very close bond [with an artist] and become a part of the inner circle.”

Of his clients, Puth and Logic in particular have had standout years (“Their success is reflective of a long-term effort,” he says), which in turn has meant a busy year for Rothenberg. When an artist takes off, he explains, “That coincides with a lot more deals and opportunities and trying to capitalize on the moment and make smart decisions.”

When it comes to making strategic moves, Rothenberg seems to have tapped into how an artist can find not only success, but the holy grail of music careers: longevity. Here, Rothenberg runs through four tips for an artist navigating the often-confusing world of starting out in the music business.

Don't Be Afraid To Take Things Slow

"Prepare for your career like it’s a marathon," he says. "There are so many opportunities and everything is important and everything is helpful, but you really have to find a balance and draw the line to protect your health, too. I try to keep [new artists] focused on that fact that this is a career and a marathon, and we don’t want to see them burn out early."

Pay Attention To Your Contract

"The first line in the contract is sometimes the most important, which is who the contract is with," he explains. "Take your time, decide on the right partner -- it’s not always the first person that finds you. Don’t focus only on the advance; there are too many stories of massive deals and no career. Choose a partner and deal that gives you the best chance for long-term success. But no matter how much homework you do, every deal and partner you choose is going to be somewhat of a leap of faith. So build in an escape clause so you can get out if things don’t go as planned. That can be very valuable. And keep the contract short, which limits the damage as well."

Make Decisions Early On 

"Today, artists can take something and grow their brand pretty far themselves online and build an audience," says Rothenberg. "But they have to decide, do they want to take it as far as they can on their own and try to get the best terms and a deal, or would they prefer to bring on a strategic partner early, to increase their chances of success and get there faster? I personally favor a mix -- one or two deals early, bring on strategic partners, and then wait on some that capitalize on your success at a later time."

Be Cautious Of The Company You Keep

"Build a strong team. Keep them engaged," he says. "Personally, we as attorneys like to be involved early so we can help provide guidance from the beginning. We are responsible for everything of a business nature that they need. Whether it’s civil litigation, or someone gets in trouble and there is a criminal attorney needed, or trademark or family law, trusts and estates. It’s our job to find [the artist] the best person to handle that work and oversee it and make sure it’s prioritized and they are charged fairly. So we become like a member of the board of directors, and we see the client as the CEO. I say to artists, 'Know who you are as an artist and be true to yourself. Everyone's going to have opinions. Listen to feedback from those you trust, but also fight for what you believe.'”

Billboard 200 Chart Tem Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Trilha Sonora E Os Beatles' 'Christmas'

Billboard 200 Chart Moves: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Soundtrack & The Beatles' 'Christmas' Debut

On the latest Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Jan. 3), Eminem notches an unprecedented eighth consecutive No. 1 debut, as his new studio effort Revivalopens atop the list. The title earned 267,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Dec. 21, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 197,000 were in traditional album sales.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the week’s most popular albums based on their overall consumption. That overall unit figure combines pure album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the action on the rest of the Billboard 200:

— Soundtrack, Star Wars: The Last Jedi – No. 12 — The soundtrack to Star Wars: The Last Jedi bows at No. 12 with 44,000 units (41,000 in traditional album sales). All eight of the main Star Wars saga films have seen their companion soundtracks reach the top 20. The lowest-charting title of the bunch is Return of the Jedi, peaking at No. 20 in 1983. The remaining six Star Wars film soundtracks have all hit the top 10, though none have reached No. 1. (The closest the series came was with the first film, Star Wars, which saw its album spend three consecutive weeks at No. 2 in 1977. It was stuck behind Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, which ruled the list for 31 nonconsecutive weeks.)

The last Star Wars saga film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, saw its soundtrack debut and peak at No. 5 in January of 2016.

Following The Force Awakens, the soundtrack to the stand-alone film Rogue One: A Star Wars story, reached No. 29 in January of 2017.

— Linkin Park, One More Light: Live – No. 28 — The rock band claims its 15th charting album with this new live set, recorded before the death of the group’s singer, Chester Bennington. The set was recorded during Linkin Park’s tour of Europe in June and July of 2017. Bennington died on July 20.

Earlier in 2017, Linkin Park notched its sixth No. 1 album with the studio effort One More Light.

— Alan Jackson, Precious Memories Collection – No. 33 — The country king scores his 25^th top 40-charting album with this compilation of inspirational songs, as Precious Memories Collection rises 162-33 with 22,000 units (up 255 percent). The album — which is a collection of the tunes found on his two earlier Precious Memories albums — is supported nearly entirely by traditional album sales (22,000; up 272 percent). The rise is owed to a big gain in sales through mail order and internet retailers, powered by direct-response TV ads that have been airing over the holiday season.

The Precious Memories Collection features all 36 songs that were included on Jackson’s 2006 set Precious Memories, and its sequel, 2013’s Precious Memories: Volume II. The Collection title also includes two new tracks: “It’s All About Him” and “That’s the Way.”

— Soundtrack, Pitch Perfect 3 – No. 61 — The soundtrack to the third installment of the Pitch Perfect film series debuts at No. 61 with 15,000 units (14,000 in traditional album sales). As the film arrived in U.S. theaters on Dec. 22 — the day after the chart’s tracking week ended — the soundtrack could rise on next week’s tally. The first Pitch Perfect soundtrack peaked at No. 3 in February 2012, while Pitch Perfect 2 debuted at No. 1 in 2015.

— The Beatles, The Christmas Records – No. 199 — The Beatles’ new box set of colored vinyl singles, The Christmas Records, arrives at No. 199 with 7,000 units (all from traditional album sales). The archival box has reproductions of the seven flexi-disc vinyl singles the band sent to its fan club members each Christmas between 1963 and 1969. The set, which has a total combined running time of about 44 minutes, features a smattering of music from the band (including the original tune “Christmas Time [Is Here Again]”), comedic skits and messages from the group. The Christmas Records also debuts at No. 4 on the Vinyl Albumschart and, due to the nature of the box’s contents, at No. 38 on the Holiday Albums tally.