Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

first and foremost, a Happy Holiday Season from the CVR blog. thank you for making my labor of love a success and keep coming back, i have some special things planned for 2014!!










=============

New Music Releases - December 24, 2013

Alesana - Fatima Rusalka
Boston - Life Love and Hope (vinyl)
Calexico - Spiritoso (vinyl)
CIV - Set Your Goals (reissue) (vinyl)
Joan Baez - Greatest Hits
Joyce Manor - Joyce Manor (reissue) (vinyl)
Lody Kong - No Rules
Slayer - Live: Decade of Aggression (2xLP)
The Flaming Lips - Peace Sword (vinyl)
Various Artists - American Hustle (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Muscle Shoals OST (2xLP)
Yes - The Studio Albums 1969-87 (13xCD)


=============

AMI Entertainment Releases 2013 List of Most Popular Jukebox Music

Van Morrison, Guns N' Roses, and Blake Shelton top the charts

PHILADELPHIA - AMI Entertainment Network is excited to release its annual list of the year's most popular jukebox music! Featuring classic artists like Van Morrison and Johnny Cash going head-to-head with new up-and-comers like Macklemore and Florida Georgia Line, 2013's list covers a rollicking field of hit songs, classic rock standards, and country anthems. As always, the data for the list was drawn from AMI's network of digital jukeboxes and vast library of millions of songs.

2013 was a year of nostalgia for the AMI audience, as the top five most-played songs of 2013 were all recorded before 1990. Claiming the top spot for 2013 was Van Morrison's soulful jam "Brown Eyed Girl," a legendary 1967 song that kicked off the singer's solo career and continues to make regular appearances on AMI's year-end charts. Guns N' Roses joined perennial favorites The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Janis Joplin to round out the top five. Meanwhile, the most popular song of 2012 — Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party" — failed to crack the top 50, sinking all the way to #82.

The top albums of 2013 were similarly old-fashioned, with greatest hits albums from Guns N' Roses and Lynyrd Skynyrd placing #1 and #2, respectively. Eric Church's hit 2011 album Chief remained on the charts for yet another year, falling only one spot from the 2012 list to come in at #3. Chief was followed on the charts by a string of greatest hits albums from classic artists like Janis Joplin, Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Seger.

Meanwhile, the list of the top new songs of 2013 granted a fascinating view into the latest artists captivating jukebox audiences. 2013 proved to be a banner year for country singer Blake Shelton, with his new releases "Boys 'Round Here" and "Sure Be Cool If You Did" topping the charts at #1 and #3, respectively. Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" came in at #2, while new tracks from Florida Georgia Line, Daft Punk, and Drake also placed in the Top 10. New Zealand's teenaged singer-songwriter Lorde also placed highly with her #1 hit song "Royals," which came in at #9.

Every year, AMI's global network of digital jukeboxes connects millions of patrons with their favorite songs from thousands of artists across dozens of different genres. For more information on AMI's products and services, as well as the latest news and updates about the AMI jukebox network, please visit www.amientertainment.com. You can also keep up-to-date on news and promotions by connecting with AMI on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AMIJukeboxes.

SOURCE AMI Entertainment Network 

=============

from www.hypebot.com (chart provided by SoundExchange)

=============

Helen Money: Limited vinyl edition of Arriving Angels - To be released via newly-launched Corpse Flower Records









=============

from the great state of maryland:

What’s Old Is New Again! Vinyl Records Are Taking A Spin This Holiday/





=============

from the great state of california:

Record store veteran remains jazzed about vinyl






=============

as a real fan of picture discs, sure would like to get my hands on these:


Dissecting Re-Released LPs from Swedish Death Metal Act Dissection









=============

Louisville's independent record stores give it another spin as vinyl makes a comeback

 

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 23, 2013


DEAR JERRY: Every year, for the past 20 or so Decembers, we've enjoyed Merle Haggard's "Goin' Home for Christmas."

I know the song by heart, so you can imagine my surprise when I heard it on the radio this year, and caught the tail end of a spoken introduction by Merle.

Exactly what all does he say? I missed part of it.
—Carolyn Munnick, Milwaukee

DEAR CAROLYN: As you know, "Goin' Home for Christmas" involves persuading grandpa, a white knuckle flyer, to come home for Christmas on a train. Thus, Merle's 25-second prologue goes like this:

"My family called me on the phone and said
Grandpa, would ya come home
We'd love to have you here on Christmas day
We know you won't get on a plane, but you could ride a train
You could see the scenery along the way"

He then launches into "Goin' home for Christmas … comin' on a train."

I'm somewhat surprised Amtrak hasn't incorporated this tune into one of their ads.


DEAR JERRY: I just watched, for the second time, the Biography Channel's feature on the Mamas and the Papas. And, as when I first I saw it a couple of years ago, a red flag went up when something was said about them being the first mixed-gender group to have a No. 1 Hit. At least I think that was the gist of it.

Of course we (the Fleetwoods) were a trio, and the Mamas and the Papas were a quartet, but I don't think that distinction was made.

I started to write to the Biography Channel for clarification, but then remembered your extensive Fleetwoods research in 2006, and decided to let you sort all of this out.
—Gretchen Christopher, Olympia, Wash.

DEAR GRETCHEN: I guess I am a sorter of sorts, but in this case the random element is exactly what they said. I have tried to locate video of that episode, but without success.

Regardless, I'll cover what I think are all of the reasonable possibilities.

Let's begin with "Monday Monday," the only No. 1 hit for the Mamas and the Papas (May 1966), and work backwards.

Clearly they are not the first mixed-gender group, meaning three or more members, to top the charts. Preceding them in this category are the Essex (quintet); Fleetwoods (trio); Pied Pipers (quartet); Platters (quintet); Rooftop Singers (trio); Ruby and the Romantics (quintet); and Weavers (quartet).

This also shows the Mamas and the Papas were not the first mixed-gender quartet atop the charts — unless the list is limited only to hits from 1952 (post Pied Pipers and Weavers) or later. If so, they are, and that could be what the bio implied.

There is another possibility, though somewhat far-fetched. "Monday Monday" was the first No. 1 hit by a quartet consisting of an equal number of males and females: John Phillips; Michelle Phillips; Denny Doherty; and Cass Elliot. All but Michelle are now deceased.

Knowing you have no objections to my reminding readers of some of the distinctions owned by your Fleetwoods, these are my favorites:

For nearly 100 years, from the invention of the phonograph (1877) to April 1973, the Fleetwoods were the only mixed-gender trio with more than one No. 1 hit!

In order, here are the eight No. 1 songs by those six trios, with gender makeup:

1958: Teddy Bears - "To Know Him Is to Love Him" (FMM)
1959: Fleetwoods - "Come Softly to Me" (MFF)
1959: Browns - "The Three Bells" (MFF)
1959: Fleetwoods - "Mr. Blue" (MFF)
1963: Rooftop Singers - "Walk Right In" (FMM)
1969: Peter, Paul & Mary - "Leavin' on a Jet Plane" (FMM)
1971: Tony Orlando & Dawn - "Knock Three Times" (MFF)
1973: Tony Orlando & Dawn - "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" (MFF)

"Come Softly to Me," written by someone named Gretchen Christopher, and "Mr. Blue," were both million-sellers in 1959, making the Fleetwoods the top singles group of that year. They also became the first and second Gold Record award winners for a northwest group and label (Dolton).

Finally, and this is a big one, the Fleetwoods are the only group from late 1956 (Platters: "The Great Pretender" and "My Prayer") to late 1962 (4 Seasons: "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry"), with two No. 1 hits in the same year, regardless of member demographics.

Congratulations Soft One!


IZ ZAT SO? The 1964 British Invasion changed the American music landscape in many ways, but one of the least known is that for seven consecutive years (1964-1970), at least one group had two or more No. 1 hits in the same year.

Remember, before 1964 this only happened three times in music history (Platters, Fleetwoods, 4 Seasons).

The acts mostly responsible for this transformation are the Beatles; Supremes; Herman's Hermits; Rolling Stones; Monkees; and the Jackson 5.

The peak year for groups and duos is 1965, when they claimed 92% of the chart toppers. Of the 25 No. 1 tunes that year, only two are by solo artists: "Downtown" (Petula Clark) and "Eve of Destruction" (Barry McGuire).

Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.  Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368  E-mail: jpo@olympus.net   Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com

All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition. 

Copyright 2013 Osborne Enterprises - Reprinted By Exclusive Permission