Interview: Bertis Downs

Bertis Downs, manager of REM.

You can watch the full interview here.

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Interview: Chris Blackwell
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Kitten sign to Atlantic

We were about to feature LA-based teen rock band Kitten this upcoming week, but the band just inked a deal with Atlantic Records.

“Hey Soul Sister” is a Hit

As we predicted back in December 2009 when we put the song on Hit Prediction, Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” has become a multi-format smash at Radio. It is currently #1 at Hot AC, #6 at Triple A, #10 at AC, and #18 at Top40. The single also reached the #1 position on iTunes and is currently #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Despite what a lot of industry people may think, an artist’s age does not matter! Train and people like Michael Franti, who are in their 40’s, are proof.

It would be nice to see major labels sign more “older” artists who actually have an understanding of who they are, what they want to say, and are capable of writing a hit song on their own. Would this lead to more long-term success? Most likely.

The most successful solo artist of all time, Garth Brooks, didn’t even release his first album until he was 27. And let’s not talk about Shania Twain, the only female in history to have three albums sell over 10 million copies. She was over 30 when she broke!

Age is irrelevant, unless you want to create a child star. In fact, not being of age is what oftentimes keeps an artist from being successful due to their lack of experience and understanding of who they are as a person and what they want their music to stand for.

Why do a lot of people in the music industry have it all backwards? Who knows, but most of the time it makes absolutely no sense to invest a million dollars in an 18-year old as opposed to someone who is 10 years older. Or would you let someone who just graduated High School run a Fortune 500 company? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Sam Adams

Lots of rumors surrounding this. We are not a gossip website, so we do not have an official opinion on this – just make up your own mind.

Buzz Track: Driving Me Crazy
Link: youtube.com/watch?v=05c69W-80lc
Contact: alex@eightiesbabiesusa.com

Why Leoni-Sceti Really Quit

Elio Leoni-Sceti’s sudden decision to quit as EMI CEO was driven partly by a lack of support for his strategic plan for the label and his not wanting to be the fall guy should that plan fail to deliver. According to two people familiar with the matter, EMI’s private-equity owner Terra Firma ordered a series of competing plans for the label’s future, with an eye toward melding them into a single strategy that could be presented to investors.

Charles Allen, EMI’s board chairman, was named executive chairman and will take over for Leoni-Sceti. Allen’s appointment, combined with the fact that EMI has no plans to name a new CEO, led one source to speculate that he is on hand to make sure the label “stays on the rails” until a deal with WMG can be completed.

These sources said Leoni-Sceti’s plan lacked the support of three key EMI executives — co-COOs Werre and Kassler and North American CFO Colin Finkelstein. One source noted that Werre and Finkelstein are currently at EMI’s London headquarters working on their own plan.

Sources said the opposition to Leoni-Sceti’s plan was complemented by his growing disenchantment with Guy Hands and the music business, which made it easier for him to resign than mount an internal battle for support. After 18 months, Leoni-Sceti, a former consumer products exec, “came to the view that the music business wasn’t for him,” said one EMI source.

“He decided that the time for him to get out is now, before he actually has to present his plan to investors,” the source said. ”He didn’t want to ask them to put up a boatload of money based on a plan he wasn’t going to stick around to implement because it would be his name on the line and his responsibility to deliver on it.”

(via NYPost.com)

Pub Pick: La La Love You

Written by Jessi Alexander (The Climb – Miley Cyrus), Melissa Peirce (Red Light – David Nail), and  Katrina Elam (I Want a Cowboy – Reba McEntire).

Title: La La Love You
Written by: Melissa Peirce, Jessi Alexander, Katrina Elam
Contact: melissapeirce@comcast.net

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Kay

Spotted at Interscope and EMI Pub in LA.

Link: myspace.com/kaymusik
Contact: doug@lastgangmanagement.com

Locnville

Buzz Track: Sun In My Pocket
Link: myspace.com/locnville
Contact: sarahjane@contra-banned.com

Donnis signs to Fool’s Gold

Despite offers from major labels, rapper Donnis ended up signing with Brooklyn-based indie powerhouse Fool’s Gold. Check out his first single “Gone.” He was featured on Crazed Hits in August 2009 and is the 98th featured act to get signed.

Interview: Steve Ralbovsky

At the time of the interview Steve was Senior VP of A&R at RCA Records. He signed and nurtured the careers of The Strokes, Kings of Leon, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Gray and Ray LaMontagne.

You can watch the full interview here.

The Sequel

The band recently signed a pub deal with EMI.

Buzz Track: Everybody Knows
Link: myspace.com/thesequel
Contact: darren@watchdogmgt.com

Pub Pick: Hey Boys

The Pussycat Dolls or Britney Spears should cut this.

Title: Hey Boys
Writers: BC Jean and Toby Gad
Contact: bcjean@aol.com

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Want to submit a song? Email us an mp3: music@crazedhits.com

Nicki Minaj signs to Cash Money/Motown

We forgot to announce this signing when it happened and just realized it…

Nicki Minaj has signed to Cash Money/Universal Motown. She was highlighted on Crazed Hits in May 2009 and is featured on the new Mariah Carey single “Up Out My Face.”

Hit Prediction: I’m Awesome

After predicting the success of singles like Hey Soul Sister, Fireflies, Just Dance, I Kissed  A Girl, Don’t Trust Me, Good Girls Go Bad, and various other hits, our money is on this song to blow up next!

If you’re subscribed via Email, click here to listen.

Ya Boy signs to Interscope/Konvict

Rapper Ya Boy, who we first featured last year, has signed to Interscope Records and its imprint Konvict Muzik, which is co-owned by singer Akon.

Ya Boy is the 96th featured Crazed Hits act to get signed.