Search Results for: columbia records

Soul Asylum recently celebrated the group’s twentieth anniversary with a show at First Avenue in Minneapolis. “It was extremely touching,” says singer/guitarist Dave Pirner. “It seemed like First Avenue was overflowing with love. I’m getting emotional just thinking about it. I really couldn’t get a grip on the fact that we had been together for that long.” Now that the balloons are popped and the champagne bottles drained, Soul Asylum are back doing what’s kept the group together these last two decades: writing new music. “We don’t know where or when we’re going to put this out,” says Pirner of… Read more »

Britney Spears, a former Mousketeer, is at the center of an aggressive drive into the movie business by a handful of young pop stars molded by the music industry and MTV. Not since the 1960s, when singers like Elvis Presley, Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Johnny Cash crooned their way onto movie screens, have studios produced as many star vehicles to showcase the hip-shimmying musical talents of the day’s teen idols. Their holy grail is “The Bodyguard,” starring Whitney Houston, which grossed $122 million and relaunched a pop song that became a perennial hit. The soundtrack is one of the best… Read more »

ARTISTdirect CEO Ted Field today announced that industry veterans Jim Swindel and Marc Benesch have joined the executive management team. Swindel has been named executive vice president of sales and marketing, while Benesch joins as executive vice president of promotion. Both appointments are effective immediately. Swindel is a 25-year veteran of the record business who will oversee all sales and marketing efforts aspects of the label’s roster, beginning with upcoming releases by singer/songwriter Custom, and hip-hop trio NAAM Brigade. He will also work closely with Field and Vice Chairman Marc Geiger on the development of other digital music ventures. As… Read more »

Singer Jessica Simpson sang at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Friday (November 2). Simpson and her pianist Rob Lewis performed “God Bless America” and “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”-the latter from her latest Columbia Records album, Irresistible-in front of President George W. Bush, first lady Laura Bush, and a roomful of dignitaries. On Saturday (November 3) Simpson performed “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch of Game Six of the World Series at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona. Simpson wasn’t the sole musician performing on Saturday: Two-time Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge was on hand to perform… Read more »

Retailers have seen a groundswell in demand for music with patriotic themes in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, sending record labels scrambling to keep the supply coming. That fervor helped to drive Columbia Records’ benefit compilation “God Bless America” to No. 1 in an otherwise quiet week for music sales. Nearly 181,000 copies of “God Bless America” headed out the door in the week ended Oct. 21, according to data compiled by SoundScan. Columbia parent Sony Music said a “substantial portion” of proceeds from the release, which includes tracks by Celine Dion, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, will… Read more »

Beyonce Knowles, one-third of pop/R&B sensation Destiny’s Child, is in advanced negotiations to make her feature film debut as the female lead in New Line Cinema’s “Austin Powers 3: Goldmember” for director Jay Roach. Production is scheduled to begin next month for a July 26 release date. The project will mark Knowles’ second outing as an actress; she made her debut this year in the title role of the MTV telefilm “Carmen: A Hip Hopera.” The third installment of “Austin Powers,” written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers, continues the adventures of the swinging ’60s superspy and his nemesis, Dr.… Read more »

Bally Total Fitness and Columbia Records announced today that they have teamed up on a new national promotional and advertising campaign featuring Columbia Records’ recording artist Jessica Simpson. Starting this weekend, Bally Total Fitness will air its new commercial, titled “A Little Bit Goes A Long Way.” The 30-second spot features footage of Jessica Simpson performing her hit song “A Little Bit” from the latest blockbuster album “Irresistible.” “A Little Bit Goes A Long Way” creatively blends clips from the popular “A Little Bit” video with footage of health conscious individuals as they train and work out. The message of… Read more »

Columbia Records is releasing “Stoned Raiders,” the eagerly-awaited new album from Cypress Hill, the first full-length studio outing from the group since 2000’s platinum-selling “Skull & Bones” and the group’s first album since last year’s “Live At The Fillmore.” The latest chapter in the ongoing saga of alterna-rap’s best-selling bold marauders, “Stoned Raiders” carries on Cypress Hill’s uncanny patented hip-hop/rock meld. The album is produced, arranged and mixed by Muggs and features guest appearances by Kurupt, MC Ren & King Tee, Redman & Method Man, and Kokane. Also appearing on “Stoned Raiders’ are Fear Factory’s Christian Olde Wolbers, Andy Zambrano… Read more »

Music Choice, the world’s largest provider of commercial-free digital music via cable, satellite and the Internet, today announced that, the Cranberries and Queensryche are the featured artists for the October concert series. Music Choice’s concert series is a cable-exclusive program, reaching 25 million households across the country. Every month, the show delivers a fresh array of varied musical formats from an eclectic mix of artists viewers won’t find on other channels. The concert series features a variety of artists in a 60-minute show with live performances and interview segments. Music Choice also airs “Street Team,” a reality based show that… Read more »

Bolt, a leading communication platform for teens and young adults, today announces the launch of the “Ford Focus Sound Check Tour – Presented with Bolt and Freevibe.com.” The free concert series will tour malls in 18 markets nationwide and feature performances by 2KSounds artist Brooke Allison and Columbia Records group Play. Ford Motor Company is the title sponsor of the tour. Freevibe.com, the youth Web site of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, is a partner in the tour. As the title sponsor of the Ford Focus Sound Check Tour, Ford Motor… Read more »