Universal Scores Big Win In U.S. Album Share For 1st Quarter

As expected, Universal Music & Video Distribution holds a commanding lead in U.S. album market share in the first full-quarter tally by SoundScan since the December acquisition of PolyGram by Universal Music Group parent Seagram. Universal's 26.7% total album market share for the period from Jan. 4 to March 28 beats the 17% chalked up by WEA, which has been the leader throughout most of the '90s. Third in distribution in the quarter was the independent sector, which collectively garnered 16.9%, followed by Sony Music Distribution, with 14.5%; BMG Distribution, with 14.1%; and EMI Music Distribution, with 10.7%.

In current album market share--which counts those scans that occur in the first 18 months of an album's availability--Universal had a 27.4% share for the quarter, followed by BMG, with 17.3%, and the independent sector, with 15.8%. The No. 4 distributor was WEA, with 15.2%, followed by Sony (14.5%) and EMD (9.8%).

In singles, BMG was the No. 1 distributor, with a 34% slice of the pie. That total far outdistanced the 22.1% racked up by No. 2 WEA and the 18.1% by No. 3 Universal.

--Ed Christman, N.Y.


Tickets.com Gets $30 Million In Financing, Plans Mergers

Tickets.com, which recently announced its intent to merge with ticketing technology company Advantix, has secured $30 million in private financing from several investors, including Jackson International, IMG/Chase Sports Capitol Partners, General Atlantic Partners, Attractor, idealab!, Bayview Investors, and Capitol Partners.

Tickets.com/Advantix is using the money to make two significant technology-focused deals. The companies have agreed to merge with TicketsLive, creator of the event management software PASS and Internet ticketing service TicketsLive Network. They also intend to acquire TicketStop, maker of Windows-based ticketing software. The deals will expand the company's client base to more than 3,700 entertainment organizations, which will be integrated into the Tickets.com Web site, according to Tickets.com CEO/president Thomas Gimple.

The combined company now owns multiple forms of ticketing technologies, which will be used to form three or four niche ticketing products targeting performance venues, according to Gimple, who adds that Tickets.com hopes to eventually sell last-minute bargain tickets for unsold inventory on performances at participating venues.

--Brett Atwood, L.A.


Dylan/Simon Tour Set To Start In June

It's official: Bob Dylan and Paul Simon will tour together beginning June 6 in Colorado Springs, Colo. The legends--who have never performed together--will co-headline the nearly two-month North American tour, alternating opening slots; they are also expected to perform duets of both artists' material. Dates include the Gorge in George, Wash. (June 13); the Hollywood Bowl in L.A. (June 22); Pine Knob Amphitheater in Detroit (July 7); Tweeter PAC in Mansfield, Mass. (July 22-23); Madison Square Garden in New York (July 27); and Jones Beach Amphitheatre in Wantagh, N.Y. (July 30-31).

As expected, the outing will be promoted by SFX (Bulletin, April 5). Tickets go on sale this weekend, with prices starting at $30.


Wynette Kids File Wrongful-Death Suit

Three of Tammy Wynette's daughters have filed a $50 million wrongful-death lawsuit against the late singer's husband and doctor. The suit, filed yesterday in Davidson County Circuit Court in Nashville, alleges that former husband George Richey and Dr. Wallis Marsh failed to act in time to prevent her death; also at issue are drugs that had been prescribed to the singer. An attorney for the daughters says they are seeking to have Wynette's body exhumed and an autopsy performed. The singer's death one year ago today was attributed to a blood clot in the lung.

--Chet Flippo, Nashville


Warner Music Group, TouchTunes Pact

Warner Music Group has signed an agreement with TouchTunes Digital Jukebox Inc. to license digitally transmitted music to a new generation of digital jukebox players. The license covers the secure transmission, storing, and playing of digitized copies of music on TouchTunes jukebox players, which hold up to 750 songs in CD quality. TouchTunes has already inked licenses with BMG and Universal.

--Brett Atwood, L.A.


Artist Developments

A tour billed as "Willie Nelson's Picnic" will play 10 U.S. dates this summer with a lineup of Nelson, BR5-49, Deana Carter, and Dwight Yoakam.

--Ray Waddell, Amusement Business


Pat Benatar Signs Deal With Kalodner Label; Box Set Due

Pat Benatar has signed with a new rock label created by veteran A&R man John Kalodner that will go through Columbia. No other details of the label were available. Benatar will release a new album early next year and will tour the U.S. this summer, starting June 11 in Las Vegas and running through Aug. 22.

Meanwhile, a three-CD Benatar boxed set will be released June 15 from Chrysalis/Capitol, marking the 20th anniversary of the release of her debut album. "Synchronistic Wanderings: Recorded Anthology 1979-1999" contains 53 digitally remastered tracks, including the album versions of all 19 of Benatar's top-40 singles, as well as soundtrack cuts, material from tributes to Harry Chapin and Edith Piaf, previously unreleased live recordings and outtakes, B-sides and rarities, and the demo to "Love Is A Battlefield."

--Carolyn Horwitz, N.Y.; Melinda Newman, L.A.


Epic To Give Dixie Chicks Promotional Push in U.K.

Double Grammy-winners the Dixie Chicks are to get a promotional push from Epic U.K. with the release June 14 of their first single in the territory, "There's Your Trouble," and their debut British show two days later at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire. The show will be co-promoted with London country radio station 1035 AM. The trio's album "Wide Open Spaces"--quadruple-platinum in the U.S., where it is on Monument/Sony Nashville--had a low-profile U.K. release late last year and has yet to register on the sales chart.

--Paul Sexton, London


MTV, Loud In Talent Search

MTV Online and Loud Records are teaming for a online talent search that will award a recording contract to the winner. MTV Online is inviting aspiring hip-hop acts to submit their demos, which will be reviewed by MTV and Loud executives. MTV Online visitors will be able to preview and vote on streaming samples from the 32 semi-finalists to determine the four finalists. The winning artist will be determined by A&R executives at Loud, which plans to release a 12-inch single by the act later this year.

--Brett Atwood, L.A.


TNT Plans Marley Tribute Concert

Cable channel TNT is organizing a Bob Marley tribute concert in Jamaica. The event will take place in December and air live as part of the "TNT Masters Series," which launched last year with "Bacharach: One Amazing Night." Tall Pony Productions is producing and booking talent for the Marley show; no artists have been announced. Marley's family, including wife Rita, will be involved in the concert, according to TNT.

Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures will issue a home video in DVD and VHS configurations in the months following the event, which will take place on a beach in Oracabessa, Jamaica, at a venue owned by Blackwell's Island Outpost hotel operation.

--Carolyn Horwitz, N.Y.


Gap Band Inks Deal

R&B group the Gap Band has signed with Big Trax/Private I/Mercury Records. The group, previously signed to Platinum Entertainment, will release this summer its first album in several years, "Y2K: Funkin' Till 2000 Comz." The title track, featuring Snoop Dogg and DJ Quik, will be serviced to radio in May.

--Carla Hay, N.Y.


Boyz II Men Not Part Of Magic's Management Arm

Boyz II Men will not be represented by Magic Johnson Music Management. The former basketball star had announced that the group and their manager Qadree El-Amin of Southpaw Management would be moving over to his management division, which handles Mase and co-manages Kelly Price.

In a prepared statement, Phil Robinson, director of music for Magic Johnson Music, explains: "Qadree El-Amin recently accepted a partnership position as vice president of Magic Johnson Music Management, contingent upon bringing Boyz II Men with him, and thus establishing a co-management deal with our company. We have been in talks with Qadree about co-managing Boyz II Men for over a month now, and were led to believe that the members of Boyz II Men were in agreement and aware of Qadree's intentions. We were shocked and upset to recently learn that the members of Boyz II Men had not been counseled and were not aware of their current management's intentions."

Qadree El-Amin could not be reached by deadline.

--Michael Amicone, Melinda Newman, L.A.