December Deluge

Up until 1998, December rarely saw any releases. But in the years since, the month has quietly evolved. Now it's as loaded with titles as big as those in the other months in the crowded fourth quarter.

This December's lineup includes "Eminem Presents the Re-Up," Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape," the Pussycat Dolls' "Live in London" DVD, the Black Eyed Peas' "Live From Sydney to Vegas" DVD, the "Dreamgirls" soundtrack, self-titled albums from Taylor Hicks and Fantasia, Ghostface Killah's "More Fish," Snoop Dogg's "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment," Mary J. Blige's "Reflections—The Journey," Mos Def's "Tru3 Magic," Young Jeezy's "The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102," Nas' "Hip-Hop Is Dead" and Bow Wow's "The Price of Fame."

The month's releases are heavily slanted toward hip-hop, rap and R&B, but the titles streeting Dec. 26 are almost exclusively in those genres. Those titles include N.W.A's "Greatest Hits," the Diplomats' "Dipset: More Than Music Vol. 2," "Death Row: 15 Years on Death Row," Johnta Austin's "Ocean Drive" and Omarion's "21." Also streeting that day is a Matisyahu CD/DVD, a new Family Values tour CD/DVD and Switchfoot's "Oh! Gravity."

Until 1998, December generally was a bare month because store owners discouraged new releases under the theory that their employees are too busy dealing with customers then. But "that changed once Island Def Jam started to play 'We want to be the No. 1 label at Christmas,' " Newbury Comics buyer Carl Mello says.

That year, Island Def Jam released albums from DMX, Redman and DJ Clue in December (see story, below). Actually, two other rap releases arrived at that time from Busta Rhymes and Mystikal. But because of Island Def Jam's overwhelming presence that year and the fact that the label followed up in 1999 by announcing four releases for December (only two came out), retailers back then started calling the month "Def Jam December."

Since then it has blossomed into just another month on the release schedule, at least for the majors. For example, Sony BMG Music Entertainment has 13 releases out this December, while Universal Music Group is issuing 20 titles.

Retailers say the releases drive traffic, and they particularly like the ones arriving Dec. 26, one of the best shopping days in the year. "It makes sense to have releases that day, particularly if you look at all the kids coming into stores with gift certificates," Super D VP of purchasing and marketing Thuy Ngo says.

In fact, "the gift-card business has grown substantially over the last 10 years, so titles that come out on that day benefit" from that phenomenon, Trans World music divisional merchandise manager Jerry Kamiler says.

But some merchants wonder if all the December rap titles will heighten a growing yet disturbing trend. "We have been shocked how the urban records have underperformed this year and how they seem to be over in a nanosecond," one head of purchasing at a major account says.

Even though the practice of putting out records in December has spread, it's mainly the majors that use that tactic. Koch Records is one of the few independents putting out records that month, and the label limited itself to Dec. 26 with releases from the Diplomats and the Death Row anniversary album.

"I couldn't get circular cuts for December," Koch Records senior VP of sales Ed Franke says. "But it made sense to release albums the day after Christmas, because people spend a lot of money that day and have gift certificates, too."

In general, he adds, "we moved a lot of stuff out of the fourth quarter and into the first quarter because we wouldn't be able to get the proper positioning for those releases."

In addition to the scarcity of positioning, another reason independents tend to avoid releasing product in December—and for that matter, November—is because, as Chicago's Drag City head of sales Rian Murphy puts it, cooperative advertising prices the chains charge the labels are too high.

For example, Best Buy's power wall typically costs $45,000 per month during most of the year. But for the holiday season, it must be purchased for 13 weeks, and it costs $185,000.

Likewise, even big independent labels like Sub Pop and Epitaph say they usually avoid issuing product those two months. "As a general rule, the answer is, yes, we do try to avoid it," Epitaph head of sales Jon Strickland says. But this year, it issued Tom Waits' "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards" Nov. 21 "since he's an artist who could rise through the murk."

While retailers like the December release schedule, they wonder why the majors don't save any albums for the new year. "Why don't they carry that to its logical collusion?" Kamiler asks, and discover the first nine months of the year? "Why aren't they releasing albums in May?"

Likewise, "we would like to see more releases held until January," Hastings head of music purchasing Bryan Everitt says. "January is so high-traffic, we call it 'the fifth quarter.' "

But help may be on the way. "The real answer is there should be a fluid release schedule from January through December," Sony BMG Sales Enterprise co-president Bill Frohlich says. "We have about 10 releases coming out in January and February." ••••



Additional reporting by Todd Martens.