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John Legend Sales Disaster on New CD “Bigger Love” with Just 13K CDs, Downloads, Bob Dylan Drops 74% 2nd Week

Roger Friedman
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John Legend Sales Disaster on New CD “Bigger Love” with Just 13K CDs, Downloads, Bob Dylan Drops 74% 2nd Week

It was not a good week for real music on the pop charts.

John Legend has had a sales disaster with his “Bigger Love” album. The problem is, there’s no single. Legend is obviously talented and charismatic. But no one guided that album for an audience. He can do so much better.

“Bigger Love” has now sold a total of just 13,200 CDs and downloads according to AlphaData/Buzz Angle Music. With streaming counted in, “Bigger Love” has sold the equivalent of 33,000 copies.

For its second week, “Bigger Love” fell off the top 50 completely, gone. Guhbye. Without a tour, there’s no way to revive it. It’s not like “Bigger Love” had no marketing. There was plenty of attention in the press and on TV. But there was nothing to latch onto. For his next project, John has to have some interesting collaborations, and some hooks to the songs.

Columbia Records suffered also with Bob Dylan’s highly praised “Rough and Rowdy Ways.” Here’s a GREAT album but marketing options are limited. Still, Bob did a NY Times interview, he had lots of press. The album has sold just over 60,000 copies, with little to no streaming. Dylan’s planned summer tour would have pushed sales to 100,000 but that can’t happen. Sony can still concentrate on “I’ve Made My Mind Up to Give Myself to You” as a single, maybe even do a video of like minded artists singing it.

Meanwhile, the good news for Sony, I guess, is that Beyonce’s “Black Parade” has streamed enough to make 99,000 in sales. It’s not huge, but it’s something. The question now is whether “Black Parade” will turn up on Beyonce’s imminent “visual album” for DisneyPlus, and if there will be a companion CD, and if it will be on Sony, which so far hasn’t been mentioned in Beyonce’s press releases.

Columbia Records’ big story for the week was the revival of Harry Styles’ “Fine Line” album with sales of 32,000 up 6% from last week. “Fine Line” is top 5 now, after drifting away. “Fine Line” has sold 145,000 copies in CDs and downloads, but with streaming the number is a whopping 775,000. Styles’ tour was sold out but had to be cancelled. A lot of money, effort, and time have been put into making Harry Styles a Big Pop Star. He may be the Last Pop Star. But it’s working. We must give credit where it’s due!

Sony awaits

Steve Perry of Journey Warns Politicians from all Parties: No More Playing “Don’t Stop Believin'” at Rallies

Roger Friedman
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Steve Perry of Journey Warns Politicians from all Parties: No More Playing “Don’t Stop Believin'” at Rallies

Steve Perry, the raspy voiced former lead singer of Journey, has a message for politicians of all parties: Stop Believin’!

Perry posted to Twitter last night: “As one of the songwriters of Don’t Stop Believin’, I have not given permission to any political candidate to use this song!”

Perry wrote the song with Journey band members Neil Schon and Jonathan Cain. Schon immediately replied to Perry’s claim.

“Huh .., funny when I tried to stop it before a couple of years ago management told me you and Lee Phillips didn’t want to mess with it…@NealSchonMusic so what makes it different now ? I’ve been outspoken about it before that I don’t like our music used for anything political but at the time I was told by Managnent the Steve and his Atty Lee Phillips didn’t want to do anything.”

Cain, a born again Christian and likely Trump supporter, hasn’t responded.

Fans were split. Some were thrilled and told Perry to sue, along with the Rolling Stones, to stop Trump. Others, the Journey fans I suspected were in the majority, were upset with Perry for involving “their band” in politics.

But Perry’s insistence is likely more financial than political. Once a song becomes closely identified with a political campaign, as in the case of Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” for Bill Clinton, radio stations remove it from playlists for a long time. It winds up costing the band and songwriters a lot of money. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” is a radio staple made famous again on “The Sopranos.” Perry doesn’t want to jeopardize his income stream.

Maybe Trump can change the words to “Oh Sherry” to “Oh Donald.” That might work!

Even better: wait til Trump loses in November and play “Who’s Sorry Now?”

Disgraced DefJam Records Founder Russell Simmons Backs Louis Farrakhan, Doubles Down on Pariah Status After Rape Accusations

Roger Friedman
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Disgraced DefJam Records Founder Russell Simmons Backs Louis Farrakhan, Doubles Down on Pariah Status After Rape Accusations

Russell Simmons has doubled down on his pariah status. He’s basically self-exiled in Bali, escaping charges of rape.

Now Simmons, whose life in the US is basically over, has endorsed Louis Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam, on the eve of his speech to America on Saturday on Sean Comb’s RevoltTV. For Simmons to publicly back Farrakhan now is almost a concession that he knows he can’t ever return to his old life in America. He’s backing an avowed anti-Semite, who runs a hate group, and backs hate. Certainly, Simmons’ can’t his success in life came from supporting Farrakhan. Simmons’ life has culminated in disaster. Everything is gone, from his interests in music and comedy businesses to his philanthropic Rush foundation.

All the yoga and meditating in the world can’t mitigate what Simmons posted on Instagram from Bali: “People have hated me and criticized me for bringing this great Minister to speak to and mentor the hip hop community… to awaken the cultural elite, so they could empower the masses. Well i lost a few dollars and a few blind friends, but im proud and honored to have raised so much truth through this beautiful man. I never been a punk and i am proud that i never let them pressure me and their many threats fell on def ears. I’m one that never backed down I will take that to my grave and my God!!!”

Meantime, an HBO documentary about Simmons and his accusers outlines his alleged behavior.

Washington Redskins Finally Concede It’s Time to Re-evaluate Their Name

Roger Friedman
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Washington Redskins Finally Concede It’s Time to Re-evaluate Their Name

At last, the Washington Redskins say they’re going “re-evaluate their name.” Maybe it’s because Nike dropped all their merchandise from their store.

The fact is, they should have changed the name a long, long time ago. When it’s finally done, it will be like a fresh breeze through the NFL and all sports.

Head coach Ron Rivera, who is of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent, says in the statement, “The issue is of personal importance to me.”

And to everyone.

Sean Puffy Combs’s Revolt TV Will Broadcast Noted Anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan’s Fourth of July Address to Nation of Islam

Roger Friedman
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Sean Puffy Combs’s Revolt TV Will Broadcast Noted Anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan’s Fourth of July Address to Nation of Islam

Louis Farrakhan, one of the leading anti-Semites in the world, has found a home for his July 4th address to the Nation of Islam: Sean Puffy Combs’ Revolt TV.

It sounds revolting, so we’re in the right place.

Farrakhan’s speech is called “The Criterion,” and it will be broadcast on Revolt TV’s You Tube channel tomorrow, the 4th, at noon.

Ordinarily, Revolt TV has a lot of good and interesting programming about social injustice. But this is where it goes over the top.

Even FoxNews’s Fox Soul channel — aimed at African Americans– cancelled a Farrakhan special this weekend after numerous complaints from Jewish groups.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center and Americans Against Anti-Semitism sharply criticized Fox Soul for initially announcing that it would air such a speech.

“Since the 1980s, Louis Farrakhan has denigrated the Jewish people, Judaism and the Jewish state, members of the LGBT community, the United States of America and entertainment leaders from Hollywood. Throughout those decade, he has embraced America’s enemies from Libya’s [Moammar] Ghaddafi to Iran’s ayatollahs,” charged the Simon Wiesenthal Center in a statement.

“The African-American community is blessed with leaders in every field of endeavor from the arts, to business, to politics, to faith to media—anyone of whom can deliver an empowering and inclusive message of hope on July 4th. Farrakhan is a racist, anti-Semite—a demagogue and divider—at a time when all Americans need to hear messages of unity and hope, the values for which Martin Luther King Jr. lived and died for,” added the Wiesenthal Center, which called for Farrakhan’s speech to be canceled.

Personally, I expect better than this from Sean Combs, who usually has a better understanding of social politics. You can read all about Farrakhan here. But here’s a quote from a 2019 speech he gave in Chicago: “Pedophilia and sexual perversion institutionalized in Hollywood and the entertainment industries can be traced to Talmudic principles and Jewish influence. Not Jewish influence, Satanic influence under the name of Jew.”

Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam is one of the worst hate groups in the world. I hope Combs and Revolt TV change their minds.

Jeffrey Epstein’s “Madame,” Ghislaine Maxwell, Finally Arrested, in New Hampshire, Arraignment this Afternoon

Roger Friedman
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Jeffrey Epstein’s “Madame,” Ghislaine Maxwell, Finally Arrested, in New Hampshire, Arraignment this Afternoon

Ghislaine Maxwell, pegged as Jeffrey Epstein’s “madame” and procurer of underage girls, was arrested this morning in Bedford, New Hampshire according to reports.

She’ll be arraigned this afternoon.

Maxwell’s story will occupy headlines for weeks to come. She knows where all of Epstein’s so called bodies are “buried.” She put them there. She can possibly answer all the questions about how he conducted his worldwide sex ring, also how he had money, she can implicate all the players who made his crimes possible. A lot of famous people are probably very worried right now.

Maxwell is the daughter of late maybe billionaire Robert Maxwell, who owned the New York Daily News for a short time until he died mysteriously at sea in 1991. Ghislaine may finally shed light on her father’s story as well.

Mort Zuckerman bought the News from Maxwell’s estate. Unfortunately, Mort is no longer compos mentis, but I’ll bet he’ll be watching TV this afternoon with a renewed vigor.

 

No Audiences Please, We’re British: London BFI October Film Festival Will Be Virtual, No Jury, Screenings or Premieres

Roger Friedman
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No Audiences Please, We’re British: London BFI October Film Festival Will Be Virtual, No Jury, Screenings or Premieres

Finally, people with common sense!

The BFI London Film Festival, set for October, will be virtual. They’re not kidding us or themselves that there could be premieres or screenings or guests flying in from around the world. I’m impressed. The other film festivals are still pretending it’s business as usual.

The press release: “Adapting to the extraordinary challenges of the year, the Festival will deliver up to 50 Virtual Festival Premieres in a programme that offers audiences the opportunity to see the best new cinema from around the world and with that same texture LFF’s audiences love, including fiction, documentary, animation, artists’ moving image, and restored classics from the world’s archives. Every film will be presented with an intro or Q&A, and the programme will also include a range of free-to-access additional works and events to include: an international short film programme, Screen Talks with major filmmakers and actors, salons and roundtables and a brand new Virtual Exhibition of XR and Immersive Art.”

This year only there will be no jury. The audience will take the place of the jury instead. Viewers attending Virtual LFF will be invited to vote on Audience Awards in four categories: Best Fiction Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film, and Best XR.  The winners will be announced in a live online ceremony on the final weekend of the Festival.

BFI London Film Festival Director, Tricia Tuttle said: “Like many other live events around the world, we’ve had to make changes to our plans in response to a global pandemic, factoring in safety concerns and restrictions – some known, some still unclear. But as we’ve undergone this planning we’ve also witnessed historical international protests, an urgent reminder of just how much we need to do to combat racism and inequality.

This year has also given us an opportunity to think creatively about how we make the Festival more accessible. It was vital to us that we get back to cinemas, and are looking forward to working with independent and cultural venues across the UK who are such an essential part of our film ecosystem. The Virtual LFF programmes and these cinema screenings take the Festival out across the UK, giving people opportunities to engage in different ways.

It’s a pleasure each year to speak with audiences who share the ways filmmakers have made them laugh, think, weep, or shifted their way of seeing. Through a number of partnerships and platforms, we can’t wait to share many of this year’s extraordinary new films – from around the world, from artists of different backgrounds and with many bold distinctive filmmaking voices.”

Ellen DeGeneres Talk Show Has Lost Over 1 Million Viewers in 18 Months, 700K Just Since February

Roger Friedman
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Ellen DeGeneres Talk Show Has Lost Over 1 Million Viewers in 18 Months, 700K Just Since February

Ellen DeGeneres once highly vaunted TV talk show is in a ratings free fall.

Last week, “Ellen” had just 1.2 million viewers. In February, for the fourth or fifth month in a row, that number was 1.9 million. In December 2018, “Ellen” was up to a 2.3 million total.

There are dire reports that she’ll be cancelled. But that’s not right. “Ellen” is set to return after Labor Day with a new season. But this might be the last.

DeGeneres was trying to leave the show, or at least making noises about it, last year. In May 2019. “Ellen” was renewed for three more seasons. The extension of “Ellen,” then in its 16th season, would keep be the popular syndicated talk show on TV through 2022.

But with new shows from Kelly Clarkson and Tamron Hall hitting their stride and winning awards, “Ellen” will probably wrap up next June. The party is over.

In the spirit of the #MeToo movement, the people around DeGeneres started to turn against her this winter. There were reports, confirmed, of her hubris gone wild: the terrible way she treated staff and guests became a meme. Then COVID-19 came, and suddenly DeGeneres was broadcasting from her mansion and not from the studio. It was a very bad look. The dancing and singing and faux merriment were gone. The audience could see it.

But one thing the audience could definitely see was producer Andy Lassner standing outside looking in the window of Ellen’s mansion while she “quarantined.” Lassner looked a sad hound that been thrown outside and could not get his owner’s attention. It was miserable. What was DeGeneres thinking? But it’s possible she was thinking, I just want to stop doing this show. And now her prayers will be answered.

To quote Billy Joel, Ellen will soon Say Goodbye to Hollywood. She’s wealthy beyond belief, so that’s no issue. She can flip houses– her avocation– and maybe get a show doing that on TLC.

Judge Rules that Publisher for President’s Niece, Mary Trump, Can Release Her Book After All, Publisher is Not Bound By Her Previous NDA

Roger Friedman
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Judge Rules that Publisher for President’s Niece, Mary Trump, Can Release Her Book After All, Publisher is Not Bound By Her Previous NDA

Judge Alan D. Scheinkman of the Appelate Division of the New York State Supreme Court has opened the door to this summer’s biggest bestselling blockbuster book.

Judge Scheinkman ruled that Mary Trump’s book called “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” can be released after all on July 28th by Simon & Schuster.

Mary Trump, however, still must clear a hurdle next Friday, July 10th, concerning her own liability.

Mary is Donald Trump’s niece. Her father was Fred Trump, Jr., the president’s deceased brother. The book will tell many stories about the Trump family, not the least of which will be how badly Donald treated his brother and his family.

Donald did what he could to stop the book’s publication, and was temporarily successful last week. But the judge ruled ruled that Simon & Schuster was not a party to — and thus could not be bound by — a confidentiality agreement, which was signed by Ms. Trump, Donald Trump and the president’s two siblings, Robert S. Trump and Maryanne Trump Barry.

“Unlike Ms. Trump,” Justice Scheinkman wrote, “S&S has not agreed to surrender or relinquish any of its First Amendment rights.”

“We support Mary L. Trump’s right to tell her story in ‘Too Much and Never Enough,’ a work of great interest and importance to the national discourse that fully deserves to be published for the benefit of the American public,” the publisher said in a statement issued Wednesday night. “As all know, there are well-established precedents against prior restraint and pre-publication injunctions.”

Judge Scheinkman observed that after so much time, the confidentiality agreement probably wouldn’t stand up anyway– certainly because Donald Trump had since become president. When they signed the agreement, no normal person could have predicted that, or what has followed.

I’m ordering my copy now.

Mel Gibson’s Newest Bad Movie, “Force of Nature” Gets a 16 — Lowest Score with Reviewers in 30 Years

Roger Friedman
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Mel Gibson’s Newest Bad Movie, “Force of Nature” Gets a 16 — Lowest Score with Reviewers in 30 Years

Mel Gibson’s made a lot of bad movies. Some of them have never been seen by critics because they’re weren’t formally released.

His new one, “Force of Nature,” allegedly opened somewhere yesterday. It may be on VOD.

Whatever the case, “Force of Nature” has earned a 16 on Rotten Tomatoes. And only 19 reviewers looked at it. It’s Mel’s lowest Rotten Tomatoes score since the very bad “Air America” in 1990, which came out long before the RT existed. I guess reviewers went back and looked at it, and saw the mess.

I know it was a mess because I actually edited a Mel cover for Fame magazine for that movie. We didn’t know what a POS he was then. We know now.

Emile Hirsch and Kate Bosworth co-star in “Force of Nature.” Bosworth’s husband, Michael Polish, directed it. I hope they got their money up front.

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