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Even by the exalted standards he shares with other high-achieving record makers, Al Schmitt has a stunningly diverse discography. In a career spanning five decades, Schmitt has worked with such [...]

THE GIBSON GUITARS BEARING THE NAME OF Les Paul have resounded in the hands of iconic players across genres and generations, from Muddy Waters to Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page to [...]

After two years of endorsing such rising stars as Alanis Morissette, Joan Osborne, Garbage, Fiona Apple, BR-549, the Cardigans, the Fugees and Beck, Billboard's staff this year leans in favor […]

NEW YORK - It is no exaggeration to say that New York is the musical cross-roads of the world. It is the intersection where virtually all genres of music - […]

NEW YORK - With a self-described 'cowboy boots and blue jeans' approach, Eric 'Roscoe' Ambel has distinguished himself as one of the industry's top roots-rock producers, having made unassuming but […]

the billboard interview A resourceful, inventive and intuitive record producer, Hugh Padgham has made a deep imprint on popular music through his ground-breaking work with such talents as XTC, Peter […]

In contrast to last year - when Alanis Morissette, Joan Osborne and Garbage received a combined total of 24 mentions in Billboard's top-10 lists - this year produced little consensus […]

NEW YORK - Having collected approximately $15 million through benefit concerts, record sales, and other efforts, the Walden Woods Project is continuing its mission to raise funds for the environmental […]

A quarter century on, the dynamic trade-group remains expert at keeping its diverse, globe-spanning members in the center of the mix. Not even the most forward-looking visionary could have predicted […]

Talk about a revolution. Breakthroughs in recording technology over the past 15 years have radically altered the making, marketing, merchandising, and selling of music and set the stage for even […]

As CDs replaced vinyl in the mid-'80s, a handful of mastering facilities bucked the trend, notably Bernie Grundman Mastering, the 20,000-square-foot studio complex in Hollywood named after the venerable engineer, [...]

Packaging Debate Continues The Long Road To Rid Biz Of Longbox NEW YORK--Whoever said good things come in small packages probably had no idea that the size of a package […]

ROUNDER RECORDS Celebrating 20 Years We're Really Out There It began 20 years ago as a labor of love for three Boston area college students, a trio of hippies who [...]

The list of audio engineers who earn their livelihoods from mixing hit records is shorter than a two-minute radio edit. The fact that two of those lucky souls are brothers [...]

From its beginnings as a one-studio, two-man operation, the company always prided itself on leadership, a commitment to sound quality and a pioneering role in shaping the mastering industry. Cut […]

Assistance in preparing this story was provided by Dylan Siegler Melinda Neman, and Chuck Taylor in New York Paul Sexton in London; and Christie Eliezer in Melbourne, Australia. NEW YORK--When […]

P O P VARIOUS ARTISTS From Where I Stand; The Black Experience In Country Music PRODUCER: The Country Music Foundation Warner Bros. 46428 * Featured in Music to My Ears, […]

LONDON - For American artists and repertoire competing in the global marketplace, the closing years of the so-called 'American century' are proving to be tougher than ever. Of this year's […]

Much-Awaited Columbia Album To Get VH1 Boost NEW YORK - During the past five years, quintessential singer/songwriter James Taylor has remained in the spotlight through sellout tours, a video, a […]

NEW YORK - Laurie Sargent's Susan Lucci days are over. Like the soap opera star, who despite numerous nominations has never won an Emmy Award, Sargent has been up for […]

Carey, Morissette, Osborne Top Contenders NEW YORK - Women artists overwhelmingly dominate the 38th annual Grammy Award nominations, with pop superstar Mariah Carey and rock newcomer Alanis Morissette receiving six […]

NEW YORK - As the film, video, and computer industries assess the potential impact of a powerful multimedia CD proposed by an alliance of software and hardware manufacturers, music industry […]

NEW YORK - In a development that could have broad implications for the recording, mastering, manufacturing, and home delivery of music, two prominent studios have effected the first known transmission […]

When it comes to capturing the spontaneity of an improvised art form, live recording is the only way to fly. But that doesn't preclude creative cuts and pastes... Jazz has […]

Paris - In an action that could have far-reaching consequences for the recording, publishing, broadcast, and creative sectors of the entertainment business, the British producers guild, Re-Pro, is seeking to […]

Billboard polls leaders in the sound-reinforcement field on 'the best year for concert touring ever.' As sound-reinforcement professionals convene in San Francisco for the 97th Audio Engineering Society convention, they […]

The best thing that ever happened to background music was foreground music. At least, that's the perception at Muzak, the Seattle-based business-music firm that has transformed itself from a passe […]

Replicators Go Beyond The Basics, Branching Out Into Packaging, Distribution And More As the CD replication business continues to mature, facilities are looking to ancillary services to gain an edge […]

SAUGERTIES, N.Y.--Staging an outdoor festival of 40-plus performances for an estimated audience of 300,000 was a major undertaking, matched only by the unprecedented task of capturing those three days of […]

NEW YORK--Through a combination of what Jeff Price calls 'luck, timing, and circumstance,' he and partner Joel Morowitz have established themselves as powerful A&R forces in the alternative rock subculture, […]

NEW YORK--The latest turn in the tortuous road toward standard anti-theft protection of prerecorded music has touched off a new feud between the industry trade groups representing manufacturers and retailers. […]

Like many other Latin American territories, Chile has experienced an influx of superstar tours, increased competition among the five major international music companies and the promise of continued growth with […]

NEW YORK--As the Midwest grapples with one of the worst floods in its history, rock and country musicians are doing their part to help victims cope with the tragedy. Among […]

An Historical Overview and Recent Update of CD's Longest Running Controversy Although the protracted controversy over how to package compact discs in the U.S. was ostensibly put to rest in […]

NEW YORK--Turner Home Entertainment, already one of the most diverse home video suppliers in the industry, has just expanded its business through a joint venture with ACI, a consortium of […]

NEW YORK--The controversial policy known as 'pay-to-play'--whereby promoters and booking agents charge rock bands an advance fee for the privilege of showcasing in certain clubs--is gaining ground in Los Angeles, […]

Thorny Issues Pricked Distrib/Dealer Relations NEW YORK--In 1991 music manufacturers and accounts continued their long history of behaving like a married couple, continually arguing about the relationship but professing that […]

WEA Commits To New CD Package SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. record industry appears to be moving toward adoption of a new CD package that would replace both the current [...]

IT'S ONLY JULY, but the Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention, the fall classic of the recording industry, feels like it's already upon us. Scheduled for Sept. 22-25 at the Los [...]

ONE OF my most vivid musical memories was hearing Peter Gabriel's 'Security' album in 1982 and failing in love with the otherworldly sounds he captured on tape. Being an avid [...]

A MERE FIVE YEARS ago, software plug-ins were a novelty, the names Auto-Tune and Antares Technologies were unknown, and the notion of advanced pitch correction was thought, even by technologically [...]

RECORDING ENGINEERS are used to controlling their acoustic environment by isolating instruments in order to separate them from one another in the mix. Even in live applications, engineers try to [...]

AVATAR STUDIOS has installed a new management team following the recent departure of longtime GM Zoe Thrall (Studio Monitor, Billboard, March 25). The New York recording and mixing venue--formerly the [...]

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE it's been only eight months since Palo Alto, Calif.-based Euphonix introduced its System 5 Digital Console at the New York Audio Engineering Society Convention. After all, [...]

STRATEGICALLY, few people are as well poised to evaluate the pro audio business as Michael Frondelli. As senior VP of Capitol Recording Studios, he runs one of the top commercial [...]

ONCE a rock'n'roller, always a rock'n'roller. That's one way to describe the multifaceted Chris McHale, who subordinated his dreams of becoming a rock star to pursue the more stable--and arguably [...]

THE EMERALD Entertainment Group, Nashville's leading recording and mastering studio complex, has just appointed Joe Romeo as the company's CEO, with former CEO Dale Moore stepping into the position of [...]

THE AUDIO Engineering Society (AES) will use multichannel sound as the theme of its upcoming convention, scheduled for Sept. 22-25 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event--the trade group's [...]