A MCRFB ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: A special thank you goes out to Kail Tescar for allowing Motor City Radio Flashbacks to use his remarkably splendid Beatles cartoon image(s) above. For more on Kail Tescar‘s wonderfully created Beatles cartoon arts, you can visit his website here.
Copyrighted material. Used with permission by the artist. All rights reserved.
NEW YORK — In the six months prior to the peak of their American success, Beatles records grossed $17,500,000, according to EMI Managing Director John Wall.
This figure, which does not include the huge sales of Beatles records here in the United States, shows the staggering impact the group has had on the record industry around the world.
The Beatles performing in America, 1964(click on image for larger view)
Beatles records, whether “I Want To Hold Your Hand” or “I Saw her Standing There,” have risen to the top of the charts around the world on a grand scale. Besides England and the United States, the Beatles have topped charts globally whether in Australia, Eire, France, Holland, New Zealand, Norway and Hong Kong. Yet to be tapped by the hot British band are the Spanish speaking nations in Europe and South America, Germany and Japan.
The push is already on. In Spain, for instance, strong publicity is being done to further advance the pop group’s sensational rise. Also, the Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and other Beatles chart hits is gaining widespread popular airplay on the radio in Spain. A recent cover of the Spaniard fan magazine Discomania showered the Liverpool group with a large feature coverage. As planned, the strategy would be to further promote the “new Liverpool sound” which could potentially translate into a huge global market share there as well.
With the Beatles’ music popularity on the rise in Spain, it is anticipated it may become easier to introduce Beatle records through Central and South America, in the coming months ahead. It is commonly known that Spanish-speaking nations are tougher markets for English-speaking artists.
For the powerful German market, the Beatles have cut records in that country’s native language. This country has become a tough market for English-speaking artists in recent years as well. The German Beatles disks were cut in France during the group’s recent tour there prior to coming to America. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; February 29, 1964).
NEW YORK — Atlantic Records hit it’s biggest single sales week in a seven-day span last week, shipping more than 1,500,000 disk copies to Atlantic and Atco Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records.
The top selling singles on Atlantic include, “It’s A Beautiful Morning,” by the Young Rascals, “Tighten Up,” by Archie Bell and The Drells, “Sweet Inspiration,” by the Sweet Inspirations, “I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free),” by Solomon Burke, “Tribute To A King,” by William Bell, and “I Have A Dream,” (Amanda) by the Hudson Chorale.
On Atco the biggest sellers were, “Funky Street,” by Arthur Conley, “Jumbo,” by the Bee Gees, “Going Away,” by the Fireballs, “Anyone For Tennis?,” by the Cream, and the “Happy Song,” by the late Otis Redding, on Volt Records. END.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50xSq-knduk
(Information and news source: Billboard; May 4, 1968).
WEXLER, ATLANTIC RECORDS SIGN ARETHA TO NEW LONG-TERM RECORD DEAL
NEW YORK — Aretha Franklin and Atlantic Records have negotiated a new contract, despite her original contract with the label had several years left open before it would have expired contractually. At a luncheon at the Hotel St. Regis last Thursday, April 25, the Atlantic organization were on hand to celebrate her new deal and her imminent departure on her first European concert tour.
Jerry Wexler and Aretha Franklin 1967(click on image for larger view)
Jerry Wexler, Atlantic’s executive vice-president, said that Miss Franklin will receive one of the largest guarantee ever given to any recording star but to reveal the sum would be in “gross taste.”
Miss Franklin signed with Atlantic Records in October, 1966, and her first single was issued in February, 1967. Since then she has had five singles releases that have sold more than 1 million copies, including an album that has garnered sales of over $1 million. Over the past year she has swept virtually every award in the record industry.
Miss Franklin’s European tour begins in Rotterdam, Sunday, May 5 and winds up in Stockholm on Thursday, May 9. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; May 4, 1968)
