Five different reality show franchises represented this week. Little Mix became the first group to win the original recipe X-Factor (UK franchise). Like other successful groups from that brand, they were formed from rejected soloists. They have gone on to be huge successes in the UK and social media, but have not really taken root in the US. Testifying to their success in the UK, their two concerts in Glasgow in mid-March sold-out, played to 21.7K ad earned them more than $1M.
On the other side of the Atlantic but from the same brand (and formed in the same way) are Fifth Harmony. They are also social media darlings and are enjoying success with their latest single “Work From Home” which is flying high on the sales chart and getting traction on radio. They played a Jingle Ball in Atlanta last December with big names such as Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas and Shawn Mendes.
Switching to reality shows of a different type, Canaan Smith raced around the world on The Amazing Race. He is now opening for Brantley Gilbert in Canada.
Little Jackie Evancho shot to fame on America’s Got Talent. After several successful albums and three PBS specials, she’s still a kid. What did you accomplish by age 15? She performed in Texas recently.
Finally, we have Carly Rae Jepsen from Canadian Idol. She is headlining her own tour and gave concerts in Chicago and Anaheim.
Little Mix, Lawson, Jagmac
March 19, 2016: Glasgow, U.K.: SSE Hydro: 21,700 of 21,700 (2 x SOLD-OUT): $1,053,430
Power 96.1 Jingle Ball: Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas, Fifth Harmony, Shawn Mendes & others
Dec. 17, 2015: Atlanta, Ga.: Philips Arena: 14,238 of 14,238 (SOLD-OUT): $910,108
Brantley Gilbert, Canaan Smith, Michael Ray
Feb. 12, 2016: Oshawa, Ontario : General Motors Centre: 3,335 of 3,713 (90%): $129,512
Jackie Evancho
March 19, 2016: Midland, Texas: Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center: 565 of 1,047 (54%): $32,821
Carly Rae Jepsen, Cardiknox, Fairground Saints [Chicago]
March 12, 2016: Chicago, Ill.: Metro: 1,150 of 1,150 (SOLD-OUT): $27,600
Feb. 26, 2016: Anaheim, Calif.: City National Grove of Anaheim: 1,326 of 1,700 (78%): $26,415
Some other news from the industry.
Empire’s season one was unquestionably a hit with rising ratings week after week (which is rare in today’s fractured television market). But, one of the key pieces of television success is foreign markets. Billboard discusses how Empire has failed to colonize markets oversees and why that might be. Apparently, the world might not be ready for diversity (which, if true, is another reason why tentpole movies may be reluctant to go there. While they make big bank in the North American markets, the amount they make oversees is staggering. Action films are very popular across the globe). Another hinderance is that foreign markets prefer traditional episodic US television. Shows like NCIS and CSI are huge successes (I remember when Babe…er…Bay Watch was the world’s most watched television show). IDK about their claim that foreign viewers don’t like complex story-telling because the rest of the world seems to export just those kind of shows from their own domestic markets. Perhaps they are all full of their own complex stories and just need some extra popcorn to fill in the gaps. Interestingly, Europeans are actually developing their own US television to their specs. European markets generated $5.4B in revenue last year for the US networks.
The music biz is tough today with everybody fighting over the scraps of money still available, so how do artists keep they keep gas in their Bugatti’s and bling on themselves? Well, here is a lawsuit that tells us about unconventional revenue streams. Stars actually get paid to show up and party. Flo Rida is getting sued for not showing up and sending his obnoxious entourage instead. He probably just wanted to be rid of those money grubbers for a little while. 23 people in his entourage, no wonder he keeps having to get new hits.
HDD talks exclusive deals (like on Tidal). They aren’t as powerful as they used to be. Do they encourage sign-ups or do Millennials just find other ways of getting the content?
