Weighing Hispanics

Checked the radio ratings last few days? The research folks look like they are trying to get a handle on how many Spanish folks are around. And by all counts the numbers are rising. Some of the Country stations seem down, and you wonder if the two things are connected somehow? I bet they are.

The research folks are always trying to get their arms around the fragmented audiences, and those audiences, with all their distractions, are splitting again, again and again. The CRB/CMA wants to tap into the Spanish market but just can't figure out the code.

CMT's website had a column about 2007's poor CD sales in all genres. Downloads? Well, according to the NARM (National Association of Record Merchandisers) people at the convention I went to in Orlando, it's still not a digital world. It's heading that way, but that is nothing compared to the big-box stores' CD sales. I think there's just nothing new to buy right now. Thus no sales.

Carrie Underwood's CD is what -- 16 months old? And a new one is still eight or nine months away? This is the part of the music business I don't get!

Let's go back in time. Remember the Beatles? Didn't they have new product out every seven or eight months?

Can Nashville artists and consumers today only handle eight or nine new songs every two years?

Things cost more -- blah blah blah. Yeah, and the Beatles weren't all that busy when they were hot. Same for the Stones and the rest. They had their butts in the studio cooking up product. I guess with the inmates running the asylum that is what you get.

Think about it -- every two years, maybe a little less, you get nine, maybe 11, new songs. That's all they can come out with? Pretty sad!

You can sure tell Keith Urban is back. In the headlines about the tour, Germany, rehab -- something every day this week. Nicole was in a wreck on the set of her new film. They are PR machines!

Keith looked good on German TV. I don't get why they didn't put out dates with cities on their tour listings. Why the cities are not on his website, just the European dates. I'm sure there is a smart plan in play somewhere....

Chesney is loving the Super Bowl this year with his party pal Peyton Manning. No country folks in the entertainment though. Prince and Billy Joel. Hmmm.

CMT is airing the Miss America pageant on Monday, January 29, against "24." I'll be with Jack but will turn over during commercials. My, has that show gone from a must-see to barely seen.

Did you check out the Forbes magazine "who got rich in the music biz" list? Rascal Flatts grossed $110.5 million! Holy cow. It wasn't that many years ago they toured in a minivan! And Tim and Faith second only to the Rolling Stones -- $132 million to $150 million. Wow wow wow.

Don't forget little Kenny in sixth place with a mere $90 million.

I'm loving "American Idol" more than ever this year, and I'm dealing with "Nashville Star." I will leave it at that. Still think Angela Hacker is the winner of "Star." No Carrie Underwoods yet on "Idol."

Oscar noms were OK. No Chicks, and that's a surprise, sort of. The movie stiffed at the box office with a little over a million dollars in sales. No Tim McGraw's "My Little Girl." A much better song than a few nominated. Fox's film division didn't know how to market his film and screwed it up.

And congratulations to Larry The Cable Guy (Dan Whitney) for his Razzie Award for worst actor in the movie, "Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector." It was a real stinker and very worthy of the award nomination. His next classic is called: Delta Farce. All the way to the bank, Larry my boy!