NARM GOES OUT WITH A BANG

The 2012 NARM Convention is in the books, finishing with a bang last night at Century Plaza Hotel in L.A. with the newly formatted Awards Dinner Party.

The red carpet was the most star-studded in memory with honorees Katy Perry (Capitol/EMI) and Lionel Richie (Mercury Nashville), who received Artist of the Year and Chairman’s Award For Sustained Creative Achievement, respectively.

They were joined by such luminaries as Monkee Micky Dolenz , celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Brandy (RCA), Lisa Marie Presley (Universal Republic), A Fine Frenzy (Virgin/EMI), DJ Cassidy, Daniel Powter (Warner Bros.), Jillette Johnson (Wind-up), former American Idols Kris Allen (19/RCA), Casey Abrams (19/Concord), Haley Reinhart (19/Interscope) and Cody Simpson (Atlantic).

The entrance was jammed with paparazzi in an evening that felt more like a Grammy after-party than the usually formal NARM Awards Banquet. The artists all stayed for photo ops while DJ Cassidy spun records.

NARM Prexy Jim Donio then handed out the first award of the evening to Perry, who was gracious to the crowd, thanking them for selling her records “whether it be digital or physical,” she stated, before asking, “Is there even any physical product anymore?,” answering her own question, “Hell, yes, there is!!” to a roaring crowd. She then thanked EMI, name-checking Dominic Pandiscia and John Bowen and said, with mock sarcasm, “Not so quick, Universal. You don’t have us quite yet.”

NARM Chairman Rachelle Friedman then presented Richie with his award and the legend, currently riding a tsunami of a comeback with his new duets record, gave a heartfelt speech, thanking Universal as “the best in the business.” He also made a point to give a nod to his former band: “Without the Commodores, I would not be me.”

The open dance floor was packed as the newly minted version of the Awards Dinner proved to be a big hit with the NARM constituency. And that, as they say, was that. Another NARM was done.