I.B. BAD FINDS ACTION ON THE CHARTS AND IN THE BOARDROOMS

The most talked-about topic in the music industry this summer has to do with Lucian Grainge’s as-yet-unknown plans for UMG once he begins his new job as co-Chairman next Tuesday. What we do know is that he’ll be based in L.A.—which nobody saw coming... The last two weeks have put the lie to media claims that hip-hop is “over,” as first Drake (who debuted last week with 463k) and now Eminem (with a stunning 754k—the biggest debut since AC/DC’s Black Ice bowed with 802k in October 2008) have propped up the record and retail businesses with an emphatic and exhilarating one-two punch. Those two smashes have also enlivened the debate about whether leaks have been hurting high-profile releases, with some asserting that those leaks have heightened anticipation of the two albums, as fans who downloaded them from P2P sites threw down for the official releases as soon as each became available. A more recent leak of a track assumed to be from Dr. Dre’s long-awaited album are wondering whether Eminem’s rousing success with Recovery, for which Dre produced just one track, though he’s credited as executive producer, will inspire him to finish his own project at long last… The Eminem digital album sold more than 250k units, the second-biggest total to Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, which moved 280k in June 2008, while the deluxe version—with two extra tracks, reportedly added as a result of the leak—outsold the standard package by four to one… IGA insiders credit Vice Chairman Steve Berman for getting the release across the finish line... Because they’re both on UMG sublabels, neither Drake nor Eminem is part of UMGD’s Jim Urie-led Velocity program, as observers watch the initiative for signs as to whether the record divisions will take the plunge or merely stick a toe in… Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” racked up the most weekly spins in BDS history, with nearly 11.9k, in the fastest rise to #1 at pop since Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” in 2005, and the biggest leap to the top of the Pop chart (moving 5-1) since Mariah Carey’s 2005 hit “Shake It Off”—which Greg Thompson shepherded as well while at IDJ. The track hit 140m in audience this week, making it Capitol’s biggest ever, while it also passed 2m in sales… L.A. radio has undergone a significant change following the format shift of 98.7 KYSR (formerly Star 98.7) from Modern AC to the less crunchy, female-appealing side of Alternative, a move that has put it ahead of long-reigning KROQ in the last two books in both share and cume. The programming recipe under PD Julie Pilat (who’s also the MD of #1-rated KIIS-FM) avoids Active Rock-leaning acts in favor of a song-driven focus, with an emphasis on familiar sounds, including ’80s music. This growing trend, which radio insiders attribute to the growing influence of Arbitron’s PPM stats, has delivered particularly robust ratings jumps at Philadelphia’s WRFF, programmed by John Allers, and Salt Lake City’s KXRK, under PD Todd Noker. But KROQ mastermind Kevin Weatherly has faced and deftly fended off numerous challenges over the years, and those in the know say it would be foolish to discount his legendary acumen now… What corporate big shot, whose arbitrary heavy-handedness, controlling behavior and misguided agenda have made him extremely unpopular among all those who toil in his fiefdom, is rumored to be navigating turbulent waters inside his fortress?… Industry eyes are on Roger Faxon in anticipation of possible significant changes to the EMI organizational grid. The executive, who worked in the film business before joining EMI in 1994, has a background in finance and operations, causing some to wonder what areas of the company he’ll focus on. Faxon’s ascension brings with it the inevitable questions. What, if anything, will happen to the North American team—so effective with Perry and Lady Antebellum—headed by Ronn Werre, who by all accounts has done an exemplary job under challenging circumstances? Will Faxon extend the responsibilities of his trusted executives at EMI Music Publishing into the recorded-music sector, as has already been rumored? Finally, given EMI’s tumultuous recent history, could there be still another shoe to drop?… Some contend that Guy Hands installed Faxon as the overall EMI chief—and the company’s third recorded-music head this year—in hopes that the naming of a successful executive from the revenue-generating publishing sector would reassure Terra Firma investors... Names in the Rumor Mill: Paul Rosenberg, Jon Bon Jovi, Amanda Ghost, Nick Gatfield and Dan McCarroll.