Music Gifts

An article from the Associated Press talking about the years top 20 concerts.  Check it out below!

The Top 20 Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows in North America. The previous week’s ranking is in parentheses. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.

TOP 20 CONCERT TOURS

1. (1) Bon Jovi; $3,542,435; $98.38.

2. (New) Eagles; $2,001,264; $108.38.

3. (2) James Taylor / Carole King; $1,456,179; $83.24.

4. (3) Taylor Swift; $1,252,594; $62.26.

5. (5) Michael Buble; $882,048; $79.10.

6. (6) Nickelback; $824,514; $62.54.

7. (7) Maxwell / Jill Scott; $670,704; $84.09.

8. (10) Brooks & Dunn; $574,989; $45.60.

9. (11) Star Wars: In Concert; $440,657; $49.06.

10. (12) Chelsea Handler; $386,787; $57.81.

11. (13) Neil Young; $357,036; $126.29.

12. (14) Sugarland; $354,520; $37.13.

13. (15) Carrie Underwood; $346,380; $49.25.

14. (16) Conan O’Brien; $276,692; $61.34.

15. (17) Jeff Dunham; $234,808; $40.83.

16. (18) Norwegian Wood Festival / Mark Knopfler; $215,618; $86.81.

17. (19) Daughtry; $205,364; $39.06.

18. (21) Celtic Woman; $196,832; $54.94.

19. (New) Earth, Wind & Fire; $191,474; $54.16.

20. (20) Rain — A Tribute To The Beatles; $190,241; $42.82.

Well, it’s April, and you know what that means!  Our annual spring sale is here!  We’ve got Music Hats, Music Umbrellas, and Music Glassware 25% Off!!!  What a perfect time to get something for that special graduate, or just something for fun!  Listed below are a few great items on sale!  AlbertsGifts.com has all the great music gifts you need and much more!

HAT FENDER LOGO FLEX FIT ROYAL

KEYBOARD WITH SHEET MUSIC UMBRELLA

MUG GOT MUSIC BLACK MATTE

If you’re a fan of Kristen Stewart and or Dakota Fanning, then you’re going to be in for a great surprise.  The movie they’ve been working on in between the newest Twilight movies is finally ready.  The movie, The Runaways, portrayed after the famous all girl band in the 70’s, is ready to be released and shown to the world.

Here’s a little bit of information provided on what the move The Runaways is about:

The Runaways (Neon Angels) is based on lead-singer Cherie Currie’s book ‘Neon Angel’ – a reflection of her experiences as a rock star, but also delivering a strong anti-drug warning to teens and others. David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” serves as a metaphor for the narrative– a slow countdown, a surreal but spectacular rise to fame, then alienation and burnout – a long long way from home.

The movie chronicles THE RUNAWAYS from 1975 – 1977; formed by teenage girls living near Hollywood, CA., and heavily manipulated by their manager Kim Fowley as ‘jailbait rock’ (all the girls were 16 or younger when the band recorded their first album). The band ultimately succeeds on their own merits as musicians, becoming the first all-girl rock-band to ever break into the world of arena-filling hard rock acts.

Joan Jett, played by Kristen Stewart and Cherie Currie played by Dakota Fanning should provide some scenes together on this movie that are edgy and provide a revolutionary look into the all-girl rock band.  So if you’re looking to hear some good punk music from the 70’s, check this movie out!

The Runaways premiers worldwide April 9th, 2010.

Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett

Well, it’s almost that time.  In fact next week starts the rush of Christmas, family, and great food!  We here at Alberts Gifts wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season as we prepare for the new year.  It’s amazing how fast time changes and progresses as we all become a year older.

The music industry changes constantly, we’ve lost a superstar in Michael Jackson, not to mention the world famous guitarist Les Paul.  It’s a strange world we live in, and certainly nothing really shocks us anymore.  It seems to be more influential when a musician passes away because of the feelings they put us through with their music.  Either way, the world continues to turn and we’ve all learned as this year goes by.  It’s coming to a close and here’s to it ended safely and as happily possible.

Alberts Gifts has undergone some transformation blog wise this year, and it’s a good thing I believe.  Were doing what we can to provide you music gift ideas as well as current and relevant stories that are happening or have just happened in the music world.

As of right now, all we can do is wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!  Enjoy it!

I also must inform you that our wonderful holiday sale is ending on AlbertsGifts.com.  You have two days left to receive free shipping on orders over $25, of course ground/domestic.  Take advantage of the sale, even if your gifts may arrive after Christmas.  It’s a deal that you just can’t pass up.

While this may sound like a good thing to the P2P users out there, it certainly could provide another snag in the pirating industry.  The RIAA announced last week that it will end all litigation of trying to sue individual users, and instead will now work with the internet providers in limiting bandwidth of users who upload and download large file sizes over the internet.

However, most see this as another “bullying” attempt from the RIAA as most Internet Service Prodivers are watching the case of FCC vs. Comcast.  Which just ended in the user’s favor, due to Comcast limiting bandwidth of a certain user without notification.  This breaks into the whole “net neutrality” issue, that most people have been up in arms about for the past six months.  How much have our American ISP’s been withholding in bandwidth to keep their cost down while charging us the most they can?  At this time, its still a secret as to how much is being hidden, and will probably never be known how much they hide from the user base.  But, this much is now known, if limited they can be sued in court.

Which, comes back to the whole, limiting bandwidth in partnership with the RIAA, will it be possible to do?  What do the ISP’s get out of this, aside from alienating their customer base and potential loss of customers?  At this time, its all unclear and won’t be known for some time.

But either way you look at it, it could be a good or bad thing for illegal downloads on the net.

Information about the press release regarding the RIAA can be found here:  Daily Pennsylvanian

Well, we hat at Alberts Gifts, figured we should get into the top ten list making and show off the top 10 best Christmas songs provided by the associated press.   So tell us what you think.  Should another one be at the top?  Should something not even listed be in the top ten?  Let us know!

1)  “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

2)  “Gloria.”

3)  “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

4)  “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

5)  “O Holy Night.”

6)  “White Christmas.”

7)  “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

8)  “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

9)  “Winter Wonderland.”

10)  “Silent Night.”

Personally, I think “White Christmas” should have retained the number one spot from last year.  I just don’t see how a Mariah Carey song, could come in about the classic heavy hitters for Christmas.

Guns and Roses has finally come out with a new album!  Although, Slash isn’t in the band anymore, so can it really be called Guns and Roses?  However the great news about the release of this album is the fact that Dr. Pepper is giving away a free can of Dr. Pepper from a promise it made a long while ago regarding this much fought over album.

“The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. “Chinese Democracy,” infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.

“We never thought this day would come,” Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper’s vice president of marketing, said in a statement. “But now that it’s here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper’s on us.”

So finally with the release of this album, a major corporation has stuck behind its thoughts on a band that hated each other throughout its entire life span, and will be rewarding everyone with a free can of Dr. Pepper!  However there is a catch, you must get the coupon located on Dr. Pepper’s website, and is only available for 48 hours on Sunday.  So check there and get your free can!  From all of us here at Alberts Gifts have a safe and productive weekend preparing for thanksgiving!

Well, another blow for the pirating industry as the Senate passed an RIAA back bill that will further make stricter rules on intellectual property. This past week the Senate finally agreed with the RIAA backed bill and will now begin to enforce stricter rules and regulations of the piracy and distribution of all illegal and intellectual property.

The RIAA(Recording Industry Association of America) is the group that is trying to protect musicians and their right to release music and stop the pirating and illegal sharing of copyrighted music. This information and group all began to voice their disdain with pirating when Napster blew up the scene back in the early 2000’s. The full article and information regarding this bill can be found here.

On a light note next week we will be highlighting great new products brought to you by Alberts Gifts!

CNet.com – Senate passes RIAA-backed bill

This week, we lost someone who helped create a new sounding rock n roll industry.  Richard Wright passed away at the age of 65 on Monday September 15th, 2008, losing his battle with cancer.  Richard Wright was a founding member of the mega popular English band Pink Floyd.  Pink Floyd has helped create the music we listen to today, and are very worthy of being one of the best bands ever.  Albert Gifts is certainly raising a lighter for this lost musician.

Also another need to mention name in the music industry is Jimi Hendrix.  He died 38 years ago today(9/18/70).  Jimi Hendrix died of speculated Heroin use, and also helped create the rock and roll industry that is present today.  His was most famous for songs as “All Along The Watchtower”,  “Purple Haze”, and “The Star Spangled Banner” at Woodstock in 1969.

So please remember, the two magnificent musicians that we have lost this week and honor them by playing music from their collection.

Rest in Peace.

Was this past Saturday.  He died on August 16th, 1977, and this would end up being his 33rd year of death.  AlbertsGifts.com wanted to mention this date as an important one in time due to the death of a King.  His passing, shook the music and real world to the core and created a common feeling of sadness throughout the weeks after his death.

Elvis has been inducted into four music ‘Halls of Fame’: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986), the Rockabilly Hall of Fame (1997), the Country Music Hall of Fame (1998), and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2001).

The King’s legacy lives on throughout his family, and his various roles as a movie star, war vet, and recordings.  Elvis 1935-1977.