Ryan Adams’ Homage Means Mere Pocket Change For Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift recently was quoted saying Ryan Adams’ interpretation of her smash 1989 album is “such an honor” — but that’s about all it will be. Adams’ homage debuted at No. 7 and has moved 66,000 pure and track-equivalent albums (according to Nielsen Music) as of Oct. 5. And Billboard estimates that publishing royalties for digital album and track sales, audio and video streaming, and radio spins for that period total $81,234. Swift, 25, will get only a portion of that because she worked with six other songwriters on 1989 — Max Martin, Shellback, Ryan Tedder, Jack Antonoff, Ali Payami and Imogen Heap — who, along with their publishers, will each get a cut based on their respective publishing deals and song-share splits. Even if Swift kept the whole bundle it wouldn’t buy much in the ritzy Manhattan neighborhood of Tribeca, where she lives. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Adams’ artist royalties from the album total about $152,000.
Ryan Adams’ Version of Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Heading for Top 10 on Billboard 200 Chart
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Bruce Who? Finally, A Place Where Springsteen Wasn’t Besieged By Fans
Bruce Springsteen wore shades to cheer on his daugher Jessica at the Longines Masters of Los Angeles Horse Show on Oct. 2, but he didn’t really need them. With the daughters of Bill and Melinda Gates, Steven Spielberg, the late Steve Jobs and actor Tom Selleck competing, the VIP quotient was so high at the Los Angeles Convention Center that no one hyperventilated over The Boss, who came with wife and E Street Band member Patti Scialfa. “People are so fabulous at this event that I saw only one person bother Bruce for a photo,” said one showgoer. Springsteen respectfully removed his shades when the National Anthem was played, and he and Scialfa chatted with Georgina Bloomberg, daughter of media mogul and former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg when she dropped by their table. Jessica looked bummed that she didn’t win her event, and after jumping, headed to her parents’ table for some TLC.
Bruce Springsteen Celebrates Early Birthday On Stage with Jackson Brown
Steenburgen Does A Number On Danson
The crowd at the Sept. 28 Beverly Hills benefit A Concert for Our Oceans learned two things about Mary Steenburgen: She plays a mean harmonica and can pen a romantic tune. The Justified actor, 62, performed a song she wrote called “I Choose You” and dedicated it to her husband, Ted Danson, who was in New York. “When I chose love, I chose you,” she sang as she accompanied herself on mouth harp. Amanda Seyfried, Kesha, Kristen Bell and Sharon Lawrence also performed.
Additional reporting by Ed Christman.
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This article originally appeared in the Oct. 17 issue of Billboard.