Market readies for 4 major regional Mexican releases
By Leila Cobo
MIAMI (Billboard) - In a sign of the continuing maturation of the Latin music market, four major regional Mexican releases are slated to hit stores on a single date.
New studio albums by Conjunto Primavera (Fonovisa), Los Creadorez (Disa), Diana Reyes (Universal) and the late Valentin Elizalde (Universal) are all set for January 30 release.
Valentine's Day traditionally is a strong sales landmark for Latin music. Moving releases up on the calendar by two weeks is a departure, but having four arrive simultaneously is rare, and perhaps unprecedented, for artists of this caliber and in the same genre.
Labels are hoping the timing will draw buyers to stores and ump-start the year for Latin sales in general and for regional Mexican sales in particular.
"Psychologically and emotionally for the business, we have to see that we can come back after a very difficult and challenging 2006," said Jeff Young, VP of sales for Univision Music Group, which owns Disa and Fonovisa.
Target music buyer Jessica Phillips said the scheduling is consistent with the store's overall message to labels that it's important to spread major releases throughout the year as opposed to concentrating on the fourth quarter.
"So, we're thrilled, but of course, there is some cannibalization," Phillips said. "In past years we've had big, simultaneous releases, but with a bigger diversity of genres. This time we have four artists with potentially the same audience."
Young admitted that targeting a similar consumer base for the same dollars is a challenge, and some of the four releases may not initially sell as strongly as they would if they were alone in the market. But, he added, the sales should spread out longer over time.
Universal Music Group Distribution, which distributes all the albums, has designed a carefully coordinated schedule of retail events, including many in-stores planned for the first two weeks of release, with no overlapping markets.
Rising star Reyes also will benefit from radio spots via Target's "Sounds Good" program.
Los Creadorez, an act that performs duranguense music, a fast-clipped hybrid of banda and electronic instruments, will also be part of the "Sounds Good" campaign. Originally slated for release in fourth-quarter 2006, Los Creadorez's album was held back to build more exposure in the first quarter, traditionally a strong sales period for Disa.
Conjunto Primavera, a group whose sales historically reach gold levels in the Latin market, has a romantic sound that plays on regional Mexican stations but also has crossed over to Latin pop radio.
The most unusual release is that of Elizalde, the banda singer who was gunned down late last year in Mexico. The artist, who was only beginning to see his popularity rise in the United States, finished recording "Lobo Domesticado" before his death, and had expressed his desire to release it by his Valentine's Day birthday.
The date was moved up to curtail illegal imports from Mexico, where, sources say, pirated copies of the album already are circulating.
Reuters/Billboard
