Gotye's hit is certainly something that we all know now. CREDIT: AP

Gotye a year ago was some unpronounceable name hardly anybody ever know. Now he’s known as the artist who created “Somebody That I Used to Know,” a song for the ages that has been on top of the Atlanta radio now for six weeks.

Over the past week, it’s 62 spins ahead of No. 2 song Fun.’s “We are Young.” It has top spins onf B98.5 (40 spins), Star 94 (68), Wild (110) and Q100 (73), plus eight more on Dave FM. That’s 299 spins in seven days.

The next No. 1 song will likely be Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” which is No. 3. It was just added by B98.5 and is not yet on top rotation on Star.

Top 10 songs on Atlanta radio
1. Gotye “Somebody That I Used To Know”  299 (-3)
2. Fun. “We are Young” 237 (+4)
3. Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe” 236 (+21)
4. Maroon 5 “Payphone” 209 (+1)
5. The Wanted “Glad You Came” 179 (-14)
6. Kelly Clarkson “Stronger” 175 (-11)
7. One Direction” What Makes You Beautiful” 169 (+8)
8. …

Continue reading Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ remains atop Atlanta radio for sixth week »

In a no-brainer move, Atlanta-based TNT has renewed its popular cop drama “Rizzoli & Isles” for a fourth season and 15 episodes in 2013.

The show starring Sasha Alexander and Angie Harmon is averaging 7.1 million viewers (including three days of DVR usage). That’s down a bit from last year’s 8.8 million but still very impressive considering it’s now anchoring its own night on Tuesdays, no longer paired with “The Closer” on Mondays.

And despite a major dropoff in ratings over three weeks, the network is giving its 2012 version of “Dallas” a second season of 15 episodes in 2013.

After a gusher of an opener of 6.9 million viewers, the show fell to 4.8 million week two, then 4.1 million this past Wednesday. USA’s “Royal Pains,” in a head-to-head duel, actually beat “Dallas” in total viewers this week. While total viewers for “Dallas” has fallen 41 percent, 18-49 ratings have dropped a more modest 27 percent.

Overnight ratings no longer matter as much in this age of DVRs, …

Continue reading TBS’s ‘Rizzoli & Isles” gets a fourth season, ‘Dallas’ a second season »

Callie Thorne stars in USA’s ‘Necessary Roughness,\

Last summer, I posted a list of TV programs that are in production in metro Atlanta. I decided it was a good time to revisit. Good news: the list has only gotten longer since then with more new productions superseding a couple of shows that are not coming back.

None of the “big four” broadcast networks are represented but at least 17 other networks are. There’s no shortage of variety. You can see a competition reality show (”Sunday Best”), a syndicated game show (”Family Feud”), sci-fi-ish dramas (”The Walking Dead,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Teen Wolf”), relationship dramas (”Drop Dead Diva,” “Single Ladies”), fix-it-up shows (”Mega Dens,” “Elbow Room”), stand-up comedy (”Uptown Comic”), an antique show (”Auction Kings”), two bridal shows (”Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta,” “Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids”), animated programs (”Archer,” “Squidbillies,” “Aqua Teen”) and several sitcoms chasing a black audience (”House of …

Continue reading What TV shows are being shot in metro Atlanta »

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE: Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer (22), an Animation/Robotics dancer from Atlanta, GA, is a Top 20 finalist on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE airing Wednesday, July 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2012 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Mathieu Young/FOX

The first seven seasons of “So You Think You Can Dance,” the finalist landscape was barren in terms of Atlanta dancers. Zip. Zero. Quite shocking to me, personally, given the dance culture that has developed here.

But after winner Melanie Moore (from Marietta) and Mitchell Kelly (from Atlanta) made the top 20 last year, the local floodgates have opened. This year, we have three in the top 20 on the Fox reality show. Here are summaries of the descriptions, much of it provided by Fox. I’ll be interviewing each person, probably next week:

- Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer, 22: Currently lives in Duluth and part of the “Dragon House” dance crew, he grew up on the Southside of Atlanta and graduated from Creekside High School in …

Continue reading Three Atlanta locals on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Amber Jackson, George Lawrence II, Cyrus ‘Glitch’ Spencer »

AP photo

Good news: “American Idol” season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez confirmed on Twitter that she is now signed with Interscope Records. Expect an urban vibe.

Bad news: Season five country singer Kellie Pickler has lost her deal with Sony after her latest album “100 Proof” failed to take off. Her previous two albums did well enough but this shows how tough it is in this business. One bomb and you’re out!

Her manager Larry Fitzgerald said in a statement to ABC News Radio, “Kellie’s contract with Sony came to an end and they mutually decided not to renew.” (I love how they spin these situations as “mutual.”)

Meanwhile, season 11 winner Phillip Phillips continues to mend after his sixth kidney stone surgery. He tells E! Online: “I’m doing good, just been recovering and just taking it easy,” the singer tells us. “But also pushing myself to get my strength back and just get some energy back.”

The official Whitney Houston/Jordin Sparks “Celebrate” video is out. Bittersweet. …

Continue reading Jessica Sanchez signs with Interscope Records; Kellie Pickler loses her record deal »

Brett Butler is joining Charlie Sheen on his new FX show "Anger Management." CREDIT: FX

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Marietta native Brett Butler and Charlie Sheen have a lot in common.

Both actors starred in sitcoms created by Chuck Lorre. Both had run-ins with Lorre. Both had substance-abuse problems that led to their departures from said sitcoms. Both share the same manager.

And now both are on the same new sitcom on FX: “Anger Management,” debuting at 9 p.m. Thursday, June 28.

Butler, 54, plays a recurring role as a bartender, dispensing jokes — along with drinks and advice — to Sheen’s deliberately ironic role as an anger management therapist. (Sheen was fired last year from CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” after entering substance rehabilitation and publicly lambasting Lorre.)

“I knew I wanted her on the show,” said …

Continue reading Brett Butler carving out comeback trail by joining Charlie Sheen’s FX sitcom ‘Anger Management’ starting June 28 »

Despite tepid critical reviews, Atlanta-based TBS’s comedy “Men at Work” has clicked with its audience and has been renewed for a second season.

Currently airing at 10 p.m. Thursdays, the sitcom will get 10 more episodes in 2013. It has averaged 2.7 million viewers, counting DVR usage up to a week after original airing. The season finale is July 12.

“Men at Work is a strong addition to the TBS lineup and has worked extremely well paired with The Big Bang Theory,” said Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies, in a press release.

It’s a lighthearted comedy featuring single guys. Here’s the pro forma description for those who have not seen it yet: Danny Masterson (That ’70s Show, Yes Man) plays the recently dumped Milo, whose friends are determined to help him get back in the dating game. James Lesure (Las Vegas) is Gibbs, a photographer and successful ladies man. Michael Cassidy (The O.C.) plays Tyler, a features writer who brings a …

Continue reading TBS renews ‘Men at Work’ for second season »

Radio executive Steve Hegwood tried to launch a hip-hop station on 102.9 in 2009.

It was quickly shut down by his former employer Radio One, where he had been operations manager. Radio One filed a lawsuit accusing him of breaching his employment contract and stealing Radio One property (including remixes created by DJs at Hot 107.9). In the end, as part of the settlement, Radio One purchased that 102.9 signal, which now plays a simulcast of Hot 107.9.

[UPDATED Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 3:35 p.m. to include comments from Hegwood]

Three years later, Hegwood has found another FM translator to give Atlanta another hip-hop voice: Streetz 94.5

Hegwood, who worked two stints at Radio One (1995-2001, 2006-09), has owned other radio stations, including one in Arkansas. But he said in an interview Wednesday that he loves Atlanta and was seeking a footprint here. He acknowledged he made some mistakes the first time around but given the legal settlement, couldn’t comment any more.

This …

Continue reading Atlanta’s newest radio station: hip-hop Streetz 94.5 »

Mara Davis, whose mid-day show has been a bright spot on Dave for years, but even her ratings have suffered.

Eight-year-old 92.9/Dave FM has always fashioned itself as the adult rock station in town. Although ratings were usually modest at best for such a strong signal, it was able to sell its sophisticated, high-income listener profile.

A year ago, the station was riding a respectable 4 share in the Arbitrons. That made it top 10 overall and in the 25-54 demographic.

But the bottom has fallen out the past 12 months in a way seldom seen before in recent times in Atlanta radio. So far in 2012, it has averaged a mere 1.5 share, meaning a whopping 63 percent dropoff in listeners. You can argue methodology issues with Arbitron’s rating system (who doesn’t?) but no other station saw anything close to that level of loss this past year. [Program director Scott Jameson was let go Tuesday.]

So what’s wrong?

The most obvious place to go is the music, since the personalities, outside of …

Continue reading What should CBS do about the poor ratings at Dave FM? »

Carly Rae Jepsen is suddenly a pop star thanks to one insanely catchy song "Call Me Maybe." Can she transcend the one-hit wonder label, though? CREDIT: AP

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None of the three of the most memorable pop songs of 2012 originated from traditional radio, once the place where most hits were born.

In the old days, record companies pitched songs. Radio stations would test them. The ones that stuck became hits. When MTV came along in the early 1980s, it had a major influence on shaping hits, too. (See Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls, Paula Abdul, M.C. Hammer) By the 1990s, its influence waned as it reduced music video airplay.

Now credit YouTube, “Glee,” and Justin Bieber for fueling three delightfully fun pop songs to ubiquity this year: Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” Fun.’s “We are …

Continue reading Three monstrous radio hits that didn’t come from radio »