Billboard.com Is Music Writers' Nirvana

By: Charles Bowen Billboard magazine, the undisputed authority on the world music industry, has seemed to be a little slow to fully embrace the Internet. Earlier efforts to get online with its massive data -- especially its much-quoted record charts -- have been less than golden. In fact, for the longest time, the prestigious trade newspaper's Web presence seemed more like a tease than a really useful news site. But all that is in the past.

Billboard.com's latest incarnation is an entertainment writer's dream. It is well-stocked with nearly two dozen record sales charts, not to mention a searchable database of artists on tour and a browse-able collection of current music news items, as well as industry columns and even information on related products such as the sale of home videos.

To use the resource, visit the site at http://www.billboard.com, where the introductory page is topped with daily music news and linked headlines to other recent music stories. These are not puff pieces from record labels. Billboard routinely covers police and courtroom action, business developments, and activities in cyberspace -- all related to the music world.

Scroll the page for links to the site's major departments, all listed in the "Inside Billboard.com" section. These include:

* This Week's Hot Product, usually previews of major new albums.

*New Releases, with information on hundreds of other upcoming recordings.

* Album Reviews, with commentary on albums already out there, with everyone from Britney Spears and Garth Brooks to Phish.

* Digital Downloads, free music from and for the Web-wise.

* Gold & Platinum, details on the latest certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America.

* Billboard columnists, including editors Timothy White and Fred Bronston and an "Ask Billboard" section.

* Tour Finder, a database of upcoming concerts.

* Live Reviews, catching major recording artists on the road.

* Boxscore, reporting the latest top-grossing concerts.

* Tunes on TV, upcoming musical performances on television.

Also on the page are features such as a music crossword puzzle, music trivia quizzes, and a "This Day in Music" column.

Of course, for most of us, the reason for turning to Billboard is the charts, and you can reach them all from a navigation bar on the left column of the top page. Simply scan the list and pick the chart you need, choosing from either Album Charts (including The Billboard 200, R&B/Hip-Hop, Country, Pop, Electronic, Heatseakers, Independent Albums, or Internet Sales) or Single and Airplay (such as The Hot 100, Modern Rock, Hot Rap Singles, Hot Country, Dance/Club Play, R&B/Hip-Hop, or Adult Top 40). Note too that you can see charts on home videos, including top-selling music videos, top rentals, top DVD sales, kid videos, and recreational sports videos.

Other considerations for using Billboard.com in your writing and editing:

1. Of particular interest to features editors and entertainment writers will be the site's "Tour Finder" feature, reached from a link on the main screen. An on-screen form enables you to search for the name of the performer or show, agent, recording label, month, year, city, state, country, and/or venue.

2. The site also has an active section on Latin Music. Scroll the main page and examine the left-hand column's navigation bar for links to Hot Latin Tracks and Top Latin Albums.

3. If you want to make even more detailed use of the Billboard.com site, consider signing up as a member. For a fee ($14.95 a month, at this writing), you have access to a searchable database of the print publication's editorial content, a backlog of articles to 1991 and record sales charts back to 1946.

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Editor's note: Billboard is owned by VNU, the same company that owns E&P.

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