Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
46
MAY
19, 1923
Old Boa-con-stric-tor. Jazz dance di-rec-tor,
©LEO. FEIST INC. UXC
"You can't &o wron^
Withany'FElSTsong?
CHANGES WHICH HAVE AFFECTED SHEET MUSIC SELLING
Absence of Home Life and Dance Craze Which Is More Pronounced Than Ever Before Since
Its Beginning, the Factors Which Lead to Large Sales of Popular Numbers—Industry Thriving
According to all reports sheet music business
is in a most thriving condition throughout the
country. The exception is probably in the
Metropolitan District of New York, which, in
some respects, is backward in attaining what
is considered a "return-to-normal." The decided
improvement has had enough permanence to
make passe the time-worn question of the past
few years, "What is the matter with the sheet
music business?" The return-to-normal through-
out the country would indicate that there is
nothing the matter with it, nor has there been
anything of a radical nature the matter with it
for the past few years.
One thing is proven, however, that there is
to be no return to normal such as was known
in the pre-war days. The "matter" that affects
the music business is a completely changed sit-
uation and there are no indications that the
present condition will pass. On the other hand,
it is very much with us and the thing to do
is to recognize it and meet the problems ac-
cordingly.
The pronounced changes which have perma-
nently affected the sheet music business are all
based upon the absence of home life as it was
known some years ago. The causes are the
automobile, the movies and the dance craze.
Some years ago, with the first popularity of
the fox-trot and the success of melody orches-
tras, it was announced that we were in the
midst of a dance craze. Those of us who held
that opinion didn't know what we were talking
about. , What was termed the dance craze then
was a mere gesture of its present form and
popularity. The dance hall has now become so
alluring and popular as to affect the show busi-
ness. It was recently estimated that in a given
week in the city of Chicago 30,000 dancers at-
tended three or four of the best-known dance
palaces. Thousands of others undoubtedly vis-
ited dance halls and resorts of lesser caliber.
The admission prices in the more popular of
these dance halls are around $1 and this only
admits one. The price for male or female is
approximately the same. The week's total runs
up into huge figures. The same situation exists
in New York and to lesser extent in other
leading centers.
Popular music in its greatest volume is sold
to the younger generation, boys and girls,
mostly girls. If they are spending one or two
nights a week in the photoplay houses it means
that much less use of the piano; an occasional
visit to the dance halls also lessens the piano
use. Statistics show that there is an automo-
bile for every eight people in the country. In
prosperous localities these figures are reduced
to an automobile for every five people. The
auto industry is turning out cars by the million
a year; automobiles are not confined to the
young, but the young get 100 per cent use of
them.
If there is less use of the piano, as the above
survey would indicate, why is it that the big
hits reach enormous figures in point of sales,
as large as in pre-war times? The answer is
that, while the use of the piano has been re-
duced, it has not been eliminated. The time
now given to it is confined only to the playing
of "Three o'Clock in the Morning," "You
Know You Belong to Somebody Else," "Got to
See Mamma," "Aggravatin' Papa," "Barney
Google", "Yes! We Have No Bananas" and
"Good Night Waltz." There is not time for
numbers of second caliber, so they are not
purchased to any great extent. That does not
mean that they are not salable merchandise,
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hand,
but it does indicate that it is only I he unusual
number that reaches pre-war proportions in
popularity.
Nothing has been said about radio. Whether
it hinders or helps sales is mostly a matter of
opinion. In one section of the country it is
reported that sales are reduced by the popu-
larity of radio, in another section that they
are accelerated. One dealer, distributor or man-
ufacturer will say that it helps the new re-
leases of records but does nothing for the
older numbers of the catalog. Another will
say and prove to his own satisfaction that radio
helps the older issues but does little or nothing
for the new. All these contentions are easily
proven. All contentions should have considera-
tion, but as yet there is nothing of permanent
value in the proofs. Specific instances, or a
series of incidents relating to radio, are not
general. With over 500 broadcasting stations,
there probably will be nothing that can be
generalized on for some time to come when
conditions will be stabilized.
The changed situation lias not affected the
prosperity of music publishers or of the legiti-
mate dealer. On the other hand, both have
benefited. This, to a large extent, is due to
the fact that the goods are being wholesaled and
retailed at a fair margin of profit, which, after
all, is the main thing.
"STELLA" MADE A LEADER
The professional department of Waterson,
Berlin & Snyder is making a leader of the
new song "Stella," recently introduced by Al
Jolson in "Bonibo." The number is by Al
Jolson, Benny Davis and Harry Akst and car-
ries many extra choruses as presented in vaude-
ville, all of which adds to its popularity. As a
successor to "Aggravatin' Papa," the firm is
also featuring "Beale Street Mamma." A new
Ted Snyder ballad is also included. It is en-
titled "That Sweet Somebody of Mine."
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