Welcome To Phase 6 Of The 'Zapoleon Music Cycle'

Doldrums Coming?

We've all heard of the "Music Cycle" theory from consultant and ZAPOLEON MEDIA STRATEGIES Pres.GUY ZAPOLEON -- and now he's issued the latest update.

"A lot of people are asking me 'What time is it in the ZAPOLEON Music Cycle?'" writes ZAPOLEON. "What time is it when Country songs by LADY ANTEBELLUM and Country's Pop sweetheart TAYLOR SWIFT are becoming hits at Mainstream Top 40? What time is it when there are more Pop-Rock potential hits that are now crossing to Mainstream Top 40 (even if programmers are slow to embrace them now) ... DAUGHTRY, NICKELBACK, LIFEHOUSE, ROB THOMAS, UNCLE KRACKER, JOHN MAYER, THE SCRIPT, even THE FRAY and COLBIE CAILLAT? What time is it when even Mainstream AC artists like MICHAEL BUBLE with his AC hit "Haven't Met You Yet" and SADE, who has the #1 album this week, could be hits in a lot of markets at Mainstream Top 40 now? These are all signs of Doldrums on the horizon with us entering the Extremes first in the ZAPOLEON Music Cycle."

For reference here are the three phases of the 10-year Zapoleon Music Cycle:

Birth/Pop Phase: Rock, Pop and Rhythm genres are the most Pop in nature; other formats grow more Pop. Generally the ratings peak for Mainstream Top 40.

Extremes: The majority of contemporary music moves toward the edges, away from being Pop and more Rock or R&B or both.

Doldrums: Softer music styles from AC, Country, even Jazz have their shot at Mainstream Top 40 and Mainstream Top 40s R&B. Rock edges soften as well. Mainstream Top 40s ratings dip.

Here's a look at the ZAPOLEON 10-Year Music Cycles and where we stand now:

REBIRTH                                       EXTREMES                                   DOLDRUMS
2006                                               2010                                               2012????
Pop, American Idol
Artists... Kelly
Clarkson etc, Britney
Spears, Justin                              Black Eyed Peas,
Timberlake                                    Rihanna, Lady Gaga
BoysLikeGirls,                              All
Green Day, Nickelback,              American Rejects, Kings
Fallout Boy                                    Of Leon
Beyonce, Mary J Blige,               Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Young
Rihanna                                        Money

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