NARM, Rock Hall's 'Definitive 200' Campaign Kicks Off w/ Special Los Angeles Media Event at Capitol Studios' Historic 'Studio A'

NARM, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have announced they will co-host, along with EMI Music Marketing, a special press conference to introduce the "Definitive 200;" a list of 200 classic albums and soundtracks selected by music retailers that should be in every music collection. The ranked list will be revealed on the morning of March 6, when the nationwide promotion begins at retail stores across America.

"It's only fitting that we be joined at our press conference on March 7 heralding the Definitive 200 promotion by a living musical legend who is the creative genius behind one of the greatest albums ever made," said NARM president, Jim Donio. "It's our honor to announce that Brian Wilson will perform songs from The Beach Boys album, 'Pet Sounds' at this event."

The albums and their rankings on the Definitive 200 list were determined by a committee comprising a cross-section of NARM member music retailers. "They looked for what makes a classic album," said Donio. "Our members chose the albums that have consistently excited record buyers over the years and those that have the potential for continued success based on enduring popularity. Some of them are recognizable landmark albums, while others are very new by contemporary artists. We have Pop, Country, R&B, Rock, Rap, Punk, Jazz, Soul, Reggae, and more. Hopefully, the inevitable debate about the 200 must-own albums will underscore just how much the music and the art form mean to everyone."

The performance and press conference will take place in Studio A inside Capitol Studios, which is in the iconic Capitol Records building in Los Angeles. Studio A has been the site of recordings by iconic artists including Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Dean Martin, and many others. In addition to Brian Wilson's acoustic performance, several speakers will offer remarks, beginning at 10:30 AM sharp. They are: Jim Donio, president of NARM; Susan B. Peterson, NARM's chairman of the board, from Target Stores; Ronn Werre, president of EMI Music Marketing; Bill Gagnon, SVP catalog marketing for EMI Music Marketing; Todd Mesek, vice president of communications at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is so proud of this promotion, celebrating the album, and so excited that Brian Wilson is performing some of his most beloved songs at our press conference," said Joel Peresman, president of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, which oversees the inductions in New York and the museum in Cleveland. "It's especially timely for us, because we're opening an exhibit on the Beach Boys in the Rock Hall museum in Cleveland in June. The Beach Boys exhibit will run from June through December. All of these elements are reflected in our partnership with NARM on the Definitive 200 promotion: connecting successful, classic existing albums to current artists and new music, looking for new classics to come and inviting music lovers to visit their favorite music retailers to complete their collections."

"We're pleased to join with NARM and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to honor all of the stellar albums and artists represented in the Definitive 200 list," said Bill Gagnon, SVP catalog marketing for EMI Music Marketing. "The Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds' is universally cited as one of the best albums ever recorded, and we're thrilled that Brian Wilson will join us at Capitol Studios to celebrate this new honor. We'll announce some exciting Beach Boys news from Capitol/EMI at the event, as well."

Consumers will become aware of the Definitive 200 promotion through advertising as well as signage and displays in stores and on web sites. Beginning on March 6, you can find the complete ranked list of the Definitive 200 and much more information about the albums and artists at http://www.definitive.com and http://www.rockhall.com.