Random Facts 37

Retail Music Costs
CD Album - If the suggested retail price is $16; the store makes $4.75, the record label (including marketing and distribution) makes $7.90, the manufacturer who packages the disc makes 83 cents, songwriters and publishers make 82 cents, and the recording artist makes $1.70.
Song Download - if a song is 99 cents; the store makes 34 cents, record label makes 47 cents, the songwriter and publisher share 8 cents and the artists and producers split the remaining 10 cents.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music, 2007, p.22.

Twitter
Twitter debuted March 2006 and now has about 14 million users who spend an average of half an hour a day posting a total of 2.25 million tweets.
The Week Magazine, 5.1.09, v.9, i.410, p.13.

Red-Light Running
Red-light running is the cause of 8% of all accidents. Municipalities have been installing cameras to snap photos of cars going through intersections and sending tickets by mail. Some have reduced the timing of the yellow light to collect more. The snapshots (which include current pictures of the individual) are also collected in a database.
The Week Magazine, 5.1.09, v.9, i.410, p.14.

Crayon Consumption
The average 10-year-old has used up 723 crayons. The crayon scent is one of the 20 most recognizable smells in the US.
Armchair Reader - The Book of Myths & Misconceptions, 2009, p.173.

Cats Purr
The Fauna Communications Research Institute in North Carolina has reported that a particular frequency of a cat's purring has been shown to lower the blood pressure of humans in close proximity - having the same soothing effect the cat has on itself.
Armchair Reader - The Book of Myths & Misconceptions, 2009, p.289.

Titanic Ship Fatalities
The Titanic sank in 1912, killing 1,500 people.
The Sultana sank in 1865, killing 1,700 people.
The Provence II sank in 1916, killing 3,130 people.
The Goya sank in 1945, killing 6,817 people.
The Dana Paz & Vector collision in 1987, killed between 1,525 to 9,000 people.
Armchair Reader - The Book of Myths & Misconceptions, 2009, p.379-380.

11 Types of Lightning Bolts
5 Take up to a mile high: Beaded, Forked, Ribbon, Zigzag, & Ball.
2 Reside at the 1-3 mile level: Spider & Energetic Narrow Bipolar.
1 Resides at the 3-15 miles up range: Bolt from the Blue.
3 Reside at the 15+ miles up range: Gigantic Jet, Blue Jet & Red Sprite.
Wired Magazine, Jun 2009, p.34-35.

Album & Disc Facts
In 2007 the number of recorded CDs sold was about equal to the number of blank CDs sold.
More than 10 million LP (long-playing) records are sold each year.
About 509 million songs were downloaded legally in 2006. 5 billion were downloaded illegally.
The average American listens to 45 minutes of recorded music daily.
DVDs hold 13 times more data than CDs.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music, 2007, p.115, 118, 305, 326, 433.

Melody
The chorus in Parliament's song Flashlight, is based on a Jewish bar mitzvah chant.
Al Dvorin said, "Elvis has left the building."
The melody to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is from a 1761 French Song, the lyrics were created in 1806.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music, 2007, p.130, 141, 454.

Twinkle Twinkle (E, F, G) Yes Sir Yes Sir
The melody to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is from a 1761 French Song, "Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman." The lyrics were derived in 1806 from an English poem, by Jane Taylor - "The Star." In 1834 the melody was used for the "Alphabet Song," and "Baa Baa Black Sheep" was first printed in "Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book," in 1744 .
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music, 2007, p.454, & Wiki.

MTV Facts
Most-aired MTV Video: Peter Gabriel-Sledgehammer in 1986.
First Rap Video: Run DMC-Rock the Box in 1984.
First Banned MTV Video: Duran Duran-Girls on Film.
Most Requested Video Ever: Nirvana-Smells Like Teen Spirit.
First Video on MTV2: Beck-Where it's At in 1996.
First Video on VH1: Marvin Gaye-The Star Spangled Banner in 1985.
Highest Rated Show in MTV History: The January 2002 premiere of the Osbournes.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music, 2007, p.25, 362.

Song & Artist Facts
First Rap Song to reach Billboard #1: Vanilla Ice-Ice, Ice, Baby.
First Download to sell 1 million copies: Gwen Stefani-Hollaback Girl in 2005.
First-ever song to debut at #1: Michael Jackson-You are Not Alone in 1995.
Most Solo Performer Concert Tickets Sold: Tina Turner.
The only Band whose albums all reached US Billboard Top 10: Led Zeppelin.
Most Singles on Billboard Hot 100 without a #1: James Brown.
First & Last Single of the 1980's: Rupert Holmes-Escape, Phil Collins-Another Day in Paradise.
Only Artist with Single before Signed to Record Label: Lisa Loeb.
First Singing Telegram: On 7.28.33 to Rudy Vallee, the song was "Happy Birthday."
Most Successful Song by Solo Female Artist: Whitney Houston-I Will Always Love You.
Nest Selling Solo Artist in US: In 2007 Garth Brooks passed Elvis Presley.
Oldest Female with #1 song on Billboard Hot 100: Cher at 59, the song "Believe" in 1998.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music, 2007, p. 31, 69, 138, 321, 343, 387, 436, 437, 463, 477, 487, 489, 493.