SOURCE: Atlantic Records
August 11, 2010 15:09 ET
The Time Is Right for Ryan Star; "11:59" Makes Stunning Chart Debut Entering at #10 on the Billboard "Top Rock Albums" Chart; As NY Rocker Draws Critical Acclaim; Hot AC Hit, "Breathe" in Rotation at VH1; Non-Stop Tour Continues Through Fall
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - August 11, 2010) - "11:59," the acclaimed new album from Mark Burnett Records/Atlantic recording artist Ryan Star, has made a phenomenal chart debut this week, coming in at #31 on the Billboard 200 and #10 on Billboard's "Top Rock Albums" chart with 11,599 copies sold after its first week of release. What's more, the album -- which features the hit single, "Breathe" -- is also a digital sensation, peaking at #2 on iTunes' "Top Pop Albums" tally, and debuting at top 15 success on iTunes' overall sales chart.
Star -- who celebrated the album's release with a sold out show at New York's world famous Irving Plaza -- is currently on tour alongside Thriving Ivory, with dates continuing through the end of the month. From there, Star will pair off with singer/songwriter Justin Nozuka for a much anticipated run of West Coast shows, beginning September 12th at Portland, Oregon's Aladdin Theater. What's more, Star will join multi-platinum recording group Train for a string of dates, which kick off September 16th at the INB Performing Arts Center in Spokane, WA (see attached below).
Recently named as "iTunes Single of the Week," "Breathe" is shaping up to be Star's biggest single to date, scoring top 15 airplay at Hot AC radio outlets nationwide. In addition, the track's poignant companion video clip is in rotation at VH1, where it recently hit the network's VSPOT Top 20 Video Countdown.
"Breathe" -- which can also be viewed online at Star's own http://rstar.net -- sees the acclaimed rocker addressing the rising tide of unemployment in the US, performing on the streets of New York among various real people, from all walks of life, who are currently unemployed. A dedicated website, located at www.breathe4jobs.com, enables potential employers to contact the diverse individuals featured in the video.
Hailed by Billboard as a "heartfelt, slow-burning... power-rock anthem," "Breathe" has also been featured in recent promotional spots for such popular TV series as Fox's American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, NBC's The Biggest Loser, ABC's All My Children, and WWE's annual Tribute To The Troops.
Furthermore, Star himself has made a number of high-profile appearances to herald the release of "11:59," including interviews and live performances on two prominent New York radio shows, Z100's Elvis Duran and the Morning Show and WPLJ's The Big Show with Scott & Todd. Ryan is also slated to appear on an upcoming installment of CBS's The Early Show - Saturday Edition, slated for August 28th.
Produced by Grammy Award-winner Matt Serletic (matchbox twenty, Collective Soul) and Howard Benson (Daughtry, My Chemical Romance), "11:59" sees Star seamlessly melding traditional rock elements with captivating rhythms and resonant narratives. Thoughtfully and meticulously crafted, the album highlights the Dix Hills, NY-native's stripped-bare vocal style and high-octane energy level.
"11:59" has quickly earned copious critical celebration, with USA Today hailing it as "ambitious, well-crafted pop-rock." Newsday praised "the sharpness of (Star's) pop-rock visions... upbeat, live-in-the-moment spirit... (and) memorable melodies," adding that "'11:59' shows Star's time has come."
Star made an explosive debut with 2009's much-admired digital EP, "LAST TRAIN HOME," highlighted by the award-winning track, "Brand New Day." Featured as the main theme to Fox's hit series, Lie To Me, the song earned Star a BMI Television Award, honoring the composers of music featured in the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series, and highest-ranking cable network programs.
"LAST TRAIN HOME" also features "Right Now," which soundtracked promotions from the NFL, NBC, ESPN, and the History Channel. The EP also includes "This Could Be The Year," which was included in WWE's 25 Years of WrestleMania special as well as two commercials aired during this year's highly rated Super Bowl festivities.
Star first drew national attention as a member of the band Stage. Upon embarking on a solo career, he honed his skills performing in clubs across New York, including Joe's Pub and Rockwood Music Hall. He continued to build a fervent fan following as a MySpace Featured Artist, as well as by competing on CBS' reality series, Rock Star: Supernova.
For up-to-the-minute news and information, please visit www.rstar.net.
(TOUR ITINERARY BELOW)
| RYAN STAR |
| ON THE ROAD 2010 |
| *w/Thriving Ivory ** w/ Justin Nozuka ***w/ Train |
| 8/18 Headline show |
| |
|
|
|
|
| AUGUST |
|
|
|
|
| 12 |
|
Little Rock, AR |
|
Juanita's * |
| 13 |
|
Baton Rouge, LA |
|
Varsity Theater * |
| 14 |
|
New Orleans, LA |
|
Tipitina's Uptown * |
| 16 |
|
Houston, TX |
|
Warehouse Live * |
| 17 |
|
Dallas, TX |
|
Prophet Bar * |
| 18 |
|
Austin, TX |
|
Stubb's |
| 20 |
|
Scottsdale, AZ |
|
Martini Ranch * |
| 21 |
|
San Diego, CA |
|
Anthology * |
| 24 |
|
Los Angeles, CA |
|
Troubadour * |
| 25 |
|
San Francisco, CA |
|
Great American Music Hall * |
| |
|
|
|
|
| SEPTEMBER |
|
|
|
|
| 12 |
| Portland, OR |
|
Aladdin Theater ** |
| 13 |
|
Seattle, WA |
|
Chop Suey ** |
| 16 |
|
Spokane, WA |
|
INB Performing Arts Center *** |
| 18 |
|
Vancouver, BC |
|
Commodore Ballroom *** |
| 19 |
|
Seattle, WA |
|
Marymoor Park *** |
FURTHER DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED