APRIL 11, 1998 Meisic Volume 15, Issue 15 £3.95 DM11 FFR35 USS7 Sash! springs into the Da11.50 Eurochart Hot 100 at number 5 this week with La Primavera Media®we to 14 to rya I (Byte Blue). Page 10 M&M chart toppers this week Cost savings drive Sony/Warner Network of 100 Singles by Mark Solomons follows precedents set in Australia and sion of anything wider," says a Warner DION international editor, Billboard Bulletin Japanandcomparable -but more MusicInternationalspokesperson. art Will Go On modest-arrangements which exist inHowever, other sources say Sony is of "effi- bia) LONDON - The U.K.affiliates some other European markets. aggresively examining further Warner Music and Sony Music are Both companies stress that theyciency options" in the region. joining forces to create a major new will continue to compete in all other The move is seen as evidence of ongo- distribution company. fields, and downplay suggestions that ingpressuretocontaincostsand The Entertainment Network, to bethe new alliance could be extended improve efficiency in the slow -growth equally owned by Sony and Warner, elsewhere in Europe. "This is strictly a U.K. music market. One senior distribu- will start operations in Spring 1999. ItU.K. initiative and there is no discus- continued on page 20 European Radio To Jason Nevins (back row, far left) MADONNA receives a platinumaward Frozen (500,000 units) for German sales of (Maverick his remix of Run DMC's 1983 hit It'sLikeThat.Thesingleis licensed to Epic's dance imprint Inside M&M this week Epidrome in the G/S/A territories. Pictured with Nevins are (l -r) Jorg Hacker, managing of Epic Ger- TACKNO! TACKNO! TACKNO! many, Epidrome club promotor Domestic sales in Denmark may be Dirk Dreyer and Epidrome label down (see page 4), but a whole new manager/Epic A&R manager wave of Danish acts danceBelaCox.Epicisin Los Umbrello0are waiting in the "advanced stages of negotiations" Ifto wings, ready to fol- with New York -based club DJ low up on Aqua's Nevins regarding an exclusive international suc- worldwide album deal. cess. This week, M&M takes a look at the world of Dan- France '98: music's cup of cheer?Czech radio, ish dance and the mysteries of "tackno." Page 8 by Christian Lorenz created in consultation with the 1998 WorldCuporganisingcommittee labels in ad row CRASH LAUNCHES, MD QUITS LONDON - With 10 weeks to go before CFO, the album will be issued in U.K. radio has two new additions kick-off, Sony Music is warming up for France first, on April 21. Allez! Ola! by Michele Legge to its alternative rock landscape, this summer's World Cup. Ole! will then be released across conti- Crash FM in Liverpool and Surf The biggesttourna- nentalEuropebetween PRAGUE - Record companies in the 107 in Brighton; but shortly after ment yet in soccer's pre- April 28 and May 5. It is Czech Republic are facing the prospect Crash FM went on air, its manag- miercompetitiongets the only album to feature of having to pay substantially more for ing director departed, as M&M under way in Paris on both the official anthem of their radio advertising campaigns. reports. Page 3 June 10. This week, Sony the1998WorldCup, From April 1, leading Czech radio Music Entertainment Yous sou N'Dour and sales house Media Marketing Services BOYZONE IN THE MEN'S ROOM? Europeconfirmedthe Axelle Red's La Cour Des (NEVIS) is insisting on behalf of its client Ireland's Boyzone are looking to track listing of the offi-FRANCE 98Grands/Do You Mind If I stations that record companies pay full build ontheir teen appeal and cial World Cup album WORLD CUP Play?, as well as the tour- standard prices for their radio ad spots, attract an older audience with their Allez! Ola! Ole!, which nament's official song, and in particular special themed cam- latest, "grown-up" Polydor album, will feature no less than eight pan- RickyMartin'sLaCopa De La paigns which promote particular artists Where We Belong. Page 9 European and seven local singles. VidalThe Cup Of Life. on stations across a weekend. Officially endorsed by FIFA and continued on page 20 continued on page 20 THE US SMASH SINGLE TAKEN FROMFROM THE FANTASTIC DEBUT ALBUM GROWING PAINS OUTNOWUS -BILLBOARD TOP 100 @ NUMBER 15. UK A LIST @ RADIO 1 AND CAPITAL RADIO AmericanRadioHistory.Com Thenew single "...the most commercial track on the album after Mmmbop. This track is so good and the vocal so stunning...Weird is wonderful." UK - The Tip Sheet "...a dreamy affair, scooping in references to John Lennon, George Michael and Chris de Burgh. Luscious." UK - Music Week a PolyGram company htt email:hansonfa AmericanRadioHistory.Com EWS the U.K industry would be immune to the "hypermarket effect" as seen in continental Europe were misguided. Music Lobbying the Government is also a novelty. It was only Upfront last year, with the arrival of the Labour government, that by Emmanuel Legrand, Music & Media editor -in -chief the U.K. industry finally found the road to No.10 Media. Downing Street. Countries such as Sweden, Denmark Call M&M on: There's no question that the U.K. has one of the mostand the Netherlands have had government -backed music tel (+44) 171 323 6686 fax (+44) 171 323 2314/16 dynamic music scenes in the world. It is also probably one industry support schemes for years. Ten years ago in of the most insular, both in terms of its relationship withFrance, socialist culture minister Jack Lang even had an Editorlczl Editor in chief: Emmanuel Legrand the rest of the world, and its style of operating. But there adviser for contemporary music, quickly dubbed by the Managing editor: Tom Ferguson are more and more signs that the times are a-changin'. press as "the minister of rock." News editor: Jonathan Heasman Consider parallel imports. For years, thanks to the low Features/specials: Terry Heath In each individual territory, U.K. acts now have to Music business/talent editor. Christian Lorenz value of the pound, U.K exporters (and sometimes the compete head -to -head with local acts, in the same way Programming editor: Mike McGeever major record companies) flooded the continent with cheap that non -British acts have had Charts 8c resecirch merchandise, affecting the sales of international reper-to compete in the U.K. with Charts editor: Rani Cairo toire released in individual countries. local acts. For the first time in Charts researchers: Menno Visser, Siri Stavenes That cross -border traffic didn't appear to bother U.Kyears, the British market is Production business until recently, after the pound gained strength and also starting to lend an ear to Production manager: Jonathan Crouch the traffic suddenly started to flow the other way. British "alien" music. Acts such as Designer: Dominic Salmon labels are now discovering the joys of Europe's free move- Ricky Martin, Wes, Sash!, Air, Correspondents: ment of goods. And complaining about it, of course. Give the BBE and Daft Punk have all Austria: Susan L. Schuhmayer - (43) 1 334 9608 U.K industry a few more months and it'll be begging Tony enjoyed chart success in the Belgium: Marc Maes - (32) 3 568 8082 Blair to join the Euro single currency system! U.K during the past months. Classical/jazz: Terry Berne - (34) 9 3458 3791 Czech Republic: Michele Legge - Other aspects of the U.K industry are changing, too- Thingsare definitely (42) 2 248 75000 retail, for example. With supermarket chains like Asda and starting to change in the Dance Grooves: Gary Smith -(34)9 3488 2180 Denmark: Charles Ferro - (45) 3391 9156 Tesco entering music retailing, it seems those who thought United Kingdom. France: Remi Bouton (radio and music business) - (33) 1 4586 8466; Cecile Thsseyre (artist profiles) - (33) 1 4909 0896 Germany: Ed Meza (radio) - (49) 30 611 8866 Greece: Cosmas Develegas - (30) 935 65641 Italy: Mark Dezzani - (39) 184 292 824 The Netherlands: Robbert Tilli - (31) 20-672 2566 SBS taking Radio 105 to court Norway: Kai Lofthus - (47) 918 21 208 Spain: Howell Llewellyn - (34) 9 1593 2429; Sweden: Keith Foster - (46) 8 366 228 by Mark Dezzani Reliable sources confirm that SBS strengthened his financial position. Soles ond Marketing has invoked the court action to estab- Meanwhile, in a separate develop- Associate publisher/sales, marketing and MILAN - Swedish media group SBS is lish its claim to a majority sharehold- ment, SBS-which owns 11 radio sta- circulation: Marc Gregory taking Radio 105 to Milan's Tribunal ing in Radio 105, or secure a return oftions in Scandinavia plus seven TV International sales director: Ron Betist (UK, USA) - (31) 299 420274; Court to resolve deadlock over SBS'smonies invested so far. networks across Europe-has found mobile: (31) 653 194133 investments in the Italian CHR network. A visit by Peter Benson, managingnew investors to replace the Disney - Sales executives: Pieter Markus (Benelux; Scandinavia, Germany and classical/jazz/ Last July, SBS and Radio 105'sdirector of SBS's radio division, to owned ABC/Capital Cities, which last world) - (31; 20 618 0516 holding company Finelco reached aMilan on 26/27 February to try and month announced it was selling its 19 Francois Millet (France) - (33) 145 49 29 33 provisional agreement for SBS to resolve the impasse with Finelco pres- Beth Dell'Isola (US Radio) - (1) 770 908 8373; percent stake in the broadcaster as Lidia Bonguardo (Italy, Spain, Greece, acquire a 25-30 percent stake in Radio ident Alberto Hazan was unsuccessful. part of a strategy to concentrate on its Portugal) - (39) 362 54 44 24. 105 for an estimated $3-4 million.