Year in Review
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
YEAR IN REVIEW consecutive weeks with Anotherup about credibility than some ofwas described in April as "an excel- Compilations Chance-one more week, appropri-their UK counterparts and yet remainlent radio record somewhat similar to Particularly in the lucrative run-up to ately, than Daft Punk achieved with cool". recent efforts by Destiny's Child" byChristmas, the majors cashed in on One More Time(Virgin).Roger head of music at Swiss youth -targeted Greatest Hits and Best Of packages. Sanchez is one of the year's rare Andrea Bocelli (Sugar/Polydor) CHR network Radio 105 Matthias RodStewart(WEA),BeeGees dance successes, the other being"Our objective is to make this one ofVoellm. (Polydor), and Pink Floyd (EMI), all Cheeky/BMG act Faithless who, pro-the biggest albums in music history sold well and proved once again, if ducer/songwriter Rollo tells M&M,and Andrea's biggest record ever," Jennifer Lopez (Columbia) proof was needed, the value of cata- are "just about to go Platinum overwas how UMI chairman JorgenJenniferLopezprovedEurope's logue to the labels and publishers. here[UK]" withcurrent albumLarsen heralded the October releasefavourite R&B draw in 2001. HerThe other dominant compilation Outrospective. of the artist's latest album Cieli di high profile relationship with P Diddygenre in 2001 was Chillout. Demand Toscana.Despitereluctanceby (at the time Puff Daddy) kept her infor dance albums that provide a relax- Travis (Independiente) Italian commercial stations to play the headlines on the few occasions hering anecdote to hectic lives and that "Our aims are quite simple-we'reBocelli he has managed to sell "sixrecords-andacting-didn't.Hercan be listened to without Class A going for global domination,"million records every year for the lastsophomore album J. Lo brought thedrugs is growing and is being met by Independiente head of internationalfour years", according to Theo Roos, monster smash Love Don't Cost Adedicated sections in the leading Nina Frykberg told M&M in June CEO of Universal Music Netherlands. Thing which benefited from a number retail chains. "I have never seen so when asked about Travis. With the Meanwhile, labelmate Zucchero has of remixes,according to Til many lounge and chillout compila-- assistance of Sony's SINE network forkept up with Universal's expectations Hofmeister, head of music at HR3tions as this year," opined Matthew territoriesoutsideoftheUK, of matching the success of 1998's mil-(CHR) in Frankfurt. "Music program- Tallon, international A&R manager Independiente is close to achieving its lion -sellingBluesugarwiththe mers can choose whatever version fits atBarcelona -basedindieTempo_ aim. The Invisible Band built on the October release of his tenth albumbest into their format," he told M&MMusic in November. In the same success of 1999's 3.5 million -selling Shake, by "concentrating on his musicin February. Columbia's Destiny'sDance feature, React Music founder The Man Who, making the Top 20rather than his image," in the wordsChild helped their career with the Thomas Foley said, "The whole chill- best-selling albums of the year inof Universal Music Italy A&R director silky smooth Survivor, while newcom- out/lounge scene is being driven to a Europe. In June, Rainer Gruhn, headClaudio Buja. The "king of Italianer Alicia Keys repaid Clive Davis'large degree by the fact that it's fash- of music at Berlin AC station Radio rock" Vasco Rossi released the album faith in her at J Records with Songsionable." And relaxing, of course, Hundert 6, explained the appeal ofStupido Hotel in April, which EMIIn A Minor, and Mary J Blige (MCA) Thomas. Travis to European programmersdescribed as "the Italian music event and Macy Gray (Epic) returned with when he said, "Travis' music is pro-of the year". Other Italian big sellers strong albums. One of the best debuts Nu Metal duced for a broad audience and poten- came from Eros Ramazzotti with of the year belonged to India.Arie and At the other end of the emotional spec- tially all our listeners, whose age Stilelibero (BMG Ricordi Ariola) andMotown whose Acoustic Soul did trum to Chillout is nu -metal. A native range is 20-60, could like [it]". Other Adriano Celentano with Esco Di Radowhat it said on the cover and was of California where it was grown in a notable UK guitar acts that haveE Parlo Ancora Meno on S4 Clan Sony beautifully tranquil. sonic laboratory by Korn (Epic) using made inroads in Europe in 2001 Music. influences from Rage Against The includehotly -tippednewcomers Manu Chao (Virgin) Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Starsailor (Chrysalis), Welsh stadium Enya (WEA) For the first time in this magazine's Alice In Chains, the nu -metal charge is rockersStereophonics(V2),and In stark contrast to the fanfares in 17 -year history a French act topped now led by Linkin Park, whose Hybrid South Coast histrionic wailers Muse Italy that marked the return of thethe European Top 100 Albums chart. Theory on Warner Bros is the highest (Taste/Mushroom). big hitters, a low-key re-release of theThe artist was Manu Chao and theplaced rock album in M&M's end of Enya single Only Time has catapultedrecord, Proxima Estacion: Esperanza year charts. Other leading exponents French electronica both single and album A Day Without -a colourful mix of musical stylesinclude Limp Bizkit(Interscope), Last year M&M identified this genreRain high into the year-end charts. sung in what Chao told M&M in JulyStaind (Elektra) and Slipknot (Road- as a growing force. In 2001, FrenchProfits from the single are going towas "a jumble of Portuguese andrunner). As recently as May, public electronica was both an influential theInternationalAssociationofSpanish". At 40, the man who has broadcaster Denmarks Radio's editor of and lucrative pop movement. In April, Firefighters, in light of the September been with Virgin since his time withmusic policy Eik Frederiksen com- Virgin France head of export and11 tragedy. Irish-born Enya also fea- Mano Negra, now looks forward to mented, "that [nu -metal] sound is still international development Thierrytures on the soundtrack to the new "ten magnificent years ahead of me". sort of lingering in the underground Jacquet told M&M that 1.3 millionLord Of The Rings movie, The but it will emerge soon". Ideed it was. copies of Daft Punk's sophomore Fellowship Of The Ring. Return to former glories album Discovery were sold worldwide The runner-up to Dido in this year's Outkast (La Face/Arista) during the last two months-making Craig David (Wildstar/Edel) best selling albums was the BeatlesOutkast struck early in 2001 with Ms it one of the fastest selling albums inAlmost single-handedly Craig David(Apple/EMI) with their singles compi- Jackson, a track from their Stankonia French history. But it's not just ahas brought UK garage before anlation 1. The success EMI enjoyed in album. A perfect hip -hop -pop hybrid, domestic success story. Europe hasinternational audience. Living up topeddling nostalgia no doubt encour-it generated huge public interest in embraced French electronica to suchthe billing of his album, Born To Do aged the label to release a new album the duo from Atlanta in the US. But an extentthat Daft Punk, AirIt, the 19 year -old British R&B singerfrom Sir Paul McCartney. Columbiaas BMG Europe head of R&B market- (Source), and Modjo (Barclay) areis described by Capital FM's Jefffollowed suit with Bob Dylan anding, Mervyn Lyn pointed out in household names and chart regulars. Smith as, "The outstanding newLeonard Cohen, as did Virgin withMarch, "This is their fourth album Hot on their heels are Superman British performer, singer -songwriterMick Jagger, and the media reactedand before this nobody was interest- Lovers (Vogue) and Galleon (EPGso far of the 21st Century and he'sfavourably to the latest endeavoursed." When it came to rap, Eminem Sony France). As Capital FM's Jeffstill got his whole life ahead of him. from the old guard. Unfortunately was still the dominant force in Europe Smith in London remarks, "theseOur listeners consistently love hisMcCartney's album Driving Rainwith The Marshall Mathers LP bands underline French musicians'songs." Another act following in which was unable to match the quali- (Interscope)-a position he consoli- brilliant use of their eclectic musicalDavid's 2 -step footsteps are label -ty of lead track From A Lover To Adated on the back of performances influences and how they get less hungmates Misteeq whose single, Why?Friend. with old friends and labelmates D12. MUSIC & MEDIA DECEMBER 22, 2001.