TOP POLITICIANS GEAR UP FOR ANOTHER NIGHT AT THE PLATS (Continued from page 8) BEl'^. /EENTHE tend, with Oscar song winner Phil ognize people whose music directly Collins hosting the proceedings and `The Platinum appeals to huge and diverse mar- the promise of some top internation- the kets." BULLETS .. al stars performing that night. Award brings Last year a total of 82 Platinum Launched by the IFPI in 1996, best the music Europe awards were handed out for Platinum Europe honors the elite million- selling albums -up from 75 by Geoff Mayfield community of artists who have industry has to in the previous year. achieved sales of 1 million copies of Highlighting the strength of Euro- an album in Europe. The awards are offer into the pean musicians, nearly 70% of those STILL HIGH AND MIGHTY: Until the mania dies down, the best handed out every month, but the cer- artists that achieved certification last any other act can hope for on The Billboard 200 is a second -place fin- emony is held once every two years. political heart of year were European. British and ish behind `N Sync. Even with a 34% decline from the prior issue, its In promoting the awards, IFPI notes Irish musicians had a particularly "No Strings Attached" still outsells the No. 2 album by more than a 2- that the European music market has Europe' strong presence, while girl bands to-1 margin, with `N Sync's 533,000 units overshadowing Santana's doubled in size during the past - PAUL RUSSELL - accounted for one -quarter of all qual- 186,000 units. decade and accounts for more than ifiers, according to IFPI. When we get to the end of 2000, few, if any, other acts will be able to one -third of the global music retail The last Platinum Europe Awards claim their albums sold more than half a million copies in each of their market. Music Entertainment Europe and ceremony two years ago featured first three weeks. And don't hold your breath waiting for the next album More important for the politicians chairman of the IFPI Platinum performances by such headline acts that sells more than 3.7 million pieces in less than a month. and legislators, the music industry Awards committee, says, "The Plat- as the Corrs from Ireland, Pascal employs directly and indirectly some inum Award brings the best the Obispo of France, and Aqua from BEYOND THE GRAVE: At the risk of seeming morbid, death sells. 600,000 people across the European music industry has to offer into the Denmark, while M People, Ricky From Jerry Garcia to Selena to rappers 2Pac and the Notorious Union. political heart of Europe. These Martin, and Joe Cocker were among B.I.G., we have usually seen a sales spike when an artist of any genre Paul Russell, chairman of Sony awards are sales -based, so they rec- those who attended to collect prizes. dies -particularly when the musician is still active as a recording artist or concert performer. Thus, it is not surprising to see the posthumous album by rapper Big Punisher, who was stricken two months ago by 19), fetch a larger week than that of his DECLINES a heart attack (Billboard, Feb. TIME WARNER SEES first album. The new one, "Yeeeah Baby," starts at No. 3 with 179,000 (Continued from page 3) units, 31% more than the first -week sum of the 1998 rookie album "Cap- to reflect that change. Meanwhile, Time Warner says it is The company cites improvements in ital Punishment" (136,000 units), by the rapper whose birth name was In its financial statement, Time on track to close its proposed merger home video and television operations, Christopher Rios. Warner says it took the write-down with America Online in the fall. As for which offset lower results from con- Still, given the success of "Still Not A Player" and his starring role because it concluded that "the decline the proposed merger of Warner Music sumer products. DVD revenue was up on the recent Jennifer Lopez single "Feelin' So Good," which served in Columbia House's business is going Group with EMI Music, Time Warner 75% on hits like "The Matrix," "Eyes to raise his profile, one might have expected an even larger splash this to continue through the near term." It chairman /CEO Gerald Levin told ana- Wide Shut," and "Pokémon." At the time around. "Still" featuring Joe, the sequel to the 1997 single "I'm adds that it is "continuing to evaluate lysts, "We're shooting for a year -end box office, the top film was "The Green Not A Player," rose to No. 6 in 1998 on Hot R &B/Hip -Hop Singles & strategic alternatives ... including close." Mile." Tracks. The Lopez single, which also credited Fat Joe, rose to No. 51 online initiatives, joint ventures, and Cash flow from Time Warner's Overall, New York-based Time War- on The Billboard Hot 100. other strategic actions." filmed entertainment unit, Warner ner reports a 7.5% rise in revenue, to As a consequence of Loud's move last year from BMG Distribution to 17, 1999), In March, a proposed merger of Bros. Pictures, increased 212 %, to $194 $6.5 billion from $6.1 billion a year ago. RED and Sony Music Distribution (Billboard, July "Capital With Columbia House with online retailer million from $160 million, excluding a The $96 million net loss compares with Punishment" is now being sold through independent channels. the prior CDnow was terminated. CDnow $215 million pretax gain last year on the net income of $138 million last year. new album stirring interest, the first one has a 26% bump over the charged at the time that Columbia termination of a home video distribu- Time Warner's stock fell $5.75, or issue, enough to place it at No. 46 on Top Independent Albums. When House's results were not strong tion deal with Metro -Goldwyn- Mayer. 6 %, in New York Stock Exchange trad- it first charted in '98, that album was sold through RCA. sustain the retailer's opera- Film revenue rose 10.8 %, to $1.88 bil- ing the day the results were announced enough to ends tions. lion from $1.69 billion and closed at $90. SUPER STREAK: The 12% dip on Santana's "Supernatural" an impressive streak of eight consecutive charts during which the album never sold fewer than 200,000 units a week. That run puts the act in pretty good company. Celine Dion and Dr. Dre, in the faster -selling HIGHER GROUND waters of November and December, were the last acts to surpass the (Continued from page 43) 200,000 mark for seven straight weeks, and Limp Bizkit had a seven - "There were things said about pre- about things that had happened in my times in the past two months. It would week run last summer. were the last scription pads and that I was writing past and everything weighing the blow your mind some of the things I've May albums by Backstreet Boys and Ricky Martin weeks. The Boys' "Mil- my own prescriptions, and there was record down with so much gloom, seen and the miracles that have hap- titles to top 200,000 units for more than eight Martin" beat that not a prescription pad anyway," he says. despair, and agony on me. If you listen pened because I've been obedient. It lennium" did so in its first 14 frames, while "Ricky "I never once stole a prescription pad to it it wasn't meant to be that way, but feels good. There ain't a better feeling mark in each of its first nine weeks. since the Feb. 12 from the doctor, and I'm not stupid a lot of the songs on there really speak in the world. I'm a different man. I'm in Santana's current sum, 186,000 units, is its lowest to the band's eight -week streak, enough to try to write one on my own." my story." a different place because I have seen issue, when it sold 182,000 copies. Prior other nonconsec- All of this happened just as Curb was English says one of the songs that God work." which began with the Feb. 26 issue, there were eight more than 200,000 units. preparing to release "Heaven To holds the most meaning for him is English has seen what most every- utive charts when "Supernatural" had sums of Earth." "I thought, `Here I am, the mas- "Finally Free." "It says, `I'm free /I'm one else in the Nashville Christian "The Wall," titled "Is Anybody Out ter of bad timing again,'" English says finally free to give all I have/To live what community has not, and as a result, he BACK PAGES: As a live version of way to stores Tuesday (18), with a laugh. I believe /And love you honestly/Because occupies a unique place. Undoubtedly, There?/The Wall Live 1980 -81," makes its Dance Songs" stages It's a shame that English's personal I'm finally free of me.' It just says so there will be some who feel he shouldn't the Pink Floyd hits album "A Collection Of Great has it re -enter Top Pop problems may eclipse his music, much [about] what I've been through be singing Christian music. He says he a rally. Its sales more than double; the 135% gain because his new release is a strong and where I am now Being able to sing doesn't blame them and can under- Catalog Albums at No. 8. of a new Joe album, which album. He sounds wonderful, and Eng- that song with the freedom I have stand where they are coming from. Likewise, it seems the imminent arrival in his 1997 Brown Bannister now there's not a better feeling in the Personally, I think English has the bows the same day as Pink Floyd's set, has stirred interest lish and producer - the previous issue, it have assembled a great collection of world." potential to reach listeners that might title, `All That I Am." With an 8% bump over on Top Pop Catalog. The album last songs, including "If You Only Knew," a English will be attending the Gospel not identify with other artists. What makes its first -ever appearance 200 in the June 27, 1998, issue and last song about a dying loved one's glimpse Music Assn.'s GMA Week (Sunday - he's been through gives him a platform appeared on The Billboard Top R -Hop Albums in that year's Sept. 26 edi- of heaven, which he dedicates to his Thursday [6-20] at the Nashville Con- to speak from. It might not be what saw the light of &B/Hip grandmother. "How Grace Feels" and vention Center) and doing interviews. everyone wants or needs to hear, but tion. "I Will Be" are among the other out- He admits to being "very nervous" he can sing with authority to an audi- BEINGS: Following the announcement that Diana Ross standing cuts. because of all that has transpired. "I'm ence that needs the message most. SUPREME post -Ross Supremes members Lynda Lau- English admits he and Bannister had scared to go to GMA, because I don't He's not perfect, but then none of us will tour this summer with Payne, two Supremes anthologies of recent vin- trouble finding songs for his new pro- want people to think right after rehab are. rence and Scherrie Collection" and last year's "The Millennium Col- ject. "We met over at Trifecta, which is that I'm out there doing all this and A friend of mine, Native American tage, 1997's "Ultimate Ross & The Supremes," each more than management company, and he going on with my career, because I'm singer /songwriter Bill Miller, once lection: The Best Of Diana my from the prior issue. Ross and her mates also brought a bunch of songwriters in, not right now," he says, adding that he told me that broken vessels are often double their sales April 4 edition of Oprah Winfrey's daytime show. including Don Koch, who wrote `In plans to take some time off and focus on the most effective for God to use appeared on the of the two sold enough to dent Top Pop Catalog Albums; the Christ Alone' and also wrote `To Live his priorities. "I need to be in the world, because God's light can shine through Neither 1999 had the bigger week of the pair with 2,000 units, up from On,' which is my favorite song on the and I need to be praying every day the cracks and imperfections. As we go title 1,000 issue. We'll see if the April 11 premiere of VH1's "Divas new album," says English. "We wanted without ceasing to strengthen my about our business this GMA Week, the prior 2000: A Tribute To Diana Ross" will fetch ink on next issue's list. No to make sure everybody knew not to armor. let's remember that we all have the by either Ross or the Supremes has appeared on Top Pop Cata- write my story, what I'd been through "I've just got to let God be my voice opportunity to share God's light, and album in the almost nine years that Billboard has published the ... It wasn't just me saying that. It was and give up myself and let God do the let's find time in the frenzy of the log Albums which was launched in the May 25, 1991, issue. basically Brown. He said he didn't want speaking forme," says English. "I know week's activities to encourage one chart, everybody sending all these ballads it's going to be OK I've seen it too many another in our individual endeavors. 88 www.billboard.com BILLBOARD APRIL 22,2000 www.americanradiohistory.com