Europe's Music Biz Pressures Pirates And Politicians In 2002 BY TOM FERGUSON dustry's annual curtain- raiser pulled domestic A &R channels to open up industry bodies stood up to be count- LONDON- Besieged by piracy in all in 9,000 attendees in 2002 (down EUROPE: across Europe came with the latest ed. The Spanish industry, one of the its shapes and forms and facing from 10,500 in 2001) and, post - batch of reality -TV music -oriented worst-affected territories during 2002, ever -increasing compe- Sept.11, 2001, lacked THE TOP STORIES shows and the stream of was particularly active tition for the attention many American faces. pop releases emanating in its dealings with gov- of its core demograph- But the same month, The International Federation of from them. In Spain, the ernment at home and ics, Europe's music ra, U.K. -based Sanctuary the Phonographic Industry takes huge success of the abroad, even raising business did a lot of Group proved that not the piracy fight to Brussels. Operación Triunfo show its domestic problems growing up in public all European record EMI restructures operations in led to its format being in March with the during 2002. companies were strug- 22 countries. aped in other European European Commis- Outside of France gling, reporting record TV's Operación Triunfo domi- countries -Italian sion in Brussels. and the U.K., most of results for the year nates in Spain and spawns Euro- namesake Operazione The European indus- Europe's music mar- ended Sept. 30, 2001. Its pean imitations. Trionfo, for example, or try took advantage of kets- particularly Ger- growth was attributed HMV floats on the London the U.K.'s Fame Acade- the July 10 Internation- many- declined during by executive chairman Stock Exchange. my. Triunfo gave a huge al Federation of the the year. The chilly Andy Taylor to continu- Sanctuary Group reports an boost to Spanish inde- Phonographic Industry market conditions had ally signing established 88% profit rise. pendent label Vale (IFPI) Platinum Europe formed a forbidding niche acts, adopting a Music; local estimates Awards ceremony in backdrop to the MIDEM ra iR low -risk new- act -devel- credited it with a mas- Brussels to lobby EU trade show Jan. 19-24 in opment strategy, and * 2002 IN REVIEW/. * sive 24% market share politicians for tougher Cannes. The international music in- making more varied acquisitions. in the first six months of the year. anti -piracy legislation and a reduc- Taylor said, "We can now be a man- ments of their European compa- tion of the high rate of value -added ager, an agent, and a merchandiser, nies, whether it was Sony revamp- THE RETAIL PICTURE tax ([VAT] sales tax) applied to record- Europe's Top and that's all the services that an act ing its Nordic affiliates in January At retail, though, the primary ed music. In December a new music - wants, other than a music publisher, or BMG folding its stand -alone imperative driving consumers industry coalition was formed to Singles Of 2002 a record company, and an audio- Greek company in June. And there through the doors was not a musical lobby the EU for a VAT reduction on visual company -and we can do all was the usual round of acquisitions, one. In January, both Virgin Enter- sound recordings. 1. "Aserejé/The Ketchup Song," of those as well." (Billboard, Jan. 26.) including Universal buying the tainment Group (VEG) and HMV Alongside such high -level Euro- Las Ketchup, Columbia. Thanks to those varied business European record and publishing cited DVD sales as key to their posi- pean initiatives, the IFPI has urged 2. "Whenever, Wherever/Suerte," strands, Sanctuary maintained a operations of Germany's Koch tive holiday performances. As the local industry organizations to raise Shakira, Epic/Columbia. high profile among European inde- Group in March and EMI purchas- year progressed, more and more their game with their own rulers, an 3. "Without Me," Eminem, pendents throughout the rest of the ing U.K. indie Mute in May. music merchants confirmed the approach set to continue in 2003. Interscope. year, as did the Zomba Group, al- Hand in hand with such activity increasing importance of the format. Sony Music Europe president Paul 4. "How You Remind Me," though the latter gained more ink in came increasing awareness of the HMV had somewhat mixed for- Burger tells Billboard that although Nickelback, Roadrunner. the press for its protracted acquisi- importance of domestic repertoire. tunes in 2002. The immediate reac- some European perspective is vital, 5. "Underneath Your Clothes," tion by BMG than for its own impres- The decline in European shipments tion to its flotation on the London "it's very important that the bulk of Shakira, Epic /Columbia. sive performance. during 2002 was less steep than in Stock Exchange in May was disap- discussions take place at a local level. 6. "Get the Party Started," the U.S., so it is hardly surprising that pointing, with its stock price steadi- "The issues vary from country to Pink, Arista. LABELS REVAMPED labels here were looking closer ly dropping during the following country, as legislation does, and as 7. "Like a Prayer," Mad'House, The eve of MIDEM saw the depar- to home -rather than across the months, but the music merchant local practice does," Burger notes. BioNarious. ture of Virgin Records U.K.'s 10 -year Atlantic-for potential superstar acts. traded strongly in the U.K. through "We're in the phase now of local rat- 8. "Somethin' Stupid," Rob- chief, president Paul Conroy. The There is growing confidence with- to year -end, opening its 150th ification of the EU Copyright direc- bie Williams & Nicole Kidman, exit of Conroy -who later launched in the European business that it can British store along the way. tive; discussion at a national level is Chrysalis. his own independent Adventure develop domestic acts beyond VEG offloaded the final 41 stores a very important element in this." 9. "Complicated," Avril Lavi- group of companies with wife Katie national borders. "It's a reality," de from its under -performing Our Price gne, Arista. (also an ex -EMI staffer) -led a year Buretel claims. "Frontiers are get- U.K. chain in October to Australian 10. "Dilemma," Nelly Featur- of changes at the group; it was late ting more and more open. I can even market leader Sanity Music. Else- ing Kelly Rowland, Universal. November- before EMI Recorded see things coming from Eastern where, leading French music retail- Europe's Top Music Continental Europe chairman Europe and beyond -from Africa, er FNAC announced plans to expand Data from Music & Media. List- Emmanuel de Buretel could an- wherever." But there is still work to south, in Spain and Portugal, while Albums Of 2002 ings are based on the Music &Media nounce the end of "drastic restruc- be done; as the Music & Media year- Dutch -based Free Record Shop head- Eurochart Hot 100 Singles weeks 1- turing in 22 [European] countries." end charts on this page show, Euro- ed north, acquiring the 24 -store 1. Servicio de Lavanderia/ 51 and compiled from national sales The other majors, of course, pean album buyers continued to Hysj! Hysj! music chain -Norway's Laundry Service, Shakira, Epic/ charts in 16 European countries. weren't sitting still. Sony, Warner, favor trans -Atlantic acts in 2002. largest -in September. Columbia. Universal, and BMG all rebuilt ele- One of the more controversial Later that month, German music 2. Freak of Nature, Anastacia, retailers added their support to a cam- Epic. paign aimed at pressuring the newly 3. A New Day Has Come, re- elected government there to liber- Celine Dion, Columbia/Epic. alize store -opening times in order to 4. The Eminem Show, Eminem, stimulate consumer spending. Interscope. 5. Swing When You're /fin- POLITICAL POSTURES ning, Robbie Williams, Chrysalis. The growing ability of the music 6. Silver Side Up, Nickelback, N OLLAND ROCKS industry to make its voice heard by Roadrunner. Europe's legislators was a key feature 7. M.!ssundaztood, Pink, Arista. this year. 8. By the Way, Red Hot Chili NTRZIO:Ba I T_Mag aubT NEY In February, representatives of the Peppers, Warner Bros. U.K. government and the music 9. Escape, Enrique Iglesias, industry discussed the feasibility of Interscope. AlTgI rill 1 I Mr' .. N a jointly funded music office in New 10. Songs in A Minor, Alicia York, as a step toward boosting Keys, J. British music in the U.S. That re- WW HORAN ROCKS.COM mains at the discussion stage, but it Data from Music & Media. illustrated a new government- level Listings are based on the Music vow awareness of music as an overseas & Media European Top 100 dollar- earner. Albums weeks 1 -51 and compiled In piracy -afflicted markets across from national sales charts in 18 the Continent, from Russia in the east European countries. to Greece in the south, local music

56 www.biliboard.com BILLBOARD DECEMBER 28, 2002