Music Week articles from January 2002

Music Week archives from January 2002

Xmas bonus as album sales soar.
January 12, 2002... A flood of frontline releases deluging the pre-Christmas market sent UK album sales skywards to record levels at the end of 2001. The music industry grabbed a starring role in the continuing High Street sales boom, despite economic...

U2.
January 12, 2002... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Photo: U2 (pictured) are bidding to extend their Grammy Awards career haul in some style, just a year after Beautiful Day's three wins, by capturing an unbeatable eight nominations for the 44th annual event. The...

UK record companies falter at turning new acts into albums breakthroughs.
January 12, 2002... The success of UK record companies at breaking the artists they sign into the albums market has halved in five years, according to new Music Week research. The findings are contained in MW's annual survey of new signings during the...

EMI and Virgin shares to combine.
January 12, 2002... EMI and Virgin's corporate sales and airplay market shares in the UK are to be combined for the first time since the major acquired the Richard Branson-founded company in 1992. From the start of this year, EMI has opted to combine the...

Wright predicts CD price dip as Euro drives market forces. (News).
January 12, 2002... Virgin Entertainment Group Simon Wright is predicting a dip in CD prices across Europe as the Euro highlights price differences between territories. The CEO says the introduction of the new currency in 12 countries last week coupled with...

Porcupine Tree.
January 12, 2002... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Photo: Porcupine Tree (pictured) have become the latest UK act to sign a recording deal directly with a leading US company after they secured an initial worldwide two-album deal with Lava/Atlantic whose roster...

McDonald moves to Warner/Chappell role. (News).
January 12, 2002... Warner/Chappell has appointed former Virgin Records senior A&R manager Paul McDonald to the new role of senior creative and international manager at the publisher. "This is a strengthening of the creative team with an international angle...

Media share prices suffer global slump during 2001. (News).
January 12, 2002... Music and media companies hit by the global economic slowdown in 2000 are set to suffer more short-term pain this year before the business climate starts to improve. Media groups across the board were hit by sharp declines in advertising...

Last call for PR entries to Music Week Awards. (News).
January 12, 2002... The countdown to this year's Music Week Awards, due to take place on March 7, has begun. The deadline for entries for the best PR campaign is March 24, while the deadline for the best marketing campaign (music release) falling the...

PPL and CRCA sign new copyright deal. (News).
January 12, 2002... PPL and the Commercial Radio Companies' Association (CRCA) have avoided the prospect of further bitter wrangling by reaching a deal to update their eight-year-old copyright agreement. The new two-year deal replaces 1993's contentious...

Queen honours music veterans. (news file).
January 12, 2002... Veteran British jazz figure Jeffrey Kruger has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours for services to the genre. Kruger formed the Flamingo Jazz Club in 1952, launched Ember Records and promoted acts including Tony Bennett,...

Sawhney wins R3 gong. (news file).
January 12, 2002... Nitin Sawhney, Manu Chao and Susheela Raman were among the winners of Radio Three's inaugural Awards For World Music, which will be marked with a poll winners' concert at Hackney's Ocean venue on January 28. Sawhney took the boundary crossing...

Atlantic 252 ceases broadcasting. (news file).
January 12, 2002... Dublin-based long wave music radio broadcaster Atlantic 252 finally stopped broadcasting last week following its $2m (1.4m [pounds sterling]) acquisition by TEAMTalk 252. The station, which launched 11 years ago, has Row been relaunched as a...

Channelfly seeks fresh funding. (news file).
January 12, 2002... Music and media group Channelfly is to call an extraordinary general meeting on January 22 in a bid to raise 450,000 [pounds sterling] working capital. The company intends to issue 6m new shares to a number of investors including existing...

MU plans rule change ballot. (news file).
January 12, 2002... The Musicians' Union will introduce a rule change ballot this month to pave the way for the election of a new general secretary and chairman of the body's executive committee and bring itself into line with existing union legislation. One rule...

Worldpop set for revamp. (news file).
January 12, 2002... Interactive marketing services group Worldpop, which was acquired by mobile services provider iTouch at the end of last year, is planning a relaunch in the second quarter of this year in a bid to extend its links with record companies and...

Mediawave wins new backing. (news file).
January 12, 2002... Streamed-media service provider MediaWave is set to continue operating after a cash injection from unnamed private investors and investment capital firms. The Derby-based company, which was forced into administration in December and closed its...

Let's hear for sensible deals. (MW Comment).
January 12, 2002... Armchair A&R is fun -- so it's no wonder that it remains one of the favourite hobbies of people across the business. You get to pick all the hits and pontificate about how you would develop new acts into long-term career artists. And all...

Targeting the mainstream. (WEBBO).
January 12, 2002... 2001 -- it was a strange year. The record industry was in a state of flux not knowing what the new year would bring and reacting in typical fashion by laying off staff and classic short-term thinking when budgets have to be met. As I said...

Britney to attend Midem to push film launch. (News).
January 12, 2002... Britney Spears is to play a prominent role at this month's Midem conference with the launch in Cannes of her first film and a performance at the NRJ Awards that coincide with the event. The Jive-signed artist plans to hold a press...

Eagle Rock set for buying spree after buy-out deal. (News).
January 12, 2002... Eagle Rock claims it will have around 1m [pounds sterling] to spend each month after striking a 34m [pounds sterling] deal with equity specialists HgCapital to buy out Edel's majority stake in the group. During the past year, Eagle Rock...

Ulf-Hansen quits BMI for go-it-alone venture. (News).
January 12, 2002... BMI's director of UK writer/publisher relations Christian Ulf-Hansen is leaving the organisation to develop his own private publishing and management businesses. Ulf-Hansen, who has worked for BMI for almost nine years, says he intends to...

China relaxes its rules to let foreign companies move in. (News).
January 12, 2002... The ability -- and willingness -- of UK record companies and retail chains to gain a foothold in China will take a significant step forward this week following an "unexpected" move to encourage foreign companies to establish businesses there...

Labels pin hopes on diverse list of signings: record labels are struggling to achieve chart breakthroughs with developing acts. Time to take a reality check. (A & R Analysis).
January 12, 2002... Looking back at the emerging trends of the last 12 months, 2001 could easily be considered a vintage year for emerging genres of music. UK garage, nu-metal and "chill-out" all fought their way into the consciousness of the music-consuming...

The Chemical Brothers: Star Guitar. (Single of the week 1).
January 12, 2002... THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: Star Guitar (Virgin CHEMSD14). After the formulaic. sounding Top 10 hit It Began in Afrika -- never planned as a single -- the Chores return to form with this balearic-flavoured release from their fourth album Come With...

A1: Caught In The Middle. (Single of the week 2).
January 12, 2002... A1: Caught in The Middle (Columbia 6722322-5-4). This is a conscious shift in direction for the pop four piece which deserves to see the group rewarded for a brave move. While this track was produced by Mike Hedges, the sound is more Natalie...

Pink: Get The Party Started. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... JANUARY 14 [RECOMMENDED] PINK: Got The Party Started (LaFace/Arista 74321 913372). An original slice of spiky pop, this single showcases Pink's development into a unique talent, following the more predictable R&B sound of her earlier material....

Allstars: The Land Of Make Believe. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... ALLSTARS: The Land Of Make Believe (Universal Island CIDD1791). This is a sickly-sweet cover for the under-eights of Bucks Fizz's 1981 hit. Allstars are currently in the studio filming the second series of their TV show, which will be aired...

P Diddy Feat. The Neptunes: Diddy. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... [RECOMMENDED] P DIDDY FEAT. THE NEPTUNES: Diddy (Arista 74321 911652). The Diddy Man's laidback flow fuses with an absurdly simplistic hook to produce a lightweight hip-hop package that is as polished and accessible as ever. B-listed at Radio...

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Love Burns. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB: Love Burns (Virgin VUSCD234). As the hype surrounding this Los Angeles-based three-piece starts filling column inches in the music press, the band set out to promote their debut album and UK tour with this, their...

Dirt Devils: The Drill. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... JANUARY 21 DIRT DEVILS: The Drill (NuLife 74321 915262). With NuLife currently scoring high on the hits, this distinctive track should add to the label's seamless run of success, partly thanks to a B-listing from Radio One. The team behind the...

Sarah MacLachlan: Angel. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... RECOMMENDED] SARAH MACLACHLAN: Angel (Nettwerk 331482). One of MacLachlan's finest moments is revived following the recent cover by her BMG labelmates Westlife, as showcased at Record Of The Year 2001. While MacLachlan's version is unlikely to...

KACI: I Think I Love You. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... KACI: I Think I Love You (Curb CUBED76). Now that Britney Spears has finally left her teenage years behind, this youngster strains at the leash to take her place. Kaci has already scored a hit with the latin-tinged Tu Amor, which reached the...

E-VOKE: Arms Of Loren. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... [RECOMMENDED] E-VOKE: Arms Of Loren (Inferno FERN001). Ferry Corsten provides a storming new radio edit of this melodic dance track, which was originally issued on Manifesto. The lan Van Dahl-style remix has already been a club hit and is now...

LORIEN: Ghostlost. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... LORIEN: Ghostlost (Instant Karma KARMA16CD). This Italian/Icelandic outfit's folk-tinged debut, Shivering Sun, attracted unreserved praise from NME and the Evening Standard. This melancholic, guitar-drenched song is an altogether weightier...

Haven: Say Something. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... [RECOMMENDED] HAVEN: Say Something (Radiate RDT4). After a number of low-key grassroots single releases, it is time for Haven to pull out their killer tune. Their timing is looking good with Radio One already on board with a C-listing. The...

Incubus: I Wish You Were Here. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... [RECOMMENDED] INCUBUS: I Wish You Were Here (Epic 6722555249). The first single to be taken from Incubus's recent Top 20 album Morning View demonstrates the growing appeal of the act's neatly-crafted rock. The single ties in with a UK tour...

Sneaker Pimps: Sick. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... SNEAKER PIMPS: Sick (Tommy Boy TBCD1532). Fresh from an international tour with Placebo, the Pimps release their first single on Tommy Boy, which is taken from their third album, Bloodsport. Sick restores founder member Chris Corner to the...

Afroman: Crazy Rap. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... AFROMAN: Crazy Rap (Universal Island MCSTDJ40273). Following his number one smash Because I Got High, Afroman returns with yet more hip-hop-flavoured japes. Although this new track could well edge into the Top 20, it is unlikely to repeat the...

Britney Spears: Overprotected. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... BRITNEY SPEARS: Overprotected (Zomba 9253072). Despite sounding much more like the Britney of old, this track contains distinct traces of the raunchy maturity showcased in I'm A Slave 4 U. With a B-listing at Radio One, the pop princess should...

George Harrison: My Sweet Lord. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... GEORGE HARRISON: My Sweet Lord (Parlophone CDR6571). In tribute to the legendary ex-Beatle's life and musical legacy, Harrison's classic 1971 number one receives a deserved reissue. Arguably the most poignant and moving track from his...

NAS: Got Ur Self A ... (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... NAS: Got Ur Self A... (Columbia 6723026/2). Nas has set himself a near-impossible goal with latest album Stillmatic -- living up to the greatness of his debut long-player, Illmatic. This Radio One B-listed single will not set the world on fire...

Skinny: Coming Up Roses. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... SKINNY: Coming Up Roses (Cheeky/BMG CHEEKYCD015). Lifted from Skinny's cracking second album Taller, this ode to self-confidence typifies their melodic, louche style. Backed by a previously unreleased Fatboy Slim remix of Friday (Going Out), it...

JA Rule Feat. Ashanti Douglas: Always On Time. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... JA RULE FEAT. ASHANTI DOUGLAS: Always On Time (Def Jam LC08427). This exceedingly radio-friendly slice of lightweight rap will fare well after J-Lo generously introduced Ja to the European market. It is A-listed at Radio One.

ENYA: May It Be. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... ENYA: May It Be (WEA WEA341CD). This massively successful chanteuse's latest single hardly diverts from the expected blueprint, hardly surprising if one considers that this familiar sound has led to the latest album (A Day Without Rain) selling...

De Nada: Bring It On To My Love. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... DE NADA: Bring It On To My Love (Wildstar CDWILD39). The 20-year-old lead singer in the group, Nadia Brewer, can already boast a place alongside Craig David and Melanie Blatt on Artful Dodger's debut album. Basic, tuneful pop fare with a faint...

Stella Browne: Never Knew Love. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... STELLA BROWNE: Never Knew Love (Perfecto PERF2GCDS). Despite its Chic-style sound, this classy track from disco dons Julian Jonah and Danny Harrison is 100% sample-free. Following their hit Every Woman Needs Love, this MW Club Chart-topper...

JAM & Spoon Feta. Rea: Be.Angeled. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... JAM & SPOON FEAT. REA: Be.Angeled (NuLife 74321878992). The German trance veterans recruit Irish rocker Reamonn Garvey for vocals on this gentle U2-style track. Hive & Hammer, Sound Express and Paul Van Dyk provide the inevitable trance...

ATFC: Sleep Talk. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... ATFC: Sloop Talk (Defected DFECT43CD). This house update of Alyson Williams' 1988 R&B tour de force boasts sassy vocals from Lisa Millett. Plays from Radio One's Pete Tong could help it cross over to the mainstream.

Hell Is For Heroes: You Drove Me To It. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... HELL IS FOR HEROES: You Drove Me To It (EMI:Chryselis CDWISH003). The two ex-members of Symposium and their mates' second single cranks up the chunky riffs, spits out discontented vocals and shows that the Brits can rock just as hard as any US...

Lo-Fidelity Allstars: Sleeping Faster. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... LO-FIDELITY ALLSTARS: Sleeping Faster (Skint SKINT 75). This is a bombastic return to the fray for the raggedy band of big-beat survivors who, despite various personnel changes, are poised to unleash their second album. Sleeping Faster is a...

Spiller: Cry Baby. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... [RECOMMENDED] SPILLER: Cry Baby (Positiva CDTIV163). Cry Baby is the long-awaited follow-up to Spiller's massive 2000 hit Groovejet and is doomed to be compared unfavourably to it. However, the track has a quirky appeal with odd treated vocals...

Garbage: Cherry Lips. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... GARBAGE: Cherry Ups (Mushroom TRASH40). Shirley Manson and Butch Vig venture into the depths of pop territory, moving ever further away from their grunge roots. This, the second single from their acclaimed third album Beautifulgarbage, is...

Mercury Rev: The Dark Is Rising. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... MERCURY REV: The Dark Is Rising (V2 VVR5018718). Currently on tour in the US, these darlings of the music press release the second single from their silver album All Is Dream. Sweeping string arrangements, together with Jonathan Donahue's...

Super Furry Animals: It's Not The End Of The World. (Single reviews).
January 12, 2002... SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: It's Not The End Of The World (Epic 6721756/ 2/9). The third single from the Welsh wizards' rapturously-received fifth album, Rings Around the World, this track confirms once again that the Super Furries are one of the most...

The official UK singles chart top 75.
January 12, 2002... CHART COMMENTARY Three weeks after ceding pole position to Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman, Daniel Bedingfield's Gotta Get Thru This returns to number one -- but it is a fairly hollow victory, with paltry sales of little more than...

The official UK albums chart top 75.
January 12, 2002... CHART COMMENTARY Robbie Williams' Swing When You're Winning tops the chart for the seventh time in a row despite its week-on-week sales slumping by 74% last week to 47,000, compared to an overall slide of 47% in artist album sales over the...

The official charts.
January 12, 2002... sinGles 2 1 GOTTA GET THRU THIS Daniel Bedingfield Relentless/DnD 4 2 MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR Polydor Sophie Ellis-Bextor 1 3...

The official UK singles chart: 29 December 2001.
January 12, 2002... SINGLES Title Label CD/Cass Artist (Producer) (Distributor) This Last Wks Publisher (Writer) 7"/12" ***** 1...

The official UK albums chart: 29 December 2001.
January 12, 2002... Title Label/CD (Distributor) This Last Wks Artist (Producer) Cass/Vinyl/MD *** 1 1 5 SWING WHEN YOU'RE Chrysalis 5368262 (E) ...

The official UK singles chart: 5 January 2002.
January 12, 2002... Title Label CD/Cass Artist (Producer) (Distributor) This Last Wks Publisher (Writer) 7"/12" 1 1 ...

The official UK albums charts: 5 January 2002.
January 12, 2002... Label/CD Title (Distributor) This Last Wks Artist (Producer) Cass/Vinyl/MD 1 1 6 ...

All the charts exposure.
January 12, 2002... CHART COMMENTARY Daniel Bedingfield scores a remarkable double this week, reclaiming both sales and airplay crowns from Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman's Somethin' Stupid. Bedingfield climbed to the top of the airplay chart in our last...

The official UK airplay charts top 50.
January 12, 2002... THE OFFICIAL UK AIRPLAY CHARTS TOP 50 Weeks Position on on sales This Last chart chart 1 2 11 1 GOTTA GET THRU THIS * 2 3 8 2 MURDER...

The official UK charts specialists.
January 12, 2002... CLASSICAL ARTIST This Last Title Artist Label (Distributor) 1 1 ENCORE Russell Watson Decca 4703002 (U) 2 2 THE VOICE Russell Watson Decca 04672512 (U) 3 ...

Conductors take a bow in new EMI series. (Classical news).
January 12, 2002... Careful attention to back catalogue has paid dividends for EMI Classics in recent years, with collectors and critics taking to the label's Great Recordings Of The Century and British Composers series. The latest catalogue line, presented...

Ruders tipped for composer award. (Classical news).
January 12, 2002... Danish composer Poul Ruders is to receive the Living Composer Award at this year's Cannes Classical Awards, presented at Midem on January 20, 2002 in the Salle Debussy of the Palais des Festival in Cannes. The premiere recording of Ruders'...

LA BELLE IMMAGINI: Arias by Mozart, Gluck, Myslivecek. Kozena, Prague Philharmonia/Swierczewski. (Album of the week).
January 12, 2002... LA BELLE IMMAGINI: Arias by Mozart, Gluck, Myslivecek. Kozena, Prague Philharmonia/Swierczewski (Deutsche Grammophon 472 334-2). "I'm really very careful with what I'm singing," says Magdalena Kozena (pictured), "since there's no reason to do...

Piazzolla: Tangazo. Orchestre Symphonique du Montreal/Dutoit. (Reviews: for records released up to January 14 2002).
January 12, 2002... PIAZZOLLA: Tangazo. Orchestre Symphonique du Montreal/Dutoit (Decca 468 528-2). Astor Piazzolla's fan-base has grown in recent years thanks to the Argentine composer's popularity among Classic FM listeners and the advocacy of classical...

Schnittke: Choir Concerto; Minnesang; Voices of Nature. Holst Singers/Layton. (Reviews: for records released up to January 14 2002).
January 12, 2002... SCHNITTKE: Choir Concerto; Minnesang; Voices of Nature. Holst Singers/Layton (Hyperion CDA67297). Stephen Layton's abilities as a choral trainer and conductor have been recognised with a Gramophone Award and a series of prestigious...

A. Scarlatti: Bella Madre De' Fiori; Poi Che Riseppe Orfeo; Correa Nel Seno Amato. Kiehr, Concerto Soave/Aymes. (Reviews: for records released up to January 14 2002).
January 12, 2002... A. SCARLATTI: Bella Madre De' Fiori; Poi Che Riseppe Orfeo; Correa Nel Seno Amato. Kiehr, Concerto Soave/Aymes (Harmonia Mundi HMC 901725). Professor Reinhard Strohm paints a picture of aristocratic luxury in the notes accompanying this disc,...

New releases -- for week starting January 14, 2001.
January 12, 2002... RECOMMENDED CATALOGUE NEW RELEASES TOM JONES: Loaded (RPM 234) The veteran vocalist is in fine voice on this collection, which is subtitled The Brassed Up Funked Out Club Sides and includes his unique and contemporaneous take on pop and...

Brits to mark its global stars.
January 19, 2002... A trio of UK-signed acts who collectively sold 16m albums across the world in 2001 are set to head the nominations list at tonight's (Monday) Brit Awards launch. Dido, Gorillaz and Kylie Minogue are all expected to scoop multiple...

Aaliyah's single More Than A Woman was yesterday (Sunday) battling to become the UK's first posthumous solo number one since Freddie Mercury's Living On My Own in 1993 after narrowly running ahead of Puretone's Addicted To Bass in the midweeks.
January 19, 2002... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Aaliyah's single More Than A Woman was yesterday (Sunday) battling to become the UK's first posthumous solo number one since Freddie Mercury's Living On My Own in 1993 after narrowly running ahead of...

New BBC digital channel to feature Top 40.
January 19, 2002... A new Sunday night chart show will occupy a prime-slot on one of the two digital TV channels aimed at children being launched by the BBC next month. The Official UK Top 40 on CBBC will be a live programme broadcast in conjunction with...

Investment service to launch at Midem.
January 19, 2002... A new match-making company, which aims to pair investors and music businesses seeking funding, is set to launch at Midem next week. Music Business Angels (MBA) will assess the prospects of companies looking to raise finance of between...

Fono's Talbot returns to MW in new executive editor role.
January 19, 2002... Former fono editor Martin Talbot has been appointed to the newly-created position of executive editor of Music Week. in his new role Talbot -- who first joined MW as a reporter more than 11 years ago -- will assume direct editorial...

Epic Records imprint Illustrious is poised to score its first significant hit with DB Boulevard's Point Of View, which is released on February 11.
January 19, 2002... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Epic Records imprint Illustrious is poised to score its first significant hit with DB Boulevard's Point Of View, which is released on February 11. The animated video (pictured) for the Italian-originated...

Retailers review policies on `declining' MiniDisc format. (News).
January 19, 2002... Leading music retailers are planning to review their stocking policy on the troubled MiniDisc format after fewer than 2,500 pre-recorded units were sold across the country during the peak Christmas week. With over-the-counter sales last...

MCS uses stock issue to boost US presence. (News).
January 19, 2002... Publishing group Music Copyright Solutions (MCS) plans to leave its Ofex issue open for a "few more weeks" to add to its acquisition fund, which was used last week to buy Nashville-based Copyright Management Inc (CMI). MCS chairman Brian...

MU-bucked scheme aims to prevent costly disputes. (News).
January 19, 2002... Costly music industry disputes could be a thing of the past with the launch of a new Musicians' Union-backed arbitration scheme. The MU is linking with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) to provide a confidential mediation and...

Jowell bolsters links with music industry. (News).
January 19, 2002... Culture secretary Tessa Jowell will boost her relationship with the music industry when she chairs a "wide-ranging" Music Industry Forum (MIF) meeting later this month. Jowell quickly sought to familiarise herself with the industry by...

Polydor keeps market share title. (news file).
January 19, 2002... Polydor has retained its dominant position across singles and albums for a second successive year by holding on to both sectors' annual market share crowns. The Universal company took an unbeatable 15.9% singles share over the year and 9.4% on...

Vizzavi restructures staffing. (news file).
January 19, 2002... Vizzavi, the internet joint venture between Vivendi Universal and Vodafone, announced 100 redundancies across Europe last Monday and the departure of its CEO Evan Newmark as part of a fundamental restructuring. Newmark will be replaced by Guy...