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Platinum Europe: Review 1996-2001

SEE ALSO
Platinum Europe Awards - Summary 1996 to present
Platinum Albums by Artist, Region and Country

UK artists and European repertoire are the success stories of platinum Europe; Céline Dion tops qualifying artists

Cannes, January 20, 2002 - The first long-term analysis of the music industry's major sales award for Europe highlights the extraordinary success over the last six years of both UK and European artists. But it is Canada's Céline Dion who soars above all other artists who have qualified for IFPI's Platinum Europe Award since 1996.

Highlights Of The Six-Year Review

  • Céline Dion is by far and away Europe's top multi-million-selling artist. Her eight album titles have achieved 33 Platinum Europe Awards over the six years, nearly twice as many as Madonna who is next in line at 17.

  • Italy's Andrea Bocelli has been the most successful European artist in terms of the number of album titles (6) to reach one million sales - followed by the UK's Sting (5) and Ireland's the Corrs (5).

  • More than 65% of all million-selling albums in the region carry European repertoire. After the UK, Germany is the European country with the highest number of Platinum-qualifying titles (26), ahead of France (24), Ireland (22) and Italy (21).

  • Ireland has amassed a high level of Platinum Awards (48 in total) with relatively few million-selling album titles (22). Ireland has two artists in the list of top 10 Platinum Award winners (the Corrs and U2) - the same number as the US.

  • Germany, by contrast with Ireland, has a large number of Platinum-qualifying album titles but a much lower number of actual Awards. German artists have achieved more million-selling titles but accumulated less multi-Platinum Awards. This reflects their greater success in the domestic market than across borders.

  • Of the 723 Platinum Europe Awards that have been won in the last six years, more than one in three of them (248) has gone to a British act (a total of 143 different albums). The Spice Girls top the list of European million-sellers (13), followed by Robbie Williams (12), Oasis (12) and George Michael (11).

  • US artists rank second over all, both in terms of the total number of Platinum Awards achieved and the number of album title to hit one million sales. Two US artists feature in the top ten Platinum Europe Award winners - Madonna (17) and Bon Jovi (13).

For further information please contact: Adrian Strain, Fiona Harley,
IFPI Communications, tel: +44 (0)20 7878 7900