January 2005 - Platinum Europe Awards

February 4, 2005

As 2005 kicks off, one album receives a triple Platinum Award, whilst three albums achieve their first Platinum Awards - including the first French-language album of the year.

Calogero has established himself as a major player in the French music scene and his third album 3 sees no change in his employment of France's crème de la crème songwriters, Alana Filippi, Lionel Florence and Patrice Guirao, with a new addition in French rap star Passi. With its mix of pop, rock and rap, 3 achieved its first million sales across Europe earning Calogero a Platinum Europe Award.

Debut album Unwritten showcases Natasha Bedingfield's musical diversity as the release embraces multiple music genres - from beautifully plucked acoustics and sweeping strings through to crisp hip-hop rhythms. Containing the two hit single release Single and These Words, Unwritten receives its first Platinum Europe Award.

Released in November 2004, Best: 1991 - 2004 features Seal's biggest tunes over the past thirteen years including Crazy, Killer and Kiss From A Rose. Best: 1991 - 2004 sold a million copies across Europe and gained its first Platinum Europe Award notching up a third Platinum Europe Award for Seal.

The Platinum Collection is a 51 track triple-CD anthology that charts the phenomenal success that was Queen. The album has gone multi-platinum, platinum and gold in 14 European countries and achieved 3 x Platinum Europe Awards in January.

For further information contact
Nisha Gohil, IFPI Communications Department
Tel: +44 (0)20 7878 7900