IFPI 1st half 2002: music sales figures

[jon]

Just in from the Int'l Federation of the Phonographic Industry...overall music sales for the first half of 2002 compared to the same period the year before, by country:

Worldwide: -9.2%

USA: -6.8%
Japan: -14.2%
UK: (no figures given in the article)
France: +5.2%
Germany: -14.2%
Asia (except Japan): -22%
Australia+NZ: -6.4%
Africa: +16.9%
Mexico: -15%
Brazil: +7.1%
Argentina: -75.9%

"France maintained its positive sales trend, leap-frogging Germany in the process and bringing France close to third-ranked U.K. market figures." Source: Billboard, 19 October 2002.

Corrections? Anybody have the UK figures, or those of other countries not mentioned? Why is France the only market of the top five doing well?

Comments?

[C.Lambrechts]

Interesting figures Jon ....


Argentina makes sence, since that country is going through economical disaster. As for France ........ hmmm .... I do know that France has a law about airplay for French productions. Like during Prime Time at least ?? % needs to be French productions and overal needs to be ??% .... not sure about the exact percentages but I do know they are way high compared to other european countries. In Belgium for example (there is no law whatsoever concerning these things) radio averages only 7 or 8 % Belgian productions.

Anyhow ... I doubt that has something to do with the increase in sales unless they only reflect national productions ... but since they don't ..... not sure ....

[jon]

It's more fun to play with gear than it is to think about how the music business is faring...

...but with 1000+ views on mic pres, 2000+ views on the tape sucks thread, and only 28 here...it's a pretty large imbalance, methinks.

Are you guys feeling the recession? Or is it business as usual?

[Jules]

"Why is France the only market of the top five doing well?"

Perhaps it's all that accordian music!



Yeh, the nationalistic airplay law springs to mind. Perhaps it's a BACKLASH against it. Perhaps people feel they can't listen to the radio, so have to BUY their own music!

Jon do you know the audience stats for French radio sinced they passed those laws? Perhaps a lot of listeners switched off and ran to the stores instead?

[jon]

At first I was really against that law mandating 40% of local language programming...many radio stations playing modern rock or alt-rock formats had to switch to a different format due to a lack of national artists in those genres, which were dominated by anglo-american acts.

Notably, in Paris, Skyrock (which really ought to be called Skyrap now), Fun Radio, and NRG, among others.

However, I believe the law also required that a minimum amount of new artists had to be played...now, I'm simplifying the issue hugely...but it enormously stimulated production and sales of national acts. Record company investment in local production just exploded in the second half of the 90s, and local repertoire went from roughly one-third to well over half of music sales.

Jules, what are UK sales doing this year?

[nick]

Hi Jon

UK 2nd quarter sales were down 15% ! compared to last year.

Although apparently due to the world cup:

http://www.bpi.co.uk/stats/Trade_Del_Q2-02.pdf

or go to the BPI website and click on statistics.

[Volodia]

France has kept its sales up because we have a very active local music market and the musicals have been a big boost in that . I receive the french charts every week and the "albums sales" and the "french albums sales" are almost identical for the top 20 . Biggest album sales are always french products (exept for Celine Dion but only when she sings french songs) . It could have to do with the 40% on the radio but I think it has more to do with the tradition of french songs for which the lyrics are very important .The audience wants to understand the words . This audience as well is not just the youngsters and it's less affected by copying and downloading (not a lot of french songs to download anyway).Genres like hip hop were more affected by copying and when you look at the top 50 for the first 2 quarters of 2002 there are no rap albums (Mc Solaar is there but he touches a larger audience than just the hip hop public) . I've heard stories of guys coming out of a supermarket with one rap album that had just been released and a trolley (is it correct?) full of blank CD's . the fact the majors are only targeting younger audiences (who are not very stable and used to copying and downloading) might be a reason of the market going down in other countries .

[Jules]

"the fact the majors are only targeting younger audiences (who are not very stable and used to copying and downloading) might be a reason of the market going down in other countries .
"
Good point

[jon]

Thanks, Nick. Wow... down 15% is bad.

Volodia, thanks for your post. I'm curious what French music press do you prefer...Music Info?

It does seem to me that the share of local product sales has progressed very considerably since the quotas began...whether the two variables are linked is another question.

Is anybody feeling the crunch in terms of production budgets, or fewer projects?

[C.Lambrechts]

I wish Belgium would handle a 40 % minimum local repertoire , even during prime time alone .... I am 100% convinced that it would not only boost sales of local repertoire but especially make it easier for local projects to work with a real life budget and not with peanuts like they have to now. Average production cost (studio time / session musicians) in Belgium for a single is between 1000 $ and 1500$ MAX. for a full album, even as a known artist you have to give the A&R 25 blow jobs to get 8k or 9k. Very few get budgets over that.