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Business News Labels & Publishers
British music grows in North America
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 14 April 2009
British music accounted for a tenth of US album sales last year, a rise from 8.5% in 2007. In Canada, British artists accounted for 15% of album sales, up from 12.5% the previous year. Albums from the likes of Coldplay, Radiohead, Duffy, Leona Lewis, Estelle and The Ting Tings in the North American market all helped with that growth.
Those stats come from record label trade body the BPI, whose Chairman Tony Wadsworth, told CMU: “Britain’s creative industries consistently excel on the world stage – with British music chief amongst them. After the US, we are the biggest exporter of repertoire, and in the US itself the UK is the second largest source of repertoire after US home grown artists. The increase in our North American market share reflects the UK’s enduring ability to create world-class artists”.
He continues: “One of the great things about the music business, is that the success of these artists will help other new acts break through. Revenues generated from sales abroad are crucially important for new acts, with UK labels reinvesting an estimated 20% of their revenues back into A&R”.
