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MAJOR LABELS MAKE A $2m DONATION TO JAPAN RELIEF

RadioPlayer plans to switch listeners onto online platforms

UK RADIOPLAYER WANTS TO TAKE ONLINE RADIO listening beyond the PC and onto iPads, mobiles and internet-connected TV.

The new platform launched last week with nearly 160 stations on board – including the BBC (whose Sony Award-nominated 6 Music presenter Jarvis Cocker is pictured here), Global Radio, GMG Radio, Absolute Radio – and a potential audience of around 3m listeners ready to tune in. UK

RadioPlayer managing director Michael Hill said he had big plans for the cross-industry initiative. One of these will be to extend beyond desktop PCs so that the service becomes a fixture on mobile phones and tablet PCs.

Hill also singled out internet-connected TV as a major opportunity for RadioPlayer, with the company serving as a content advisory partner on YouView, the internet-connected TV project from the BBC, Channel 4, Five, ITV, Arqiva, BT and TalkTalk.

“When YouView and connected broadcasting happens there will be a point of vulnerability and opportunity for radio,” added BBC director of audio and music Tim Davie. “My view is that radio is now match fit for the world of connected broadcasting.” • SEE FULL STORY ON PAGE 16

UK TOPPLED FROM POSITION AS WORLD’S THIRD LARGEST MUSIC MARKET

Germany overtakes UK market

INTERNATIONAL ■ BY BEN CARDEW/MICHAEL GUBBINS

LOW DIGITAL PENETRATION, a resilient CD market and a stable economy helped Germany overtake the UK as the world’s third largest music market in 2010. IFPI’s global music survey Recording Industry In Numbers 2011,

shows a general decline in sales with only three major markets reporting growth – South Korea (up 11.7%); India (+16.5%) and Mexico (+0.9%).

European markets all showed decline but Germany’s relatively small drop of 4.1% in trade value to $1.41bn was enough to push it past the UK for the first time in more than a decade.

A Music Week special report today talks to leading figures in the German industry and shows how robust consumer demand, particularly for local-language music, and a slower fall in physical products have been factors in slowing decline.

Germany has also been slow in the establishment of digital business, which represents just 13% of the market in value terms, some way behind the leaders in Europe. The figures ask questions about longer-

term prospects, particularly given that the big global advance is in South Korea, where growth is coming on the back of a digital advance, with 55% of revenues from the digital sector – more than in any other top 20 music market. ben/mike@musicweek.com

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See pages 4–5 for the full report...

“Everyone was extremely supportive and encouraging, it just seemed like the obvious thing to do...” JOHN REID, WARNER EUROPE

THE FOUR MUSIC MAJORS WILL THIS week donate $2m to the Japanese Red Cross to help relief efforts in Japan.

The money will be an advance on sales of the Songs For Japan album, a unique compilation featuring music from all four majors, released on iTunes late last month and physically tomorrow (Tuesday).

The album sold 200,000 copies in its first three days of release, topping iTunes charts in 18 countries.

The $2m donation reflects the initial global sales of the album, with all artists, labels, writers, publishers and iTunes agreeing to waive their royalties.

Universal Music International COO Max Hole, who led the release alongside Columbia/Epic Label Group chairman Rob Stringer, Warner Music Europe CEO John Reid and EMI North America COO Colin Finkelstein, said speed was of the utmost importance in putting together the album, which went from idea to reality in less than 72 hours.

Meanwhile, problems with artist availability have forced Live Nation to cancel its plans for a major arena concert in the UK this month to raise funds for disaster relief activity in Japan. • SEE FULL STORY ON PAGE 7