FRANCO CHART-TOPPERS April 2004

The Return of Phoenix and The Gipsy Kings

Paris 

20/04/2004 - 

Two French groups have made an unexpected comeback in April. Rock and funk foursome Phoenix – forgotten after their 2001 hit If I Ever Feel Better – rise from the flames with a second album and The Gipsy Kings re-emerge with a new album entitled Roots.

Many people expected Phoenix to be a one-hit wonder, incapable of coming up with a follow-up to If I Ever Feel Better. The French foursome, who whip up an interesting mix of rock, funk, blues and hip hop, charted across Europe in 2001 with their unexpected hit single. But then Phoenix disappeared from the music spotlight and nothing more was heard from them until March 30^th this year when they re-emerged with a second album entitled Alphabetical (EMI). Run Run, the first single taken from the album, has received extensive airplay to date. And now the group, who have just completed a mini-tour of England, are making their way back up the charts with their album, reaching no.11 in Sweden, no.68 in Germany, no.72 in Italy and no.53 in Japan (in the charts compiled by the HMV stores).

The Gipsy Kings – the Gipsy guitarists from the south of France ‘discovered’ by Brigitte Bardot – have continued recording new songs over the years. But while the group’s international success has lasted thanks to best-selling compilation albums and mega-date tours, no-one seems to have been particularly interested in the group’s new songs at home. Now, however, the Gipsy Kings’ new album, Roots (released on Columbia on 23 March), looks set to make the group flavour of the month again. Roots has already made an impact on the international charts, kicking off its career at no.187 in the United States (where the group had not made it into America’s Top 200 since the success of Compas in 1997). Roots also reached no.42 in the Netherlands, no.168 in Japan (in the HMV charts) and no.9 in Estonia (in the charts compiled by the Pedro Beat record stores).

While Phoenix are undoubtedly the new French pop phenomenon of the moment, hip Versailles electro duo Air have established themselves as permanent major players on the international scene. The duo, who are currently out on tour, are still making waves with their latest album, Talkie Walkie (released on Source in January of this year). On a recent trawl through chart figures, Talkie Walkie was found at no.96 in the UK, no.190 in the US, no.61 in Australia, no.30 in Germany, no.55 in Austria, no.63 in Denmark, no.14 in Estonia, no.19 in Greece, no.44 in Ireland, no.21 in Italy, no.56 in the Netherlands, no.58 in the Czech Republic and no.71 in Switzerland. In Belgium Talkie Walkie reached no.28 in Flanders and no.34 in Wallonia.

From French Pop to Morna

Released on Mercury, Calogero’s third album 3, has taken French-speaking countries by storm, rocketing to n°1 in Wallonia and no.14 in Switzerland. This success has boosted sales of the singer’s second eponymous album, which recently clawed its way back up to no.12 in Wallonia and no.41 in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the new album from fund-raising celebrity collective Les Enfoirés, Les Enfoirés dans l'espace (BMG), recently reached no.1 in Wallonia and no.3 in Switzerland. As for French pop Lolita Lorie, she’s currently back in the music spotlight with a brand new album entitled Attitudes (Epic). In Canada, where the blonde Lolita has enjoyed gold disc status since her debut album, Attitudes recently reached no.52. Lorie’s album also made an impact in Wallonia (no.6) and Switzerland (no.59). Young Canadian music fans, especially those in Quebec, have also been going mad for France’s no.1 R&B duo Tragédie, catapulting the twosome’s album Sans retenue (Up Records) to no. 86 in the charts.

In Eastern Europe Patricia Kaas continues her career as the top-selling French artist of the moment. La Kaas’s transformation from ‘chanson’ diva to rock chick on the album Sexe fort (released on Columbia) has proved a big hit with fans in Russia (where it ranks as no.14 in the Bolero record stores) and Poland (no.21 in the official Top 50). Sexe fort continues to generate impressive sales in French-speaking countries, too, reaching no.43 in Wallonia and no.94 in Switzerland. Meanwhile, Pascal Obispo has been enjoying great success with his new double album, Live Fan/Studio Fan (Epic), which recently rocketed to no.1 in Wallonia and no.9 in Switzerland. But it is the Quebecois star Garou who ranks alongside Patricia Kaas as the artist with the best export sales for an album in French. Released over six months ago now, sales of Reviens (Columbia) have not yet echoed the phenomenal success of Seul (which sold over 2 million copies). But Reviens has nevertheless maintained its chart status in Canada (no.56), Poland (no.36), Wallonia (no.30) and Switzerland (no.81).

Following his chart success in Venezuela in March, globe-trotting French pianist Richard Clayderman has struck a chord with Italian fans. The Richard Clayderman Collection (released on Universal) reached no.52 in the Italian charts at the start of April. Meanwhile, Les Triplettes de Belleville (Virgin) maintains its position as the best-selling French film soundtrack abroad. The album recently rocketed to no.1 in the world music chart compiled by American music magazine Billboard and no.33 in the Canadian charts.

Of all the world music artists produced in France, Cape Verdean diva Cesaria Evora remains not only the most symbolic but also the top-selling export in this category. Last month, the barefoot diva’s latest album Voz d'amor (Lusafrica/RCA) maintained its chart success in Poland (no.26), Venezuela (no.24), Wallonia (no.85), Flanders (no.88) and Estonia (no.54). The queen of morna’s Best Of compilation also reached no.38 in the Greek Top 50 while another Cesaria compilation, Club Sodade, reached no.14 in Billboard’s world music chart in the States.

Gilles  Rio

Translation : Julie  Street