 |
  |
FRANCO CHART-TOPPERS July 2004
Francis Cabrel and Youssou N’Dour Lead Export Sales
Paris
27/07/2004 -
First up in the summer sun is Francis Cabrel. Last month, the veteran French ‘chanson’ star established a major lead in the international chart race, beating off stiff competition from his rivals. While Cabrel is struggling to equal sales of his previous albums (owing to the economic downturn in the music industry), his popularity does not seem to have suffered any knocks. Cabrel’s latest offering, Les Beaux dégâts, released on Columbia in May this year, maintained its chart status in June, holding onto the no.1 spot in the album charts in France and Wallonia and making it to no.15 in Switzerland, no.25 in Canada and no.99 in Flanders.
Kicking up the sand just behind Cabrel comes Isabelle Boulay, the latest diva to emerge from Quebec. Ms. Boulay, whose latest album, Tout un jour, is doing well in the charts abroad, has carved out a niche for herself on the French music scene alongside her compatriots Céline Dion, Lynda Lemay and Natasha St-Pier. Her career has taken off in other French-speaking countries, too. Indeed, Tout un jour (recently released on the V2 label) is still hanging on in the Francophone album charts, ranking at no.3 in Wallonia, no.21 in Canada and no.47 in Switzerland.
Belgian ‘punk’ rocker Arno has always been in a class of his own – and, should you have any doubt of that, just take a listen to his latest album, French Bazaar! The latter is currently selling well in Arno’s homeland, but the Belgian star appears to have divided the country in two. While French Bazaar has rocketed to the no.1 spot in Flanders (a rare feat for an album where most of the songs are in French!), it appears to have gone down less well in French-speaking Wallonia, where it has not climbed higher than no.4 in the charts.
Meanwhile, Jenifer – the winner of France’s first series of Star Academy – is back in the music news with her second album, Le Passage (Mercury). Jenifer’s album has scored a big hit with teen fans in Wallonia and Switzerland, reaching no.4 and no.41 in the respective charts. Teenage music fans are also tuning into French rap via Booba and Rohff. Booba’s album, Panthéon (recently released on Barclay), may not have earned its author a permanent position in the rap pantheon, but it has, at least, catapulted him to no.29 in the charts in Wallonia and no.91 in Switzerland. As for Rohff, his latest offering, La Fierté des nôtres (newly released on Hostile/Delabel), has crept into the album charts in Wallonia at no.37.
While, on the whole, mainstream French album releases appear to have made little impact on the charts abroad, Dany Brillant has been flying the flag for French music in Cuba and Italy. The singer, who has always had a penchant for the 50s, goes retro on his latest album, Jazz à la Nouvelle Orléans (recently released on Columbia). So far, Brillant’s album has reached no.21 in Wallonia. We feel it could do slightly better than that, however, if monsieur Brillant keeps plugging away. Meanwhile, little has been heard from intellectual French rocker Alain Bashung since his last studio album, L’Imprudence, released two years ago now. Bashung fans will have to content themselves with a live CD of his latest tour, La Tournée des grands espaces, for now. However, the CD, released on Barclay, has so far failed to climb beyond no.40 in the charts in Wallonia. Doing slightly better than Bashung, France’s favourite celebrity couple, Benjamin Biolay and Chiara Mastroianni, are currently causing a stir with their joint album, Home (released on Virgin). The sought-after singer/producer songwriter and his actress wife recently reached no.38 in the charts in Wallonia.
Want to know the surprise success story of the month? Then you’ll have to venture beyond French-speaking borders to Hungary. After having sold hundreds of thousands tickets at the box-office and racked up sales of over 1 million albums since 2001, the hit French musical Roméo et Juliette continues its European conquest. The musical, for which Gérard Presgurvic wrote both the libretto and the score, has attracted new fans in Hungary where the studio version recently rocketed into the Top 40 at no.16.
Meanwhile, Russian music fans continue to support their favourite French group Les Hurlements d’Léo, sending the band’s latest album to no.55 in the Top 100 compiled by the Bolero record stores. Also doing well in the Bolero charts are Paris mon amour (a pick’n’mix compilation of French sounds still ranking at no.46) and Quebecois singer Garou, whose latest album Reviens is still at no. 95 (and no.72 in Wallonia).
Over in Japan, it’s French female singers who have the upper hand right now. Following the success of Lolita popstress Alizée, former supermodel Carla Bruni is now making it big in the Land of the Rising Sun. Ms. Bruni’s debut album, Quelqu’un m’a dit (Naïve), has been critically acclaimed in Europe and now finds itself at no.159 in the charts compiled by the HMV stores in Japan. Meanwhile, Quelqu’un m’a dit is still hanging on in the Belgian charts (ranking at no.52 in Wallonia).
And, last but definitely not least, veteran French ‘chanson’ star Charles Aznavour is still making an impact beyond French borders. The energetic octogenarian has notched up so many classics in the course of his impressively long career that his ‘Best of’ compilations have become regular fixtures in the international charts. Aznavour’s current ‘greatest hits’ album, The Platinum Collection (EMI), is selling particularly well in Wallonia and Italy right now, having reached no.11 and no. 26 in the respective charts.
Dancefloor Grooves and World Hits
Summer, as all disco addicts know, is also the ideal time for strutting your stuff on the dancefloor. And who should we find spearheading the French dance movement right now but club king David Guetta? The hippest French DJ of the moment is currently making waves with his latest album, Guetta Blaster. Recently released on the Virgin label, Guetta Blaster is riding high in the charts in Switzerland (no.45) and Wallonia (no.56). As for Guetta’s turntable compatriot, Dimitri From Paris, he’s currently taking southern Europe by storm. Dimitri’s latest album, Cruising Attitude, recently cruised up the Italian charts to no.62. Meanwhile, rock’n’synth outfit Phoenix have broken the ice in Scandinavia. The group’s latest album, Alphabetical, recently reached no.22 in the Norwegian charts.
French electronica continues to do well across the Atlantic, too, with Ravin at the controls of the sixth Buddha Bar compilation. The compilation, recently released on George V Records, has climbed to no.23 in the "electronic albums" chart compiled by leading American music magazine Billboard. The only French act to have bettered Ravin’s performance are Versailles duo Air, whose latest album Talkie Walkie (Source), made it to no.10 in the same chart. Meanwhile, Russian music fans have been reviving French disco classics from the past. A compilation by French disco stars Space has soared up Bolero’s Top 100, reaching no.39. (For those of you too young to remember the 70s, Space’s single, Magic Fly, was a huge European hit in 1977, rocketing to no.1 in Germany and Switzerland, no.2 in the UK and no. 3 in Norway. It also made it big in Africa, making the no.1 spot in South Africa and Zimbabwe).
Those for whom summer is inevitably bound up with travel are well served this season, too, with Cape Verde, Senegal and Egypt ranking as music’s top destinations. Cesaria Evora, Cape Verde’s undisputed queen of morna, recently charted in Denmark, reaching no.46 with her ‘greatest hits’ compilation Anthology. The barefoot diva also made it to no.38 in the Venezuelan charts with Café Atlantico (an old album from her back catalogue, originally released on Lusafrica in 1999).
Meanwhile, Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour sought inspiration in the Land of the Pharaohs for his new album, Egypt (WEA). Youssou’s album of devotional Islamic songs recently climbed to no.34 in France, no.70 in Wallonia, no.81 in Switzerland, no.148 in the UK and, last but very much not least, no.9 in the “Top World Music” charts compiled by Billboard magazine. Meanwhile, the latest Gipsy Kings album, Roots (released on Columbia), has done phenomenally well in the U.S., reaching the coveted no.1 spot in Billboard’s “Top World Music” charts.
Bringing our summer round-up to a close, we head off to the cinema. Two French film soundtracks continue to dominate the headlines, namely Les Triplettes de Belleville (which recently reached no.2 in the “Top World Music“ charts in the US) and Les Choristes. Christophe Barratier’s film has attracted over 6.5 million viewers in France and in June the Choristes soundtrack charted at no.14 in Wallonia and no.60 in Switzerland. That’s all for now, music fans. We sign off wishing you happy holidays until August!
Gilles Rio
Translation : Julie Street
22/06/2004 -
19/05/2004 -
20/04/2004 -
