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FRANCO CHART-TOPPERS October 2004
The French Electro Revival
Paris
20/10/2004 -
French electro wizard Jean-Michel Jarre gave a welcome boost to export sales last month with the release of his new album Aero (Dreyfus). The French star was invited to Beijing earlier this month to perform at the official opening ceremony of the "Year of France" in China. Jarre's mega-concert in Tienanmen Square on 10 October not only attracted a massive turn-out. It also gave him the chance to promote his new album (a mix of new material and old favourites recorded in Dolby 5.1 surround). While the "grandfather" of French electronica may not sell as many records today as in his 80s heyday, he is still considered as a major international star and maintains a strong fanbase across Europe. Not surprisingly, just three weeks after its release, Jarre's new album, Aero, had already rocketed to no.14 in the U.K., no.11 in Spain, no.26 in Denmark, no.16 in Estonia, no.20 in Greece, no.25 in Hungary, no.39 in Italy, no.40 in the Netherlands, no.27 in Poland and is also doing well in Belgium (where it climbed to no.8 in the charts in Wallonia and no.95 in Flanders). Aero has proved less dynamic in German-speaking parts of the world, however, and the album under-performed in Switzerland, too, only reaching no.61 in the Swiss charts.
Jarre pioneered the French electro movement twenty-five years ago with his groundbreaking début album Oxygène. Quarter of a century on, electro beats are now omnipresent in contemporary music and electronica has forged an unexpected alliance with traditional music. One of the most innovative fusion projects on the current scene comes to you courtesy of the group Gotan Project. The group, made up of French producer and composer Philippe Cohen-Solal, Swiss composer Christoph H. Müller and Argentinean guitarist Eduardo Makaroff, have scored a huge hit with their catchy electro-tango fusion and their début album, La Revancha del Tango, made a big impact on the international charts in 2002. Cohen-Solal has now followed this up with a DJ set entitled Inspiracion, espiracion. Released on the Barclay label, the album is already doing well in the charts in Italy (no.15), Switzerland (no.40), Austria (no.47) and Belgium (where it climbed to no.24 in Wallonia and no.74 in Flanders).
Young K-Maro, a singer who was born in Lebanon and spent several years living in Paris before finally settling in Quebec, looks well on the way to establishing himself as the hottest new discovery of the year. After having conquered the French charts, his single Femme Like U (Up Music) is now taking radio stations across Belarus, Guatemala, Lebanon and Poland by storm. (In Poland Femme Like U has also proved a big hit on the dancefloor, making it to no.18 in the Club Hitlist). K-Maro has also made something of an impact in Jamaica (a rare feat for a Francophone artist!) where his single is currently being played on several leading radio stations. Hardly surprising then that K-Maro's album, La Good Life, which features his new hit single Crazy, is making headway in the charts. La Good Life recently reached no.7 in Wallonia, no.89 in Flanders, no.26 in Switzerland and no.130 in Canada. Meanwhile, the unlikely duo formed by French pop'n'rock singer Calogero and rap star Passi has taken French-speaking Europe by storm with their hit Face à la mer. The duo's single has now reached audiences further afield and is enjoying great success on radio stations in Russia and Kazakhstan. As for Michal, the Polish-born finalist in TV reality show Star Academy 2003, he is currently enjoying great popularity amongst his Polish compatriots. At the end of September 2004 Michal's single, Tu mets de l’or (Mercury) was the most frequently broadcast track on the Polish airwaves.
Female singers have also been making waves in the export world this month. Celebrity actress and 'chanteuse' Arielle Dombasle has scored something of a surprise hit with her latest album Amor Amor (Columbia). In the past, the lovely Miss Dombasle had experimented with a rather unfortunate mix of classical music and techno beats. But she has now branched out in a totally new direction, working with a professional orchestra to record covers of 14 South American classics. The public, who are by now used to the metamorphoses of Arielle D, have turned out in force to support her new opus. Indeed, Amor Amor has already sold more copies than the singer's two previous albums. Amor Amor shot straight to the no.1 spot in France shortly after its release and currently stands at no.15 in the charts in Wallonia and no.47 in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Carla Bruni, the catwalk-queen-turned-'chanteuse', is also gaining fans in new territories. After taking Europe by storm with Quelqu’un m’a dit (Naïve), Carla recently flew out to Australia to promote her début album. The Bruni charm appears to have worked Down Under, too. Quelqu’un m’a dit has just crept into Australia's Top 100 (at no. 91). As for young French singer/songwriter Keren Ann, she is currently enjoying unexpected success in South Korea (where her latest album Not Going Anywhere has reached no.13 in the charts compiled by the Tube Music record stores). Somewhat closer to home, the album of the hit French musical Roméo & Juliette (Mercury), has been winning new fans in Hungary. After having spent the entire summer hogging the no.1 spot in the Hungarian charts, Roméo & Juliette is currently hanging on at no.4 in the national Top 40.
Former 60s icon Véronique Sanson made a major comeback to the charts in French-speaking countries last month following the release of her new album, Longue distance (WEA). The album recently climbed to no.3 in Wallonia and no. 14 in Switzerland. Meanwhile, Véronique's old rival France Gall also made a popular comeback with her compilation Evidemment (WEA), currently ranked at no.14 in Wallonia. Apart from the return of the blonde divas, little has changed on the export front to Francophone countries. The top-selling French artists of the moment are still Corneille, Yannick Noah, Calogero and Michel Sardou. There have been two new arrivals on the live front, however. French pop Lolita Lorie reached no.27 in the charts in Wallonia and no.69 in Switzerland with her album Week-end Live Tour 2004 and Stephan Eicher's Taxi Europa Tour climbed to no.66 in Wallonia and no.51 in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, over in America, one look at the charts in the professional music magazine Billboard confirms that hip French duo Air continue to dominate the electro hitlist. At the beginning of October Air's latest album, Talkie Walkie (released in January this year) was still riding high in the chart at no.11. Stéphane Pompougnac was just behind at no.12 with the 7th instalment of his Hôtel Costes compilation and electro-tango outfit Gotan Project stood just a few notches below at no.14. As for French guitar heroes Les Gipsy Kings, they continue to monopolise the world music charts with their latest album, Roots (released on the Columbia label). Roots reached no.7 in the World Music charts in the U.S. and the group's Greatest Hits compilation has also fared well in Ecuador, reaching no.22 in the Tower Records charts. But the biggest surprise on the world music front has to be the unexpected success of Souad Massi whose latest album, Deb, recently climbed to no.7 in the Wor
Gilles Rio
Translation : Julie Street
13/08/2003 -
01/10/2004 -
11/10/2004 -
