IFPI Platinum Europe Awards--March

James Blunt & Robbie Williams pass 5 million sales mark in Europe - March 2006

April 7, 2006

Six international artists picked up Platinum Europe Awards in March, with two albums scoring five million European sales.

The Rolling Stones album A Bigger Bang achieves its first Platinum Award for over one million sales in Europe. The September 2005 release accompanied the world tour of the same name, and is the long awaited follow-up to 1997's studio album Bridges to Babylon. The legendary British group - formed in the '60s - also played one of the biggest free concerts of all time on Copacabana Beach in Brazil this February, performing to a crowd of 1.2 million.

Zucchero achieves the first PEA for 2004's Zu & Co, which has gone four times platinum in his native Italy. The album features duets with Miles Davis, Sheryl Crow, Paul Young, Brian May, Sting and The Cranberries' Delores O'Riordan. Zucchero has been releasing albums since 1983, largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock, and including songs in Italian, Spanish and English.
Katie Melua's second album Piece By Piece has equalled the European success of her debut Call Off The Search by achieving double platinum status. The 21-year-old singer-songwriter, who is signed to Mike Batt's Dramatico label, has enjoyed widespread success since being spotted as a student in a Brits School showcase. Melua is currently on a European tour, and has announced she will be supporting Il Divo at their US concerts this summer.

Radiohead's critically acclaimed album OK Computer has now sold over three million copies in Europe. The album won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album after its 1997 release, and often tops 'Best Ever Album' opinion polls. It is the third album from the progressive rock band who met at school in Oxford in the late 1980s. A new album is forthcoming from the group, who are embarking on a European tour next month.

James Blunt's debut offering Back To Bedlam is still selling at an impressive rate across the continent, and has now crossed the five million mark. The album propelled Blunt to two Brit awards this year - Best Pop Act and Best Male Solo Artist. The former soldier released the title in October 2004 and it has gone nine times platinum in the UK alone, where it was the best selling album of 2005.

Robbie Williams also gains a fifth platinum level for his latest album Intensive Care. This is the eighth studio album from the British artist, and was the biggest selling title in Europe last year, despite only being released in October. It has sold across 19 countries, and mirrors the success of his 2004 Greatest Hits album which also achieved a fifth PEA last month.