British acts dominated the list of top-selling bands and artists across Europe this year heralding a "golden age" for the country's music scene, the UK record industry's trade association said on Thursday.
Performers such as Coldplay, The Kooks, Katie Melua and the Kaiser Chiefs scooped 19 out of 36 Platinum awards given to artists selling more than one million copies of an album across Europe, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) said.
U.S. artists took 12 of the awards run by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, including two for the Scissor Sisters who are signed to a UK label. Robbie Williams was the most successful UK performer, receiving awards for three separate albums whose total sales exceeded 12 million.
"These latest figures confirm that we are going through a golden age for new British music, even by our own high standards," said BPI chairman Peter Jamieson.
"The success UK music is enjoying today bodes well for future years because as ever in music, it's the hits of today which pay for the hits of tomorrow."
The BPI said more performers were likely to earn Platinum Awards by the end of 2006 when sales of releases by the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, Snow Patrol and Razorlight were finally added up.
Source: Reuters
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