Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs lead UK music charge
From Ray Bennett

LONDON—It might not mean another British pop invasion, but England is swinging these days more than it has in years with world-beating acts including Coldplay, Gorillaz, Kaiser Chiefs, Girls Aloud, balladeer James Blunt and the hot new band Arctic Monkeys. Rock elders Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Oasis still record and tour with enormous success but the vibrant British pop scene is embracing a wide range of new acts, even those from across the Atlantic such as Scissor Sisters, the Killers and Arcade Fire.
“The U.K. music scene is extremely vibrant with a great live circuit and receptive media, and new talent springs from that,” said Steve Gallant, product director at leading retailer HMV U.K. & Ireland. “Kaiser Chiefs have been the biggest breakthrough act, and they’re enjoying success in the United States, too,” Gallant said. Peter Jamieson, chairman and CEO of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) trade body, points out that the U.K. has bucked worldwide trends in falling record sales.
“In global market statistics for the last 10 years, the British market has held up better than any other,” Jamieson said. “It’s down to the health of British music that the market share has stayed strong.” Association of Independent Music (AIM) spokesman Sam Shemtob speaks of the nimble-footedness of U.K. indies in working with fragmented media and Internet fans bases to enable distribution. “There are all sorts of genres thriving on new digital radio stations and niche fan bases,” Shemtob said. “Some indies don’t care about the charts but achieve substantial sales through these new avenues.”
BPI and AIM say the British government’s Trade & Investment missions help show off the country’s musical talent in the U.S. and such places as India, Japan, China, and in February Australia. “They have been a real boon. The benefit has not yet been reaped but the seeds have been sown,” Shemtob said. The strength of British pop has helped put the country’s one major, EMI Group, in a rosier position after resorting to severe cost cutting and reorganization.
The label’s busy 2005 release slate included Grammy-nominated works from Coldplay and Gorillaz, a new album from reclusive singer Kate Bush and developing acts such as KT Tunstall, Athlete, the Magic Numbers and Corinne Bailey Rae. “My big hope is to see KT break through overseas in 2006, particularly in the United States, where there is already a groundswell of radio interest. And people are already talking about Corinne Bailey Rae as one to watch,” said Tony Wadsworth, chairman and CEO of EMI Recorded Music UK.
HMV’s Gallant cites the live circuit as being a vital part of the U.K.’s pop energy. “There are a lot more festivals with one almost every week in summer, from Glastonbury to Reading, plus all the smaller venues,” he said. Wadsworth said Britain has “the best music retail in the world” and also points to the receptive media landscape. “The BBC’s Radio 1 and Radio 2 have a commitment to new music that is not weighed down by immediate commercial considerations, but if you stick your neck out, you do get an audience,” he said.
Lesley Douglas, Radio 2 controller, said, “(Veteran DJ) John Peel has gone, but the principle of supporting new music and new acts remains. We never pretest before we play something. The desire and the will to take risks are in our DNA.” The Internet has allowed young people to discover music from generations ago and older audiences to enjoy new material, Douglas added. “The young are searching back to see where music has come from and there is a great acceptability by all age groups of all kinds of music,” she said. “The Kaiser Chiefs are great no matter what age you are. They have that British sense of fun that goes all the way back to the Beatles”.