ALTHOUGH Canto-pop still rules the roost in the domestic music market, local fans are increasingly turning to international stars.
The 'Four Heavenly Kings' of Canto-pop - Andy Lau, Jackie Cheung, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai - do not have to worry about being knocked off their thrones by musical invaders from the West, but sales of international acts have made a modest comeback after a decade of Canto-pop rule.
Albums like Bon Jovi's Crossroads and Madonna's Bedtime Stories have sold about 60,000 copies in Hong Kong.
Ray Fong, Warner Music's marketing manager of international music, attributed the sales success largely to retailers such as HMV.
'The HMV superstore and the entire chain is a great help to the local music market,' Mr Fong said.
'It gives the consumer a lot more choice and, in this respect, with HMV, our entire catalogue can be displayed.' He said the percentage of sales between Canto-pop and international acts was 'heavily weighted on the domestic side'.
Asian artists still accounted for nearly three-quarters of Warner Music's album sales in Hong Kong, Mr Fong said.