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SCMP Reporter

Record sales in Hong Kong are estimated to have plunged 10 per cent last year due to the harsh economic environment, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

The sinking sales have revealed a frail industry in Hong Kong, despite the Government's efforts to combat piracy.

Total turnover from record sales generated in the SAR was less than HK$900 million last year, down from HK$932 million in 2000, said IFPI (Hong Kong) chief executive Ricky Fung Tim-chee.

The market has shrunk by about 50 per cent since the industry was hit by rampant piracy in the late 1990s.

Mr Fung said the sector had been able to register growth in 2000 after the Government stepped up action to crack down on piracy, but the poor economic conditions were to blame for the contraction in sales last year.

Record company executives expected the industry to remain flat this year due to sluggish consumption power and the threat from online music, as well as illegal copies flooding in from Southeast Asian markets.

Sales in the local music market were split 60 per cent between Chinese repertoire and 40 per cent for imported albums, said Mr Fung, who added that the proportion of Chinese music had increased from 48 per cent in 1999 and 55 per cent in 2000. Mandarin CDs accounted for about 18 per cent to 20 per cent of the Chinese repertoire, he said.

The IFPI yesterday named local Cantonese pop star Sammi Cheng as the best-selling female artist last year, while Leon Lai was named top male artist.

Awards for the top 10 best-selling Cantonese CDs went to Sammi Cheng, Eason Chan and Kelly Chen, who each won two awards, and Leon Lai, Joey Yung, Hacken Lee and Miriam Yeung.

Mr Fung said these releases had sold more than 50,000 copies and about a half of them qualified as double-platinum, which means a sales volume of more than 100,000.

The best-selling releases were evenly distributed, instead of being concentrated on a few 'kings and queens' pop stars, he said.

Regional popular female singer Faye Wong won two awards for best-selling Mandarin releases, while Taiwanese singer and songwriter Jay Chou also won two awards.

Artists on the list of best-selling international albums included Madonna, U2, Westlife, Ricky Martin, the Beatles, Enya, Dido, Bond, Jacky Cheung and Jennifer Lopez.

The big five music groups - BMG, EMI, Warner Music, Sony Music and Universal Music - and Avex Asia, Rock and local player Emperor Entertainment Group accounted for about 90 per cent of the market share in Hong Kong.

BMG Hong Kong general manager Bobby Chan said the music industry had yet to recover and he expected flat growth this year.

Ng Yu, chief executive of the Growth Enterprise Market-listed Emperor Entertainment Group, the entertainment arm of the Emperor Group held by Albert Yeung Sau-shing, echoed the bearish views on the year ahead.

The industry blamed piracy and online music downloading as the main factors holding back investment, Mr Ng said.

Mr Fung said Hong Kong has enjoyed envious success in fighting piracy.

However, a lot of improvement still had to be made in Southeast Asian countries and the big markets for Chinese repertoire, such as Taiwan and the mainland, he said.



Record sales show fall of 10pc