The U.K.’s Royal Mail is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Spice Girls with a collection of 15 stamps. It’s the first time the postal service has dedicated an issue to a female pop group.
Formed in 1994, the Spice Girls have since gone on to sell over 100m records worldwide and tally nine U.K. #1 singles. The collection has been created in partnership with UMG’s Bravado.
The main set of 10 stamps feature iconic images of the group and individual live performances from 1997 to 2012, spanning sets at The BRIT Awards, Madison Square Garden and the London 2012 Olympic Games.
A further five stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, feature individual images of the band members from the Spice World photoshoot. They are available to pre-order and go on sale on 1/11.
The Spice Girls are the sixth music group to feature in a dedicated stamp issue, following The Beatles in 2007, Pink Floyd in 2016, Queen in 2020, The Rolling Stones in 2022 and Iron Maiden in 2023.
Buzzing British band The Last Dinner Party have been crowned winners of BBC Radio 1’s Sound of 2024, following their BRITs Rising Star win.
Signed to Island, the band is the first guitar act to win the award, which tips new acts for success, since Haim in 2013. They signed to UMG U.K. in early 2022 and have since supported The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park.
Their debut album, Prelude to Ecstasy, which has been worked on with producer James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Haim), is due out in February.
Runners up for BBC Sound of 2024 are singer and songwriter Olivia Dean (EMI) at #2, DJ Peggy Gou (XL) at #3, South African artist Tyla (Epic) at #4 and soul artist Elmiene (Polydor/Def Jam) at #5.
The Weeknd and Miley Cyrus claimed 2023’s biggest selling album and single in the U.K., respectively. Taylor Swift's re-recording of her 2014 album was the only 2023 release in the Top 10.
The Highlights (Republic) by The Weeknd and Cyrus’s “Flowers” (RCA) took the top places. While there were no new albums, half of the singles Top 10 arrived last year.
The fact that hit albums from the likes of Ed Sheeran, Olivia Rodrigo, Lewis Capaldi and The Rolling Stones missed out on the Top 10 is either a sign of the times, or a cause for concern.
“The stats highlight just how hard it is for new albums to make an impact in our increasingly streaming-obsessed and algorithm-driven world,” says James Hall, who has written a feature on the matter for The Telegraph.
UMG wins on albums with six entries, while Sony tallies the most singles with six in the Top 10. Elsewhere on albums, Sony has two and Warner and the indie sector take one apiece. UMG and Warner count one single each and the indie sector has two.
OFFICIAL ARTIST ALBUMS CHART 2023
- The Weeknd The Highlights (Republic)
- Taylor Swift Midnights (EMI)
- Taylor Swift 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (EMI)
- Elton John Diamonds (Virgin EMI)
- Harry Styles Harry’s House(Columbia)
- Fleetwood Mac 50 Years - Don’t Stop (Warner Records)
- Eminem Curtain Call - The Hits(Interscope)
- SZA SOS (RCA)
- Arctic Monkeys AM (Domino)
- ABBA Gold - Greatest Hits (Polar Music)
OFFICIAL SINGLES CHART 2023
- Miley Cyrus “Flowers” (RCA)
- Dave & Central Cee “Sprinter” (Neighbourhood/Live Yours)
- RAYEf/070 Shake “Escapism” (Human Re Sources)
- Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero” (EMI)
- Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding “Miracle” (Columbia)
- Rema “Calm Down” (Mavin)
- SZA “Kill Bill” (RCA)
- PinkPantheress “Boy’s A Liar” (Parlophone)
- Harry Styles “As It Was” (Columbia)
- Libianca “People” (5K Records/Sony)
Women spent a record-breaking 31 weeks at #1 in 2023 as the U.K.’s recorded music consumption rose 10% in 2023.
A ninth consecutive year of growth saw 182.8m albums (or their equivalent) sold and streamed last year. Streaming, which was up 12.8%, now makes up 87.7% of the market.
Women artists spent the most weeks at #1 on the Official Singles Chart since the countdown launched in 1952. The 31-week charge was led by Miley Cyrus with her 10-week chart-topper “Flowers” (Columbia). Tracks by Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding, Kenya Grace and RAYE were among the other entries.
Based on combined streaming and sales activity, four of 2023’s five biggest tracks and seven of the year’s Top 10 were by women. Thirteen of the year’s Top 20 tracks were by women, while nearly half (48.5%) of the tracks that reached the Top 10 of the weekly Official Singles Chart were by women, either solo or in collaboration with other artists. This represented their highest annual share of Top 10 hits this century.
“Whilst work continues toward achieving full representation for women across the music industry, 2023 has been a brilliant year for women in the Official Charts,” BPI Chief Executive Dr Jo Twist, OBE, said. “There is a more diverse range of recording artists than ever achieving great success with the backing of their labels. This should be celebrated, but without complacency, and our work in the music industry continues to ensure that this becomes the norm.”
Overall, vinyl sales rose 11.8% to hit 6.1m. Sales grew at their fastest rate this decade and rose for a 16th consecutive year, taking the format to its highest level since 1990.
Physical albums dipped 1.1% to 17.1m or 9.4% of the market, while digital albums dropped 4.6% to tally 3.5m or 1.9%. CD sales declined 6.9% to 10.8m.
Noah Kahan is eyeing his first U.K. Official Singles #1 with “Stick Season” (Republic). Over on albums, Taylor Swift looks set for the top.
As the Christmas hits fall back down the chart, “Stick Season” has lifted nine places midweek. Should it reach the summit on Friday, it will do so in its 14th week on chart.
Jack Harlow’s former chart-topper, “Lovin On Me” (Atlantic), is up 25 places to #2. Tate McRae could see “greedy” (Ministry of Sound) return to its previous peak of #3.
Following the release of a limited edition vinyl, Dua Lipa’s “Houdini” (Warner Records) is on track for a return to the Top 5 this week at #4. “DNA (Loving You)” (Atlantic) by Billy Gillies f/Hannah Boleyn aims to break the Top 5 for the first time #5.
On the U.K.’s Official Albums midweeks, Swift looks set to return to #1 with 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (EMI).
ABBA’s Gold: Greatest Hits (Polydor) could climb to its highest position since 2008 at #3, while Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS (Geffen) looks set to rebound into the Top 5 at #5.
Kahan’s Stick Season could return to its #6 peak, while Fleetwood Mac’s 50 Years - Don’t Stop (Warner Records) is back in the Top 10 at #7.
A number of British musicians and execs have been honored in the King’s New Year Honors list, including UMG U.K.’s Selina Webb, Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis and Global's Ashley Tabor-King.
UMG U.K. EVP Webb received an MBE for her services to the music industry, neurodiversity and charity. Eavis has been given a knighthood for services to music and charity.
Global founder and President Tabor-King has been given a CBE for services to music and entertainment. Founder of management company Soho Artists, Paul Burger (formerly of Sony Music), has been awarded an OBE for services to music and charity.
Dame Shirley Bassey—who in 2020 became the first female artist to chart an album in the U.K. Top 40 in seven consecutive decades—can now add a Companion of Honour to her title for services to music. Lyricist Don Black, who has worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Quincy Jones and Meat Loaf, among others, has been given a CBE for services to music. Artist Leona Lewis is now an OBE for her services to music and charity.
Royal Albert Hall CEO James Ainscough, the former CEO of charity Help Musicians, got an OBE for his services to music and musicians. Girls I Rate founder and songwriter Carla Marie Williams was awarded an MBE for services to music.
The Rolling Stones could claim 2023’s Official Christmas #1 album in the U.K. Over on singles, Wham! are on track for the top.
Hackney Diamonds (Polydor) is set to return to the top of the Official Albums Chart on Friday, having debuted at #1 in October.
Michael Bublé currently poses the biggest competition, with Christmas (Reprise) at #2. Cher’s festival collection, Christmas (Warner Records), is set to lift ten to #5.
Jewels of Romance (UMG) by André Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra is up 13 to #6 midweek.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” (Epic) is currently in the lead for the Christmas #1.
However, there are just 42 sales behind that and Amazon Music Original, “You’re Christmas to Me” (East West/Rhino) by Sam Ryder, which has risen eight places to #2.
Each track is being supported with some mighty promo weight, with the Wham! entry accompanied by a limited edition vinyl, first-time CD release of the song, and a download promotion. Ryder, meanwhile, had a promo tour bus on the road in Manchester and London this weekend and appearances in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge and The One Show.
Other potential contenders include “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Sony) by Mariah Carey at #3; Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic) at #4; and “Fairytale of New York” (Warner Music U.K.) by The Pogues f/Kirsty MacColl at #5.
YouTube Music has expanded its support of the European Music Managers Alliance with a renewed partnership that will benefit more than 2k managers based across Europe.
The partnership will help support EMMA’s ongoing work to provide professional development services to managers across the continent, boost training and network building, and develop new research projects that will offer policy-makers insights of how to support Europe’s music industry.
It follows YouTube’s previously established partnership with EMMA to support its pan-European mentoring program.
EMMA Executive Director Jess Partridge said: “In a globalized music economy, the role of the manager is increasingly important, and yet frequently quite siloed. This is why national organizations and pan-European networks are so vital—enabling these entrepreneurial individuals to come together to develop new skills, share learnings and professionalize their work.”
“Being a music manager is a tough and often isolated job, so it's never been more important to provide the skills, training and mentorship that will enable managers to scale up their businesses, whilst providing a much-needed community and network,” said Christina Matteotti, head of Music & Culture, EMEA Partnerships at Google.
