Berlin, Germany – WOMEX announced the names of the record companies that won the 2007 World Music Labels Awards. The awards are presented by WOMEX and the World Music Charts Europe (WMCE) to the top-20 chart topping music labels. The Top 3 labels will be honored at the Sunday, October 28th, award ceremony at WOMEX Sevilla.
The top three labels are:
1) Stern’s (UK)
Chart-topping CDs: Various Artists: Authenticité – The Syliphone Years ; Africando: Ketukuba; The Rail Band: Belle Epoque 1 – Soundiata
2) Cumbancha (USA)
Chart-topping CDs: Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective: Wátina (with Stonetree Records); The Idan Raichel Project; Habib Koité: Afriki
3) Crammed (Belgium)
Chart-topping CDs: Various Artists: Electric Gypsyland 2; Balkan Beat Box: Nu Med; Tartit: Abacabok
Last year WOMEX inaugurated the Top Label Award, honoring the top-20 best-selling music labels, with the top 3 each receiving an official framed plaque. Created as a joint project with the World Music Charts Europe, the selection is made using the charts of over 50 radio broadcasters from 25 countries. 540 different labels charted this year.
These are this year’s remaining Top-20 labels, each with their chart-topping CDs.
4) World Circuit (UK)
Ibrahim Ferrer: Mi Sueño; Ali Farka Toure: Savane; Various Artists: World Circuit Presents…
5) World Music Network / Riverboat Records (UK)
Benjamin Escoriza: Alevanta! (with 18 Chulos); Various Artists: The Rough Guide to West African Gold
6) Marabi (France)
Malouma: Nour; Various Artists: Musiques Métisses
7) Outhere (Germany)
Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni ba: Segu Blue; Various Artists: Urban Africa Club
8) Doublemoon (Turkey)
Mercan Dede: Breath; Burhan Öcal & Trakya All Stars: Trakya Dance Party
9) Network Medien (Germany)
Various Artists: Golden Afrique, Vol. 3; Viorica & Ionitsa: Clejani Express
10) Galileo Music (Spain)
Aman Aman: Musica I Cants Sephardis D’Orient I Occident; Miquel Gil: En Concert
11) Asphalt Tango Records (Germany)
Fanfare Ciocarlia: Queens and Kings; Toni Iordache: Sounds from a Bygone Age, Vol. 4
12) Independiente (UK)
Tinariwen: Aman Iman
13) Westpark (Germany)
Zulya and the Children of the Underground: 3 Nights; Bellowhead: Burlesque
14) Elkar (Spain)
Kepa Junkera: Hiri
15) Essay Recordings (UK)
Boom Pam: Boom Pam; Binder & Krieglstein: Alles Verloren
16) Indies Records (Czech Republic)
Gypsy.cz: Romano Hip Hop; Druzina: Tragare
17) Because (France)
Akli D.: Ma Yela; Akli D.: Kabyle Mental
18) Heaven & Earth (Germany)
Kristi Stassinopoulou: Taxidoscopio
19) Jaro (Germany)
Hazmat Modine: Bahamut; Moscow Art Trio: Instead of Making Children
20) Kirkelig Kulturverksted (Norway)
Rim Banna: Seasons of Violet; Sondre Bratland/Javed Bashir: Dialogue
Top World Music Majors
1) EMI / Virgin 2) Universal 3) Sony BMG 4) Warner
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
