News | BMG | 01/14/2015

BMG Is Number One Music Publisher In Germany

BMG has been named the most successful music publisher of 2014 in Germany with a market share of 18.05%, according to the official German Top 100 singles chart.

The achievement comes just six years after the launch of the Bertelsmann-owned international rights management company, and is more than double the 7.7% share BMG scored in 2013.

The year-end figures, compiled by research company GfK Entertainment are based on publishers’ shares of the German Top 100 singles chart and are the recognized benchmark of success in music publishing in the world’s third biggest music market.

BMG’s artists and writers held 11 Top Five positions in 2014, including five Number One hits. BMG’s chart success reflects its strength in domestic German repertoire, which accounted for almost 60% share of the Top 100 singles chart. The same trend is also displayed in the official Top 100 longplay chart market – where BMG German artists and writers were involved in 14 Number One albums.

BMG’s singles chart successes include:

  • Andreas Bourani and co-writer Tom Olbrich: the World Cup anthem ‘Auf Uns’ charted in 2014 at Number One, stayed eight weeks in the Top 5 and 35 weeks in the charts, with over 600,000 sold units (double platinum);
  • Adel Tawil and co-writer Sebastian Kirchner: ‘Lieder’ stayed seven weeks in the Top 10, 40 weeks in the charts and sold 200,000 units in 2014 alone;
  • Daniel Nitt: as co-writer and co-producer of the song ‘Au Revoir‘ from Mark Forster feat. Sido he was 16 weeks in the Top 5 and 34 weeks in the charts. The song was sold over 500,000 times;
  • Nico & Vinz and co-writer William Wiik Larsen aka ‘Will IDAP’: stayed with ‘Am I Wrong’ eight weeks in the Top 5 and sold in 31 chart weeks around 300,000 units;
  • The single ‘Budapest’ from British newcomer George Ezra: made it to Number Three, stayed seven weeks in the Top 10 and 41 weeks in the charts with over 300,000 sold units;
  • Mr. Probz: the Number One hit ‘Waves (Robin Schulz Remix)’ stayed for 12 weeks in the Top 5, 49 weeks in the charts und was sold over 600,000 times (double platinum);
  • ‘Dark Horse’ from Katy Perry feat. BMG-writer Juicy J: held steady for 11 weeks in the Top 10 sold in 44 chart weeks over 250,000 units;
  • John Legend: ‘All Of Me’ stayed 46 weeks in the charts and sold over 250,000 units;
  • Number One hit ‘When The Beat Drops Out’ from Marlon Roudette: stayed for nine weeks in the Top 3, 19 weeks in the charts and sold over 300.000 units;

BMG Managing Director GSA Maik Pallasch said: “This milestone is a reflection first and foremost of the success and creativity of our artists and writers. We thank them for their artistry and belief.”

BMG-CEO Hartwig Masuch: „To achieve market leadership from a standing start in just six years is unprecedented. Maik and his team have impressively demonstrated that BMG can compete with even the biggest and most-established industry players.”

About BMG
BMG is an international company focused on the management of music publishing and recording rights. BMG’s services cover the entire range of rights administration, development, and exploitation, placing the needs of songwriters and artists at the heart of its business model. Since its launch in 2008, BMG has established a presence in eight core music markets and now represents the rights to around two million songs and recordings, including the catalogues of Chrysalis, Bug, Virgin, Mute, Sanctuary, Primary Wave and Talpa Music, as well as many prominent artists and songwriters attracted by its service-orientated model. BMG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of international media company Bertelsmann, whose group interests embrace broadcasting and TV production (RTL Group), books (Penguin Random House) and magazines (Gruner + Jahr), media services (Arvato) and print (BePrinters). In the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia the company trades under the name BMG Chrysalis, in Benelux under the name BMG Talpa Music.