European independent music companies have launched their own awards through their association IMPALA. The IMPALA European Sales Awards are the only music sales awards to promote cultural diversity and new emerging artists on a pan-European basis. Before the launch of the IMPALA awards the only pan-European award was the IFPI platinum award which is not available for records netting under a million sales. There are four different types of IMPALA award:
IMPALA silver – 30,000 sales
IMPALA gold – 100,000 sales
IMPALA Diamond – 250,000 sales
IMPALA platinum – 500,000 sales
IMPALA double platinum – 1,000,000 sales
The awards are intended to provide a new tool for independent music companies and artists to promote themselves, both domestically and internationally. They also recognize new talent and cultural diversity, and the fact that in order to promote cultural diversity in a meaningful and practical way, success needs to be celebrated at a much earlier point in an artist’s career than when they reach 1 million sales. To quote Michel Lambot, the President of IMPALA:
“Success, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. For many independent record companies, selling 30,000 is a success. 250,000 is outstanding. 500,000 is a runaway. We now have a real mechanism to recognise this, to the benefit of European music companies, artists and consumers.”
The first award winners will be announced by IMPALA in mid June 2005. To be included on the first winners list, certifications must be completed by the end of May. Anyone wishing to apply can do so on the IMPALA website, the awards are open to entrants from any country but are judged on sales in Europe.
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