British artists dominate the latest batch of IFPI Platinum Europe Awards, winning four of the five gongs handed out for September. The Awards are presented for albums which surpass one million shipments across Europe.
Veteran singer Rod Stewart and relative newcomer KT Tunstall each secured a second platinum Europe award for their respective albums “The Story So Far” (Warner Bros.) and “Eye To The Telescope” (Relentless/Virgin). Stewart’s hits compilation opened at No. 7 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart when it was released in November 2001. Tunstall’s 2004 debut was nominated for the 2005 Mercury Prize and paved the way for her winning the best British female solo trophy at the 2006 Brit Awards.
Hot British rockers the Kooks, meanwhile, received their first Platinum Europe Award for their 2006 debut “Inside In/Inside Out” (Virgin). Also during the month, Snow Patrol’s fourth album “Eyes Open” (Fiction/Universal) also from 2006, surpassed one million units. American punk/pop singer Pink won the only award for a non-British artist, when she took out a platinum honor for her latest album, “I’m Not Dead” (Laface/Arista).
