Brooke and Ben dominate

Brooke Fraser's 'What to do with Daylight' has sold more than 90,000 copies.

Try telling Brooke Fraser it's been a tough year in the music biz.

She'll probably laugh and then pick up her guitar and sing you a song from her What To Do With Daylight, the year's biggest-selling album.

NZ Idol winner Ben Lummis should also be pretty chuffed after topping the singles chart with They Can't Take That Away.

But while Brooke and Ben celebrate, the music industry continues to slump.

"It's been a tough year for the industry," says Adam Holt, spokesperson for the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).

This year, in dollar terms, the music industry will be between 8 and 9 per cent down on last year. This has largely been blamed on the increase in the number of people burning rather than buying CDs.

But Holt says this year's decline in music sales is more about the popularity of movie DVDs rather than music piracy or downloading.

"There's been a huge explosion in Hollywood DVDs. That's probably the most significant reason. Burning and downloads obviously have an effect as well but I don't want to be out there saying it's the main reason.

"It's also a case of New Zealand just getting the effects of what the rest of the world went through about a year ago. I think there's a huge amount of positivity in the industry for New Zealand music and the albums coming out next year. The jewel in the crown [this year] has been the New Zealand artists' performance," says Holt.

He says next year is a "plateau year" and growth should start happening in 2006 when mobile and digital music formats start making an impression.

"So we're in a transitional period. It's going to take 18 months to two years for digital [music] to have some real weight in the market. People talk about 2008 being the year [the music industry] will start to find its balance again."

Jody Garrett, buyer at the CD and DVD Store, says the year has been on a par with last year despite what industry figures say.

"But in regards to New Zealand music, it's definitely up."

He says there has been a lack of good overseas releases this year - apart from albums by the likes of U2 and Eminem in the past two months - which means local record companies put more marketing dollars into local artists.

And it shows. Sixteen New Zealand albums featured in the top 50 this year compared with 11 last year. In 2004, 12 New Zealand songs appeared in the top 50 singles chart compared with 10 in 2003.

Fraser's What To Do With Daylight, which was released in November 2003, has sold more than 90,000 copies. In 2004 she outsold big names such as Norah Jones, Eminem and the Black Eyed Peas, as well as fellow New Zealanders Hayley Westenra and the Finn brothers.

Altogether, local artists produced seven of the top 20 singles and eight of the top 20 albums.

The most played song on radio was Glow by Alien Ant Farm but Brooke Fraser (with three songs), Adeaze and Scribe also made the top 20.

Holt believes local artists will continue to dominate thanks to the quality of the music being produced locally.

"New Zealand music is the one that everyone seems to love at the moment. There are great records being played on the radio and the New Zealand public react.

"Great songs live forever. I think the new breed - Brooke, Bic Runga, Goldenhorse - have picked up that mantle from Neil Finn and Dave Dobbyn."

Top Ten singles of 2004

1They Can't Take That Away - Ben Lummis (NZ)
2 Yeah - Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris
3 F**k It (Don't Want You Back) - Eamon
4 Fools Love - Misfits Of Science (NZ)
5 Superstar - Jamelia
6 We Gon Ride Dei Hamo (NZ)
7 Burn - Usher
8 My Band - D12
9 Suga Suga - Baby Bash
10 My Place / Flap Your Wings - Nelly

Top 10 albums of 2004

1 What To Do With Daylight - Brooke Fraser (NZ)
2 Greatest Hits - Guns N' Roses
3 Feels Like Home - Norah Jones
4 Elephunk - Black Eyed Peas
5 Confessions - Usher
6 Opera Band: Special Edition - Amici Forever
7 Pure - Hayley Westenra (NZ)
8 Everyone Is Here - The Finn Brothers (NZ)
9 Riverhead - Goldenhorse (NZ)
10 Songs About Jane - Maroon 5