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On April 28, 2003 La Oreja De Van Gogh released their third album entitled 'Lo Que Té Conté Mientras Te Hacías La Dormida.' Sony Music Corp. in Spain expects the Nigel Walker-produced set to shift two million units, taking into account sales from Latin America, especially Mexico, and later Europe. The album was released simultaneously in Spain, Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, a week later in the U.S., Argentina and Chile, and is set for a pan-European release later this year, with an emphasis on France and Italy.

The last thing an industry devastated by Europe's worst street piracy needs is internal stability. But that's precisely what's happening in Spain, where managerial changes have been the norm at major music labels over year 2002. The exit of Virgin Records Spain MD Lydia Fernández in April 2003 was the latest in a series of senior management changes at Spanish majors. Similarly, Marcelo Castello Branco flew in from Brazil in March 2003 to take over at Universal Music Spain, where there had been no president since September 2002.

Reports that the non-profit making label Factoría Autor (FA) of Spain's authors and publishers society Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE) has launched its own national distribution network to help artists and independent labels. Plan of FA to work as talent scout from SGAE; Schedule for launch of compact disks by FA.

Stability has returned to Spain's radio ratings following a year in which Soft AC network Kiss FM has come from nowhere to become the country's third most popular music network, as of July 19, 2003. The year's second official EGM ratings survey covering April-June 2003 showed Kiss FM attracting an average of 1.1 million daily listeners, a marginal drop from the last EGM survey of 47,000. "We had a small decline in Madrid this time round, but in the previous EGM we were the most-listened-to music network in Madrid," says Kiss FM director Marc Vicens, who says he expects the network's audience to grow further later on in the year when another two or three stations are scheduled to be added to the network's current chain of 54 affiliates. SER's CHR network Los 40 Principales remains Spain's number one music network with 2.8 million listeners, with sister Latino station Cadena DIAL in second place with 1.7 million.

Uncertainty surrounds the future of Spain's new Soft AC network Kiss FM following a legal dispute between the project's two partners—Radio Bianca and Onda Cero Radio (OCR) —arising from the phenomenal and unexpected success of the network. Official EGM figures covering January-March 2003 confirm that Kiss FM is now Spain's third biggest music radio network. Under an agreement struck between the two radio groups in 2001, Radio Bianca owns the local licences that Kiss FM broadcasts on, and also supplies the network's programming. The agreement struck in 2001 meant OCR would pay Radio Bianca euros 20.4 per Kiss FM listener in return for keeping all the station's airtime sales revenue.

Soaraway Soft AC network Kiss FM has stunned the Spanish music radio scene by marking up a million daily listeners in less than a year. In the corresponding survey of 2002, Kiss FM's predecessor network Onda Cero Musica (OCM) had just 101,000 daily listeners. Kiss FM was forged out of the embers of the former OCM, and is owned and programmed by the Radio Bianca group, while OCM parent company Onda Cero Radio supplies the technical infrastructure and studios. Director Marc Vicens believes that the pre-Iraq war atmosphere also helped Kiss FM in the latest ratings sweep.

The pounding of drums, with each of the 30 drummers wearing “No To War” badges, mixed with the singing of a regional “jota” from Aragon by Carmen Paris, signaled the beginning of the seventh Premios de la Música awards show in Madrid, Spain, on April 10, 2003. The Premios de la Música, organized by authors' and publishers' society SGAE and artists' association AIE through their Academy of Music Arts and Sciences, is for Spanish artists only, although a couple of the honorary awards went to Latinos.

The Premios de la Música award ceremony was born in 1997, the same year as Spain's other main ceremony, Premios Amigo, after a failed attempt by the society of authors and publishers, SGAE, to launch a joint event with the labels' body Afyve. Premios Amigo is a traditional glamour event with international stars and most “live” performances in playback. Which is good as far as it goes, but Premios de la Música is for Spanish music only and the live artists are not only live, but “duos” featuring different genres playing together usually for the only time in their lives.

Presents information about developments related to Sony Music International Inc. in Europe as of April 12, 2003. Plans of Sony Music Germany to dismiss some of its employees; Expectation of profits by Sony Music France; Possibility of reorganization in Sony Music Spain.

Record company executives in Spain and Italy have expressed their concerns for the business following the release of market data in both territories in March 2003. In Spain, music piracy has led to decline in revenue which was down 16 percent at 526.9 million euros and unit sales 18 percent lower at 60.2 million from 73.6 million in 2001. In Italy, trade figures revealed sales of 47 million units, up from 43 million in 2001, while revenue increased to 340 million euros from 338 million euros.

Focuses on the success story of Spain's commercial music network called Kiss FM. Popularity of the music network in Spanish radio market; Ownership of the music network; Ambiance of Kiss FM. INSETS: Daytime Sample Hour: Kiss FM;Station Factfile: Kiss FM.

Reports on the reorganization of music company Sony Music Spain operations. Aim to meet market conditions; Changes made by the company.

Reports that music recording company Virgin Records has challenged the results of the Premios Amingo awards, announced at a event in Madrid, Spain on January 13, 2003. Reasons why Virgin Records has challenged the awards; Statement of the managing director of Virgin Records, Lydia Fernández on the issue; Various artists to whom the awards were given.

Reports on creation of two additional popular music divisions, local and international, by the company Universal Music Spain to replace its divisions Mercury and Polydor, which have disappeared as of February 2003. Schedule for the changes to go into effect; Person who will head the local division; Responsibilities of Alicia Arauzo, former Polydor director, in the changed structure of the company.