Robbie Williams's return sees rise in record sales

The British music industry has enjoyed a moderate increase in sales for the first time since 2003, despite a continuing decline in CD purchases. The digital market contributed to a 1.4% rise in sales to £928.8m in 2009, with singles performing particularly well. Successful releases from Susan Boyle and the Beatles also buoyed industry sales.
Statistics revealed by the British Phonographic Institution (BPI) show that consumers continue to be drawn to online retailers and ad-funded services, such as Spotify. The report states that online revenues, including digital tracks and video sales, rose by 51.7% to £154m in 2009. However, a spokesman for the BPI said that this did not necessarily signify that the end was in sight for physical music formats.
"Digital sales now account for a fifth of all music sales, but you can see from strong releases by musician Robbie Williams and Lady Gaga that the CD is still the bedrock of the industry. It is too early to sound the death knell for the CD just yet," the BPI's Adam Liversage told the Guardian.
Earlier this year, industry figures revealed that the singles market enjoyed its best year ever. This was largely down to the success of X Factor finalists and the Christmas chart battle between the reality TV show's winner, Joe McElderry, and American rock band Rage Against the Machine.
Liversage said at the time: "Prior to their closure last year, Woolworths and Zavvi accounted for approximately 17.9% of album sales. Their demise meant that their were fewer places to buy music on the high street." Liversage now says that CD sales faired better than many predicted given last year's high street conditions.
The burgeoning success of online models such as Spotify has also given the music industry pause for thought. The recently launched social music site Mflow, which offers listeners discounted music when they succesfully recommend new tracks to fellow users, is one of the many ways in which consumers are being offered cheaper, alternative ways of purchasing music.
The BPI chairman, Geoff Taylor, was optimistic about the latest statistics, but warned that illegal downloads continued to have a detrimental effect on sales. "It's encouraging to see industry revenues stabilise and even show modest growth in 2009. But let's put it in broader perspective: 2009's modest result follows a five-year drop in annual income, and total industry income has not exceeded £1bn since 2006. The pace of growth of new digital services is encouraging, but the size of the market continues to be constrained by competition from illegal downloads."

Robbie Williams-Take That reunion inevitable: Gary Barlow

Gary Barlow has said that it's inevitable that musician Robbie Williams will rejoin 'Take That'. According to reports, Robbie is planning to work again with the group he left in 1995
Earlier, in a Radio 2 interview, Williams said he and the group have been in the studio together, although it is unclear whether anything from the session will see the light of day. Also, last year they shared a stage at a Children In Need concert, reports The Mirror.But while speaking to pupils at Brine Leas High School, in Nantwich, Cheshire, Barlow suggested he foresaw a reunion. "We'll see. I think it's inevitable one day we'll get back together," Barlow said when asked on the issue.

Robbie Williams humbled by Haiti

Robbie Williams was shocked by the conditions in which child victims of the Haiti earthquake have to live on a trip to the country yesterday (13.04.10).
Robbie Williams was humbled by the plight of "vulnerable" child victims of the Haiti earthquakes.
The 'Angels' hitmaker - who is visiting the disaster-stricken country in his position as an ambassador for UNICEF, (United Nations International Children's Fund) - met children affected by January's natural disasters and was visibly moved by the squalid conditions in which they have to live.
He said: "I met children who were injured, who had been separated from their parents and were living in temporary shelters or on the streets. This earthquake hit children the hardest. The children are so vulnerable."
The 36-year-old singer admitted he was outraged by the "risk of violence" which child refugees now face everyday.
He said: "They are living day-to-day without the basic things they need and at risk of violence and abuse. I don't know about you, but I think this is wrong and we need to put it right."
The emotional star is also launching a special challenge for Soccer Aid - a star-studded sports event which takes place on June 6 and raises money for UNICEF - on his return from the trip, called 'Keep It Up For Soccer Aid'.
The 'You Know Me' singer is asking people to be sponsored for the number of 'keepy-uppys' - juggling a football with various parts of the body without letting it fall on the floor - they can do in aid of the organisation.
Speaking of the challenge, Robbie added: "It's really simple, do as many sponsored keepy-uppys as you can to make a real difference to the lives of children."
Other stars who have visited Haiti include Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Demi Moore and Gerard Butler.