| British Phonographic Industry | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | BPI |
| Formation | 1973 |
| Legal status | Non-profit company |
| Purpose/focus | Music industry in the UK |
| Location | Riverside Building, County Hall, Lambeth, SE1 7JA |
| Region served | UK |
| Membership | British music companies |
| Chief Executive | Geoff Taylor |
| Main organ | BPI Council (Chairman - Tony Wadsworth) |
| Website | Official website |
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British record industry's trade association.
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Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies (Warner Music Group, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group), associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies representing literally thousands of labels.
It has represented the interests of British record companies since being formally incorporated in 1973 when the principal aim was to fight copyright infringement.
It founded the annual BRIT Awards for the British music industry, as well as the Mercury Prize for the Album of the Year. In September 2008, BPI became one of the founding members of UK Music, an umbrella organisation representing the interests of all parts of the industry.[1]
The charitable arm of the BPI, the trust was conceived in 1989 by a collection of leading music industry individuals with a mission to give young people a chance to express their musical creativity regardless of race, class, sex or ability. The BRIT Trust is the only music charity actively supporting all types of education across the entire spectrum of music. Through the projects it supports, which include Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and The BRIT School, the Trust offers young people the opportunity to enhance their lives through music.
Opened in September 1991, The BRIT School is a joint venture between and The BRIT Trust and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Based at Selhurst in Croydon, the school is the only non fee-paying performing arts school in the UK. It teaches 750 students each year from 14–19 years in music, dance, drama, musical theatre, production, media and art & design. Students are from completely diverse backgrounds and are not required to stick to their own discipline; dancers learn songwriting, pianists can learn photography. Nor do students have to work/perform in the evening to pay for the tuition; all they have to do is show their determination to succeed in the competitive creative industries.
The British Phonographic Industry awards certificates for music releases in Britain. The level of the award varies depending on the format of the release and the amount sold. BPI certificates are not automatic; the record company must pay a fee to the BPI and they carry out an audit into the release in question. Certificates are awarded on the basis of the amount of units the release has shipped to retailers, rather than the amount it has sold.
| Format | Status[2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
| Album | 60,000[nb 1] | 100,000[nb 1] | 300,000[nb 1] |
| Single | 200,000[nb 2] | 400,000[nb 2] | 600,000[nb 2] |
| Music DVD | — | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Source: BPI[7]
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