POOR sales of albums by The Beatles, Jamelia and Robbie Williams have cost one of the record industry’s most powerful moguls his job.

 

Alain Levy, chief executive of EMI’s recorded music arm, is leaving the company following poor trading.

 

The Frenchman, famous for sacking Mariah Carey after taking over at EMI, could be in line for a pay-off of almost £7MILLION.

 

That includes a year’s salary, a bonus to which he was entitled and the cost of buying out his share options.

 

And several of the company’s top acts could be next to be axed — as EMI now plans massive job cuts in a bid to slash costs.

 

The shake-up came as EMI, the world’s third biggest music firm, admitted annual sales in its recorded music arm will be less than expected.

 

On the stockmarket EMI shares plunged 19.25p to 245.25p on the news.

 

The company had been pinning its hopes on the releases Rudebox, the album from Robbie Williams, and Love, the remixed Beatles CD put together by the Fab Four’s legendary producer Sir George Martin.

 

But neither has sold as well as expected. EMI did not have a single entry in the top ten bestselling albums of 2006 in the crucial US market.

 

And they admitted yesterday that “weak market conditionsâ€, particularly over the Christmas period, had also hit sales.

 

Other releases, including those by Lily Allen and Pete Doherty’s Babyshambles, have also failed to sell strongly despite all the publicity the artists have attracted.

 

And The Sun revealed yesterday how EMI album Walk With Me, by Jamelia, was issued with a cover price of £12.99 but is now selling for £3.97 in some stores — even though it was only released three months ago.

 

City analysts also fear that Not Too Late, the new album from Norah Jones due out at the end of the month, may not sell as strongly as hoped.

 

Eric Nicoli, EMI’s executive chairman, will now take day-to-day control of the recorded music arm.

 

He confirmed they would look to make cost savings of £110million — and several acts could be axed.

 

Mr Nicoli insisted many of EMI’s troubles were not specific to the firm and reflected general problems in the music industry, which has been wrestling with illegal downloads.

 

Simon Wallis, of stockbroker Collins Stewart, said: “Levy seems to have gone from hero to zero in a couple of years.

 

“One year’s poor result does not mean that EMI recorded music is rotten and worthless. It is more a poor reflection on management.â€

 

Richard Hitchcock, of broker Numis Securities, added: “You invest a lot in developing and marketing an album and hope they sell.

 

“If they don’t, you get big swings in profits. It’s an inherently risky business.â€

 

:cry: They better not drop her

i hope jamelia doesnt get the axe i dont think she will though but her next album will be crucial

It wouldnt surprise me if she was axed. Look at other acts like Gareth Gates. He was axed and he did alot better than her.

All Saints are under that label too. :arrr:

It seems EMI have made some major mistakes. Both Jamelia and Robbie should of been huge, although not the Beatles :blink: obviously. Both Robbie and Jamelia it seems have good material. But neither got the returns.

They can't blame it on downloads, other artists did alright.

Releasing the Rudebox single was just dumb big time, a major stupidity really, even Scotty took ages to get into it. Do they market tests these singles? If they do it's was an outstandingly p!ss poor job on that one.

Jamelia marketing seems to miss the mark also, I'm not sure what that was down to tbh. The intial single 'SAY' was very good, not outstanding, but good enough but somehow it just didn't take.

YES IT SVERY HARD TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH JAMELIA,I DO THINK A DOUBLE A SIDE SINGLE ONE TRACK OF THE ALBUM and the other brand new it might lieft the album although i think the walk with me album is finished

 

next album will be so important for her

This next single will be aswell :unsure:

yes the single needs to do well

Jamelia seems to be the new Rachel Stevens unfortunately. :cry:

she is certainly hanging on by a thread at the moment

Jamelia messed up by declaring her album was more pop orientated, alienating her R'n'B audience that made her a successful star in the first place.

 

While the three singles (including the forthcoming No More) are the three most poppiest tracks on the album, therefore not giving a fair representation of an excellent album.

 

While her big mouth & two high profile ropey Live TV performances (Children In Need & New Years Eve) have not helped matters either.

Thats true :o :( i hope she does get onto a fourth album though