K-Maro is currently enjoying the good life - and living it to the full! The young Francophone rapper has ratcheted up his European success in recent weeks thanks to his mega-hit single Femme Like U (Up Music). After hogging no.1 spots throughout French-speaking Europe last summer, Femme Like U is now enjoying a second burst of chart life, reaching no.3 in Germany (where it is now on the verge of going gold), no.4 in Austria, no.6 in Finland, no.7 in Switzerland, no.13 in Flanders, no.16 in Ukraine, no.18 in the Czech Republic, no.26 in Wallonia and no.82 in the Netherlands. Boosted by this success, K-Maro's album La Good Life is now climbing up the German and Austrian album charts (where it currently stands at no.12 and no.31) and it is also hanging on in the hit-parade in Wallonia (no.38) and Switzerland (no.54).

Blame it on the fact that spring has not yet sprung, but there appears to be a serious lack of new releases in the charts of late. French chanson diva Patricia Kaas has come up with the perfect solution to the problem! As fans eagerly await a new album from La Kaas, the singer has rolled out yet another live compilation Toute la musique (Columbia). This rocketed straight into the charts in Wallonia (at no.31) and Switzerland (no.40). Meanwhile, Paris Combo, a band who have built their reputation far from the media circus and the chart summits in France, have scored an unexpected hit in the U.S. where they have established themselves as the leading representatives of 'new French chanson.' Every one of the band's albums has made it into the World Music chart compiled by Billboard (a weekly magazine which publishes official figures of record sales in the U.S.) And Paris Combo's latest album, Motifs (Polydor), has proved no exception to the rule. It has hogged the no.1 spot in the Billboard chart for the past two weeks!

Moving on to a completely different genre, we find Breton outfit Manau (whose fusion of rap and Celtic instruments is actually closer to mainstream 'variété' music than hip-hop). The group enjoyed their moment of fame in 1999 with the hit single La Tribu de Dana which rocketed up the charts all the way from France to the Netherlands and Germany, boosting sales of the group's album Panique celtique past the million mark. But Manau's follow-up album, Festnoz de Paname, proved to be a complete and utter flop and it is not certain that the group will pull off their comeback attempt in 2005. As things stand, Manau's new album, On peut tous rêver (Polydor), has failed to do much more than reach no.88 in the Swiss charts!

Young French pop'n'rock foursome Kyo can pride themselves on enjoying a more enduring form of success. Their latest album, 300 Lésions (Jive Records), has fared extremely well in French-speaking charts abroad. Indeed, for the second month running, 300 Lésions has maintained the no.1 spot in the charts in Wallonia and the no.5 spot in Switzerland. Meanwhile, as electro fans eagerly await the release of the new Daft Punk album in March, top French DJ Laurent Garnier returned to the music news with The Cloud Making Machine (F Communications). Garnier's new opus recently reached no.29 in Flanders and no.10 in the dance album chart in the U.K.

On the instrumental front, Richard Clayderman continues to fly the flag for French music abroad. In the first months of 2005, the indefatigable pianist continues his reign in the international charts, making inroads into Scandinavia. Swedish music fans have been rushing out to buy Clayderman's Memories, As Time Goes By (no.46), while their Danish cousins have opted for Romantic Moments (no.15). Clayderman's sentimental piano pieces may sound quaintly old-fashioned to younger ears, but this has not stopped them enjoying hit status. Another quaintly old-fashioned genre enjoying success in the charts right now is choral music thanks to the acclaimed French film Les Choristes. Box-office hit of the year in France in 2004 (with almost 9 million viewers), Les Choristes has also enjoyed impressive success on cinema screens abroad. And, needless to say, the film soundtrack composed by Bruno Coulais (and released on Marc Music/Warner), has done extremely well in the charts, reaching no.3 in Wallonia, no.27 in Switzerland, no.75 in Canada and no.6 in the Top World Music chart in the U.S.

Eric Lévi – better known to music fans by his pseudonym Era – enjoyed phenomenal international success in the late 90s with his New Age fusion of Pygmy chants and electro beats. But it looks as if the New Age movement is finally beginning to run out of steam. The Very Best of Era compilation (released on Mercury) has only managed to scrape to no.2 in Estonia (in the charts compiled by the Pedro Beat stores), no.12 in Italy, no.18 in Switzerland and no.21 in Wallonia. Ending our monthly chart round-up on a happier note, we salute Mediterranean guitar heroes The Gipsy Kings whose new compilation is currently bringing a much-needed burst of sunlight to the Estonian winter. Love Songs (released on Columbia) currently stands at no.56 in Estonia's Top 100.