In recent years, the popularity of CDs has done much to sustain sales of classical music. While, by and large, Germany's pop musicians have not yet achieved international household word status, they are gaining popularity at home, a major change in a market traditionally dominated by Anglo-American music. The leading German-language group last year was Pur, with more than two million albums sold, while Patrick Lindner, a sort of German Johnny Mathis, is having a platinum career. Dance is a very important sector, accounting for about half the national product on the singles charts. This is not to say, however, that American artists are being ignored.
European harmonization is a front-burner issue in Germany.
Professor Dr. Reinhold Kreile, who has been President and General Manager of GEMA, the German licensing society, since 1990, emphasizes that Germany leads Europe in terms of music consumption and has the highest licensing income. In line with this goal, Dr. Kreile has been extremely active in international organizations. Germany's present Copyright Act was enacted in 1965. Although the law provides remuneration to intellectual property rights owners for private copying of musical works, the progress of technology in the following decades greatly complicated the issue. These provisions needed amendment, and final came in the form of a Third Law, passed by the Bundestag in 1994.