SNEP

SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in 1922 and has 48 member companies. SNEP's responsibilities include collecting and distributing royalty payments for broadcast and performance, preventing copyright infringement of its members' works (including music piracy), and sales certification of silver, gold, platinum and diamond records and videos. SNEP also compiles weekly official charts of France's top-selling music, including singles and albums. Official charts History The first attempt at a French national chart of best-selling records originated from a request by the American music industry magazine Billboard. The magazine's French correspondent, Eddie Adamis, compiled a top 10 list of the country's preferred format, the extended play (EP), for Billboards "Hits of the World" column of 5 June 1961. The number 1 record was an Edith Piaf EP featuring the song "Non, je ne regrette rien". France's coverage in Billboards "Hits of the World" continued until May 1964, when Adamis resigned from his position. The chart then resumed in June 1967, overseen by a new French correspondent, until SNICOP's involvement in late 1968. While the list continued to demonstrate the dominance of EPs, the English band Procol Harum succeeded in achieving the first French number 1 single, with their 1967 release "A Whiter Shade of Pale".