Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
The National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (French: Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique; SNEP) is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry. SNEP 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.
Since September 2002, official charts are as follows:
Criterion: The following guidelines are applied:
1 All the singles recorded under one of his pseudonyms or as member of his bands are included
1 Songs performed as duets and trios are included
2 Songs performed within Brastisla Boys and Fatal Bazooka bands and as Alphonse Brown included
^ Note: While the source provided for changes in certification-levels does not mention the changes for the silver, 2× Gold, 2× Platinum and 3× Platinum awards, the SNEP reduced the levels for those awards at the same time it reduced the levels for the Gold, Platinum and Diamond awards.
^ Note: Diamond-award represented 750,000 units from 2 January 1997 until 30 April 2005.
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