UNIVERSAL GRABS 1Q MARKETSHARE LEAD

For UMG boss Doug, it's the Morris the merrier for the company's first quarter marketshare results. There hasn't been this much happiness over a piece of pastry since "American Pie"

Universal Music and Video Distribution easily kept a hold on the U.S. album scene in the first three months of 2000.

The company was #1 in marketshare in all key album categories--overall, current, R&B and country.

BMG Distribution also had a strong quarter, with significant gains in overall and current albums and the leading share in singles.

For the period from Jan. 3 to April 2, UMVD had 26.6% of overall albums, nearly identical to its share in the corresponding period last year. Next was BMG, 16.7% (up from 14.1% last year); Sony Music Distribution, 16.5% (14.5%); the collective independents, 16.3% (16.9%); WEA, 15% (17%); and EMI Music Distribution, 9% (10.7%).

UMVD had 27.7% of total current albums, up from 27.4% in first-quarter '99. BMG was second, with 20.5%, up from 17.3%, and Sony jumped to 17% from 14.5%. Next were the indies, with 15% (15.8%); WEA, 12.3% (15.2%); and EMD, 7.6% (9.8%).

Edgar Bronfman Jr. hasn't been this giddy since his father first introduced him to the joys of a 7&7 on the rocks when he was 11.