Rock music style and Robbie Williams is the number one choice for European listeners

LONDON, UK (Music Choice website) - Robbie Williams has topped a survey of 30,000 people to discover the most listened-to chart star in Europe. The singer triumphed in the Music Choice poll, whose results showed a clear preference for rock over pop.

Some 82% of British people polled also said the singles charts was not an accurate barometer of musical taste.
"The music industry will need to start signing credible and talented acts in order to keep up with changing tastes," said Music Choice's Simon George. Music fans in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Scandinavia were questioned for the survey for the Europe-wide digital TV channel.

Rock replaced pop as the biggest selling musical style last year, with the success of bands such as The Darkness emphasising its resurgence.
Rock was the preferred listening in six of the eight countries, with only Spain citing pop as the favourite genre.

UK artists fared well on the continent. Radiohead and David Bowie were seventh and 10th in Sweden, while Travis were ninth in Norway.

Europe's most listened-to acts
1. Robbie Williams
2. Eminem
3. Metallica
4. U2
5. Madonna

Only one TV talent show contestant appeared in the top 10s of each country - Bisbal, winner of the Spanish equivalent of Pop Idol.