[blockquote]Billboard’s top classical artist sets new sales record with latest DVD and reaches 100x platinum.[/blockquote]

New York, NY, December 18th, 2008 – Violinist, conductor and showman André Rieu achieved two major milestones this week. First, Billboard Magazine announced Rieu as the number one Top Selling Classical Artist of 2008 in the USA. Second of all Rieu’s newest DVD ‘Live in Australia’ set unprecedented sales records and outsold Pink and AC/DC.

The leading music industry magazine Billboard announced André Rieu as the Top Classical Artist in their 2008 Year End chart. Rieu, known for bringing Classical Music to the mass, also celebrated three albums in the Billboard’s 2008 Top Classical Albums chart.

[quote_right]In Australia it seems like the André-madness has no limits. Rieu’s latest release “Live in Australia” sold more copies than the newest albums of Pink and AC/DC. [/quote_right]

In Australia it seems like the André-madness has no limits. Rieu’s latest release “Live in Australia”, which was recorded in Melbourne on November 15th, sold more copies than the newest albums of Pink and AC/DC. The success of “Live in Australia” triggered another great moment in Rieu’s career. He now has 100x platinum records in Australia. The most remarkable fact is that this exceptional number of records was mainly sold in the last 18 months.

Says Rieu: “I am very happy with all this positive news. It is fantastic to be number one on Billboard’s list. And who had ever imagined that a classical music DVD would beat some of the most popular rockers in the charts?. I want to thank my fans for their loyalty and I am looking forward to play for them again in Australia and in the USA next year”.

Rieu has scheduled a 35 concert tour throughout the USA and Canada in April, May and June.