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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
William Mata

Amy Winehouse's parents collect Brit Billion award for streams after Back to Black success

Amy Winehouse’s parents picked up a Brit award on behalf of the late singer after the Back to Black biopic propelled her music to one billion UK streams.

According to Billboard, around 140 acts have at least one billion career streams in the UK, but the award has only recently started to be handed out. 

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) have previously given 25 of the Brit Billion gongs to artists such as Mariah Carey, Lewis Capaldi and Sam Smith. 

Mitch and Janes Winehouse were given the trophy this week on behalf of Amy, who died in 2011 aged 27. 

The Camden soul singer received worldwide acclaim and attention for 2006 sophomore LP Back to Black - which spawned singles Rehab and You Know I’m No Good.

Amy Winehouse in 2007 (Redferns)

The title track and third single is her most streamed individual song, notching up more than 150 million streams. 

Winehouse’s music has seen a recent spike in plays thanks to Back to Black, the film, which also championed her debut and lesser-known album Frank - released in 2003. 

Accepting the award, Mitch and Janis released a joint statement which said: “We of course wish that Amy was here today accepting this award in person, but it’s amazing that she is still winning awards for her incredible talent and achievements. 

“It’s wonderful that her music is being discovered by new audiences of young people who love it just as much as her contemporaries. We are so proud of Amy. Thank you.”Despite the boost it gave to Winehouse’s streaming figures, Sam Taylor Johnson’s film was not entirely a hit with critics, leading to actor Jack O’Connell and Winehouse’s producer Mark Ronson coming out to defend it.

Despite this, it did manage to top the UK film box office for two weeks. Back to Black, the album, managed six weeks at number one - taking eight months to sell one million copies in a physical format.

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