Bienvenue France. Canadian Music Week (CMW) is putting the welcome mat down this year with its first ever Spotlight on France.

Presented in collaboration with the Cultural service of the French Embassy in Canada, Bureauexport, and Institut français, it will showcase the fifth largest music market in the world.

An impressive lineup of French music industry heavyweights has been assembled for a panel that is to be moderated by Music Week Editor Emmanuel Legrand and introduced byMedia & Cultural Industries DG Martin Ajdari.

On the panel are Aline Renet, Strategy Counsellor, PRODISS, Bruno Lion, Managing Director, Peer Music France (TPLM), Guillaume LeBlanc, General Manager, SNEP - Syndicat de l’Edition Phonographique (IFPI), Julia Le Groux, Booking, CARAMBA,, and Marc Thonon, Director / CEO, French Music Export Office.

Other mission participants attending CMW from France include artist managers, publicists, booking agents, record label heads, publishers and promoters.

Some fascinating French music facts:

With a population of 66.7 million, France is ranked by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) as the 5th largest music market in the world for recorded music with$USD 809M in trade value. France is also ranked 5th worldwide for both physical and digital.

Streaming revenues increased last year by 48.7 percent and is now on its way to overtaking physical, with income from the consumption of music streams on ad-supported video services now equal to the revenue from vinyl sales (US$12.6M vs. US$12.7M.)

France ranks third for both Synchronization and Performing Rights. Streaming has increased its market share from 16% in 2014 to 24% in 2015. The market is projected to reach 1.8 billion in 2016.

Technology is changing music consumption and yet 42 million still tune into some 250 radio stations daily. More than half the population use a cell phone.

France has more blogs per inhabitant than any other country, which indicates potential opportunities to promote music through social blogs and platforms.

More information on the CMW Spotlight on France here