OMEN
01-04-2009, 03:53 PM
ALBUM sales slid for the seventh time in eight years last year as growth in the digital arena, one of the few hopes for the ailing music industry, slowed as well.
Total album sales in the US fell 14 per cent to 428 million units during the 52 weeks to December 28, according to Nielsen SoundScan retail data.
The drop follows a 15 per cent decline in 2007 and sets a new low for album sales since 1991.
Sales have been cut almost in half since the high-water mark of 785 million albums sold during 2000, due in part to internet piracy and competition from other forms of entertainment such as video games.
This year, the industry also faced an economic recession.
Digital sales of music through online retailers such as Apple's iTunes Store have taken on greater importance for the industry, but the impressive growth seen in recent years is waning.
Digital song sales rose 27 per cent to a record 1 billion units, but the growth was slower than the 45 per cent jump in 2007.
Digital album sales rose 32 per cent to 65 million units, after a 53 per cent jump in 2007.
While digital sales slowed, a record number of vinyl albums shifted hands, with 1.9 million sales through the year – the highest since Nielsen started collecting data in 1991.
Mobile music
Ringtones are also a major new focus, however purchases of the top 100 mastertone ringtones slid 33 per cent this year to 48 million sales.
Only one mastertone broke the 2 million mark – rapper Lil Wayne's Lollipop. Last year, three did.
Lil Wayne also took honors for this year's top-selling album, moving 2.9 million copies of Tha Carter III Last year's number 1 album was pop vocalist Josh Groban's Noel, which sold 3.7 million copies.
Only three other albums sold more than 2 million copies this year: English rock band Coldplay's Viva la Vida, country singer Taylor Swift's Fearless and rocker Kid Rock's 2007 release Rock'N'Roll Jesus.
Last year, eight albums sold more than 2 million copies.
Swift, 19, was the biggest artist of 2008, selling 4 million copies, mostly of Fearless and her 2006 self-titled debut.
Australian rock band AC/DC followed with 3.4 million copies, selling almost as many of their old albums as they did of their first release in more than eight years, Black Ice, which was number 5 with 1.9 million copies.
Overall music sales, including albums, singles, music video and digital tracks, rose 10.5 per cent to 1.5 billion units, after 14 per cent growth in 2007 and a 19 per cent jump in 2006.
[B][I]News AU
Total album sales in the US fell 14 per cent to 428 million units during the 52 weeks to December 28, according to Nielsen SoundScan retail data.
The drop follows a 15 per cent decline in 2007 and sets a new low for album sales since 1991.
Sales have been cut almost in half since the high-water mark of 785 million albums sold during 2000, due in part to internet piracy and competition from other forms of entertainment such as video games.
This year, the industry also faced an economic recession.
Digital sales of music through online retailers such as Apple's iTunes Store have taken on greater importance for the industry, but the impressive growth seen in recent years is waning.
Digital song sales rose 27 per cent to a record 1 billion units, but the growth was slower than the 45 per cent jump in 2007.
Digital album sales rose 32 per cent to 65 million units, after a 53 per cent jump in 2007.
While digital sales slowed, a record number of vinyl albums shifted hands, with 1.9 million sales through the year – the highest since Nielsen started collecting data in 1991.
Mobile music
Ringtones are also a major new focus, however purchases of the top 100 mastertone ringtones slid 33 per cent this year to 48 million sales.
Only one mastertone broke the 2 million mark – rapper Lil Wayne's Lollipop. Last year, three did.
Lil Wayne also took honors for this year's top-selling album, moving 2.9 million copies of Tha Carter III Last year's number 1 album was pop vocalist Josh Groban's Noel, which sold 3.7 million copies.
Only three other albums sold more than 2 million copies this year: English rock band Coldplay's Viva la Vida, country singer Taylor Swift's Fearless and rocker Kid Rock's 2007 release Rock'N'Roll Jesus.
Last year, eight albums sold more than 2 million copies.
Swift, 19, was the biggest artist of 2008, selling 4 million copies, mostly of Fearless and her 2006 self-titled debut.
Australian rock band AC/DC followed with 3.4 million copies, selling almost as many of their old albums as they did of their first release in more than eight years, Black Ice, which was number 5 with 1.9 million copies.
Overall music sales, including albums, singles, music video and digital tracks, rose 10.5 per cent to 1.5 billion units, after 14 per cent growth in 2007 and a 19 per cent jump in 2006.
[B][I]News AU