Global music sales tumble ... again

[Class316]

The battle-weary music industry surveyed the wreckage of another dismal six months on Wednesday as global data showed music sales tumbled 10.9 percent, piling more pressure on music companies to do deals to survive.

DESPITE BIG HITS from pop queen Christina Aguilera and rapper 50 Cent, Internet downloading and CD-burning continued to ravage the industry, dragging music sales down to $12.7 billion in the first half of this year, a leading industry body said.

The figures are likely to turn the heat up on a series of negotiations between top music companies as they scramble to cut costs after three years of declines.

Berman said the United States, Japan, France and Germany —the world’s biggest music markets — showed dramatic declines.

There have been bright spots however, the IFPI said.
A string of hits in a traditionally thin release period included Aguilera’s “Stripped,” 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin,”’ Coldplay’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” Celine Dion’s “One Heart” and Avril Lavigne’s “Let Go.”

Sales in Austria, Finland and Russia rose while UK album sales posted gains and Hong Kong and Australia made a recovery.

DVD music took off, accounting for more than five percent of sales, and legitimate online music broadened its reach.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/974303.asp?vts=100220030917

[Malicious Intent]

I don't understand why sales in the UK continue to increase. You would have thought that sales would drop here first considering the extra that we are charged for CDs.
Perhaps because Britain didn't really join broadband until long after Napster, we don't have free music in our blood. When ever I suggest to people they get the music from the internet instead of paying for it, the response is often "but I don't want to get sued". They never seem to believe that the UK is still safe. Its only now that broadband is popular, but it appears it will be difficult to convince people to start using it after suing has began. France and Germany had broadband coverage long before the UK and there sales have dropped.
Mind you, 15% of suprnova users are from the UK, compared with 30% from the US. The UK seems to be putting in a show there.

[Siskabush]

"I don't understand why sales in the UK continue to increase. You would have thought that sales would drop here first considering the extra that we are charged for CDs."

The reason for that is because over in europe, you guys can choose what you wanna hear, youre music isnt as censored as North america.

Here, at a music store, we got our selection, Pop, Pap, or alternative. thats it.
And if you wanna special order that DJ tiesto CD, you gotta wait 2 weeks, and pay 35-40$ Canadian.

[Pebbles100]

And if you wanna special order that DJ tiesto CD, you gotta wait 2 weeks, and pay 35-40$ Canadian.

That's so true. I was checking out Gatecrasher [import] cd awile ago, and it was $40 [+s & h].

[shawners]

They did say their lowering prices over in the UK. I believe sales are increasing due to the internet, I mean. No one is getting sued, no one is boycotting the RIAA in Europe. So until the Music industry over there piss off the europeans, no one is going to stop buying their music.

Plus if everyones downloading new music and sharing, it in return will get music lovers to buy what they like and download.

[WoGiTaLiA]

Sales would be up in the UK because they get a greater selection, and aswell as the American stuff, they also get Australian and European stuff. They have a greater selection, and also a more influential club scene, for the most part the US club scene features the stuff in the charts, where as British clubs have DnB and other music types. They also probably have a larger proportion of vinyl sales.

On top of that the RIAA is really alienating itself from its biggest supporters. If people are downloading music, they like it, if you take their money or threaten them, they arent likely to go and give you money.

Hopefully the RIAA will continue to sue 12 year olds and the like, because this will turn the media and everyone against them, I also cant wait for the first rich or lawyer person they sue, that turns around and countersues for invasion of privacy, because it isnt possible for the RIAA to access your files on your computer, and prove them to be illegal, without them "hacking" into your computer or by breaking the very law that they seek to prosecute you with, so they really have no legal standing, its just that no one has had the money to take it to them yet...