CDs,DVDs still account for more than 75% of music industry revenue, but shrinking

The RIAA has posted 2007 year-end manufacturers’ unit shipments and value statistics. This covers USA music and music video sales.

Here are my highlights:

  • CD sales down 17.5% in units and 20.5% in value year-on-year. The peak was 2000; value is down around 44% since then (actually a smaller decline that I would have expected).
  • Downloads are up 38.9% in units and 43.2% in value.
  • Mobile (ringtones etc) are amazingly only 30% less by value than other digital download sales, if I’m reading the chart right.
  • Revenue from physical media (mostly CDs) is more than 75% of the total.
  • Overall revenue is down by 11.8% – that’s the figure that hurts the music industry.
  • Finally, vinyl is up by 46% but from a small base; it’s only a tiny niche.

Every time I look another CD shop has shrunk or closed on the high street, so I expect there will more of the same next year.

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