In its Digital Music Report 2007, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) stated that digital music sales doubled in 2006. The growth, however, did not make up for the decline in CD sales. Revenue is expected to come in at $2 billion for the year, which equates to about 10% of the total music market. IFBI stated the doubling is thanks to a wider range of digital music products as well as the fact the number of tracks available surged from two to four million.
The recording-industry trade group blamed music downloads from peer-to-peer networks as a continuing problem but believes that the 10,000 legal actions (in 18 countries) that were taken in 2006 have made a difference. Research shows 14% of portable device owners obtain their content from legal sites but the same percentage use peer-to-peer networks for illegal downloads.
Apple's iTunes Music Store was the most popular download service, although more alternatives have become available throughout the year. There are currently 500 online services operating in 40 countries. Subscription services and ad-supported models offering content for free were the most innovative options available.
News source: InfoWorld
The recording-industry trade group blamed music downloads from peer-to-peer networks as a continuing problem but believes that the 10,000 legal actions (in 18 countries) that were taken in 2006 have made a difference. Research shows 14% of portable device owners obtain their content from legal sites but the same percentage use peer-to-peer networks for illegal downloads.
Apple's iTunes Music Store was the most popular download service, although more alternatives have become available throughout the year. There are currently 500 online services operating in 40 countries. Subscription services and ad-supported models offering content for free were the most innovative options available.
News source: InfoWorld
1. Not ALL cds are available for less than $9 USdlls everywhere. You have to HUNT stores (yes I'm including Amazon and other online retailers, not just malls or shopping centers). This is not good marketing for people that have little time to call their own.
2. Most "non-mainstream" bands usually have their cds upwards of $15. Unfortunately for me and others this means NO discounts whatsoever. Plus, sometimes they are hard to find or get. Globalization in this area is still behind even Medieval times.
3. All cds I buy I rip into iTunes for my iPod-listening pleasure. Digital downloads save time in MANY ways, not just in the "instant gratification" area. Though I must admit: I AM cheap, I AM lazy, and I DO like instant gratification, which means that ordering from Amazon or having to go to a shopping center means having to spend a lot of money and time just a cd.
4. MPAA has still failed to convince me why a cd costs $15 bucks while a DVD costs the same or less.
5. I don't like to have to buy the whole album to listen to the songs I want. It's like they (artist and/or studios) are ORDERING me to listen to everything they produce. Sorry fellas, no go on that; you'll have to make a classic cd for me to comply!
6. I REFUSE to EVER rent music. The subscription model is ridiculous and offensive at BEST!! I'm already spending money, they're already getting richer -less sales and piracy notwithstanding- and now they want to rent?!?! Bunch of greedy leeches!
7. The fact that cds sales are down to me indicates that digital downloads cannot fix the problems with cds. They are still too expensive and hard to get. High price - slow satisfaction. I am NOT saying that cds should be phased out, I am saying studios should standarize LOWER prices for all cds on ALL venues, and at the same time have some sort of FREE and INCLUDED bonus for people buying cds; bonus DVDs and free bonus tracks are a first step, but I'm SURE they can do better than that.
I, again, admit these are only my own points of view on the matter.
And sorry for any ortographic or grammatical mistakes. My English is not so good.
P.S. A fellow named Jeff Mincey posted this wise tidbit in the Playlistmag forums:
"The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (corrected by the author) will blame anything but itself and its own member labels for bad products, bad music, over-pricing, collusion, price-fixing, over-packaging, a homogenizing sameness of music across the United States, and a lack of vision and fresh new music. "
All I can say is: Ditto.
Cheers!
Last edited by jhpadilla on 17 Jan 2007 - 19:15
And most digital albums I've seen for sale were cheaper than buying the full CD from the store.
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