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File Sharing Increases CD Sales

Andrew writes "ARIA have released figures that show for 2003, album sales have reached an all time high. In fact, according to Peter Martin, who recently went on Australian radio, before file sharing and CD burning they were selling 10 million less. Total unit sales were also at an all time high at 65.6 million. CD single sales declined 1.9 million over the year, but as Peter said file downloading is doing a better job. Should help Kazaa's legal problems."

6 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Specific to Australia? by Catan · · Score: 3, Informative

    I would believe that this is a very Australian specific tendency. Recently, I heard about European sales figures (Switzerland/Germany) which were about 20% less then 2002.

    Personally I buy more CD's then a few years ago but not being a P2P person anyway and so therefore might not be representative.

    Maybe, these Australian figures are that good just because of Kylie ;)

  2. Re:Specific to Australia? by Brissie_lad · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, there is enough evidence at Janis Ians website to support this, and Baen Books have been making the same claim with regard to their free library, see janisian.com and Baen Free Library for more info.
    [Note: Bean seems to be down ATM]

    --
    Slackware - because apt is for the lazy.
  3. Re:Specific to Australia? by jabuzz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Not really album sales for 2003 where an all time record high in the United Kingdom. Though again single sales slumped yet again. The reason for this is obvious though, they are way to expensive to bother with. Three singles would more than cover the cost of an album. I remember when it was more like seven or eight singles to the price of an album.

  4. Re:Specific to Australia? by haakon · · Score: 5, Informative

    It only covers albums sold in Australia. The stats don't include the sales of Australian artists in overseas markets.

  5. Re:Specific to Australia? by gantrep · · Score: 5, Informative

    Why CD's are slipping down the charts

    From the article: "Have you noticed that the singles and albums charts increasingly seem to bear almost no relation?"

    and

    "The music industry is being sustained by middle-aged men who can't use the internet."

    I think there's a lot of truth there.

  6. Correction by nfabl · · Score: 4, Informative

    It actually refers to albums that have left the warehouses, not actually cash money sales.

    An album could technically go platinum in its first week if they do a run at the factory of 50,000 (or whatever) and put them straight on a truck.