Mobile Music Statistics

The growth of the digital business

• In 2008 the digital music business internationally grew by around 25 per cent to US$3.7 billion. Digital platforms now account for around 20 per cent of recorded music sales, up from 15 per cent in 2007.

• The recorded music industry generates a greater proportion of its revenues through digital sales than the film, magazine and newspaper industries combined.

Source: PWC Global Entertainment and Media Report (2008), IFPI

• Consumer demand for music is higher than ever. NPD research found that total music consumption in the US rose by one third between 2003 and 2007. Nielsen Soundscan reported overall sales at an all-time high in the US in 2008.

• Single track downloads, up 24 per cent in 2008 to 1.4 billion units globally, continue to drive the online market, but digital albums are also growing steadily (up 37%). The top selling single of 2008 was Lil Wayne’s Lollipop.

Key markets

• The US is the world leader in digital music sales, accounting for some 50 per cent of the global digital music market value. Single track downloads crossed the one billion mark for the first time in 2008, totalling 1.1 billion, up 27 per cent on 2007. Digital album sales totalled 66 million, an increase of 32 per cent (Nielsen SoundScan).

• In Japan, a predominantly mobile music market, digital sales helped overall trade revenues to growth in the first half of 2008. 140 million mobile singles were sold in 2008, an increase of 26 per cent on the prior year (RIAJ).

• The UK saw the biggest increase in digital sales in the first half of 2008 among the top markets, with sales up by 45 per cent. 110 million single tracks were downloaded in 2008, up 42 per cent on 2007. Digital album sales also rose sharply, by 65 per cent to 10.3 million now accounting for 7.7 per cent of the albums market (OCC/BPI).