Unreal Music Sales Data

Showbiz411.com has a shocking article on the state of the music industry these days. According to the post, album sales are down more than 14% for the first six months of 2014.

From the post:

"According to Nielsen, during the first six months of 2014, sales of all albums both physical and digital were down 14.9%. And sales just of digital downloads (from iTunes mostly) were down 11.6%."

But wait, there's more: the article goes on with this nugget of news:

"Sales of CDs were down 19.6%. What was up? Streaming jumped 50%. And sales of vinyl LPs were up 40%."

To recap, music sales suck, and only dinosaurs like you and me actually buy physical media anymore. I don't have a paid Pandora subscription or anything like that, but I do have Amazon Prime and Prime Music just rolled out last month and so far I like it, so I can definitely see the draw of using streaming music only. Still, there's something very special about owning physical copies of your favorite album -- typically in various formats! I can't help but think the kids of today are missing out on having a real relationship with their favorite bands. Come to think of it, kids today probably don't even have favorite bands, do they? I suspect they might have favorite songs... or YouTube channels... or "favorite musician on Instagram."

Sales data be damned, music is a business and artists must get paid for their work. So, like the article on Showbiz411 -- I certainly hope streaming companies figure out a way to compensate musicians fairly -- and fast. Because the future is here and sadly, the days of physical album sales seem long gone.

Comments

[Metalboy!]

Just scroll back to my previous two comments than the one directly above for the link to the free YouTube of the entire Mixtape, Mac Miller "Faces" to listen to a successful indy approach to, not just the music business, but music itself.

[fletch]

Mb: I think lp's sales are up because they are becoming collectors items. A trend I was on 15 years ago when I got my lps out of storage and scoured indie record shops for ones I always wanted but never had or my mom threw them away when I was in college. Then, I used said album covers to decorate my rock room, while others do the samr because they like the sound of the lp format better.

Him: one comment/one trivia.

comment: I actually didn't have to Google occam's razor. Psychology 101. Thanks dr. Sdorow.

trivia: name singer/song: "they said that 'the next big thing is nothing much', I said, "but the next big thing is me!"

Hint: david lee roth/last call.

[Him]

Excellent DLR quote Fletch. When you are on, you are on.

Metalboy!, you are right. I do hope younger music fans get into the older tech, like the warmth of vinyl and the joy of having a work of art right in front of you, and a sleeve you can read alongside the music. I'd even say there was joy in the cassette era (the era I became a fan). I recall waiting for those European imports to arrive, hoping that the interior folded out with lots of information to savor (often, 'twas not to be).

I suppose I framed it that way because there is something about the "saturation" one experiences when they are a part of an era, any era really. So many of the tactile dimensions of the time when these older techs were the norm are gone now. I miss them. But "saturation" is also occurring now, it is just that it will take time--the long-view/rear-view--to tease out what those are and why they matter.

And thanks again for sharing a story of success in Mac Miller. There is always a silver lining and another path to take.

[fletch]

Always on, him. That's what a lot of people didn't get. I blame catholic schooling as opposed to catholic education.

[fletch]

Destination is a complicated thing.

-we got our plans at the cheatin' heart cafe.

I'll chase and get her there. Where? Let's bring it back.