Retailers of music sounded ready to uncork the champagne in the News for the music industry’s overall sales rose for the first time in seven years.
Overall sales rose a modest 3 percent only in 2011, Nielsen Soundscan reported yesterday, but of the music industry’s point of view, an increase in manna from heaven. It is common for a 7-year slump to see double digit decline.
Jim Donio, President of the National Association of recording merchandisers, trade group that represents music retailers, called the annual sales figure “significantly positive.”
According to Nielsen, digital album sales came in at 103 million, 19 percent, and digital tracks up to 1.3 billion, 5.3 per cent from last year. Nielsen account number only for unit sales and revenue generated. The recording industry Association of America (RIAA) collect such data, but the trade group for the four major record companies have not been reported.
So what is driving this? Well first of all, there is no doubt that the popularity of “21″, the second album from singer Adele, the United Kingdom played a big part. He sold nearly six million albums. Adele’s song “Rolling In the Deep” also sold 5.8 million copies.