Sales through digital channels increase worldwide, The Netherlands show lag

Globally, music sales through digital channels increased with 9% to 27 per cent. In The Netherlands, the digital sales grew to contribute 6% to total turnover. The sales of physical carriers decreased with 13% worldwide. Overall, the music industry faced losses, show IFPI figures.

All over the world, people bought music for the total sum of 12,8 million dollar. 4,2 billion came from digital channels. The total turnover for 2009 is 8% lower than 2008. According to figures from the NVPI, the Dutch industry representative, Dutch turnover has declined too, although not as much. Here, the turnover was 4,6% lower than the year before and totalled 258 million euro. One of the reasons that digital distribution only contributes 6% to total turnover, according to the NVPI, is that the illegal offering is so big.

According to the IFPI report, sales declined most rapidly in countries with weak copyright enforcement. In countries with stronger enforcement, total sales increased. Problems the music industry face in Europe, apart from piracy, are high taxes and a fragmented copyright and licences landscape. This results in a disappointing uptake of digital distribution, states the IFPI.

2 May 2010