Issue Date: Vol. 52, No. 9, September 2012, Posted On: 9/4/2012
Animated Chart Shows Dramatic 10-Year Transformation Of U.S. Music Sales
TAGS: Digital Music News, animated music sales chart, U.S. music sales, physical music media, digital music media, Recording Industry Association of America, downloaded music trends, CD sales
SANTA MONICA, CA – Digital Music News has posted a simple yet dramatic chart that illustrates the rapid transition of U.S. music sales from physical to digital media.
DMN said the chart is based on data from the Recording Industry Association of America. The transition occurred over a decade, but the chart takes just 10 seconds to view.
According to the data, physical media still accounted for 100% of U.S. music sales as recently as 2003. But downloaded music drew even with CDs in sales volume in 2011, and then surpassed CDs as the most popular format this year.
