US music sales up in 2004
2005-03-24 10:37
Washington - Retail music CD sales rose 5.3% in the United States last year after four years of declines, an industry group said while renewing its warning about problems of piracy.
The Recording Industry Association of America said on Tuesday its figures showed a rise in unit retail sales of 5.3% in 2004, while the value was up 2.7% to $10.7bn.
But the RIAA said record companies "continued to feel the ongoing impact of piracy, both online via illegal downloading on peer-to-peer networks and traditional physical goods piracy".
Compared with 1999, the number of CDs shipped to retail in 2004 is down 21%, the trade group said.
It cited figures from research firm Soundscan that the top 100 albums, often the most heavily pirated, sold 194.9 million units in 1999, compared with 153.3 million units in 2004.
Including other formats in addition to CDs, the number of overall units shipped to retail increased by 4.4%, representing a 3.3% increase in retail value compared to 2003, RIAA said.
Counting all formats and all distribution channels, both retail and special markets distribution channels (such as music clubs and mail orders), overall shipments increased by two percent in 2004, and the value of sales was up 2.5%.
"There was some encouraging progress last year," said Mitch Bainwol, chairman and chief executive of the RIAA.
"At the same time, the legitimate digital business has not even begun to reach its potential. Those playing by the rules are being handicapped by bad actors who encourage and profit from illegal downloading and uploading of copyrighted works.
Piracy, online and on the street, continue to plague the music community and its partners in the technology sector," Bainwol said.