Sales of digital music in the first half of 2006 rose 106% to US$945 million when compared with the first six months of last year. Globally, digital sales now account for 11 per cent of the total recorded music market worldwide, up from 5.5 per cent in December 2005.In USA, online music sales accounts for 18% of global music sales, behind South Koera with (51%), but before Japan (11%), Italy (9%) and UK (8%).
Physical music sales are down in the first half period, by ten per cent worldwide, eventhough it is country-dependent: Japan (+12%), South Korea (+5%) and Australia (+6%), counter-balanced by Germany (-4%), the US (-7%) and France (-9%) (it demonstrates how percentage without informatino regarding total volumes can be misleading).
Of course P2P network is identified as the main reason of such decline of physical music sales, easy excuse, but also pointing out the potential EOL of music CD earlier than predicted.
