The Evolution of Digital Media Sales

Picture sourced from here.

There is no denying that we live in a world that is consumed by technology; most people have a least one piece of advanced technology, whether that is an iPhone, iPod or smart phone. Within this technological minefield there is a new market which is growing at a rapid rate. Digital media sales are one of the fastest growing markets today. This blog post will examine the change in the market from traditional sources, such as music stores, to the online world.

The 28^th of April 2003, saw the introduction of something which would revolutionise the way in which music was consumed, this was the day that iTunes Media Store began in the United States (Kosara, 2006.) Less than three years later in 2006, iTunes reached one billion song downloads (Kosara, 2006.) But how has the introduction of iTunes changed the way we purchase music? 

Well, in the UK in 2002 (before iTunes) around 43 million CD singles were sold (SimplyZesty, 2011.) Only seven years later (after iTunes) only 1.9 million CD singles were sold through traditional methods and over 199 million were digitally downloaded (SimplyZesty, 2011.)

With the amount of digital downloads increasing, the amount of digital music trade revenues are also increasing exponentially. 

Another example of how fast this market is growing is that at the start of 2011, 23 countries were using the largest international digital service and within a year the same service was being utilised in 58 countries (IFPI, 2012.)

The digital age is not only enhancing businesses profits but also artists have the ability to communicate with their fans in a much more personal way. I leave you with this quote by English rapper, Professor Green, who highlights how artists are embracing the digital age.

            “The digital age has brought about a way of consuming music and connecting with your fan base that is unprecedented. Partnering and working closely with digital platforms allows us ways and means of connecting with our fan base which in turn creates greater exposure and generates sales” (IFPI, 2012)