2009 has already become the biggest year to date for the UK singles market, with more than two months of the year to go, the BPI announced today.

 

New data from the Official Charts Company shows that 117m single tracks have been sold so far in 2009, surpassing the previous record of 115.1m, set in 2008.

 

This total has been reached with 10 weeks of trading, including the vital Christmas period, still to run in 2009.

 

BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor says, “We’ve witnessed an astonishing transformation of the UK singles market during the last six years, with digital downloads rapidly overtaking sales of CD singles and cassettes to dominate the singles scene.

 

“That singles have hit these heights while there are still more than 1bn illegal downloads every year in the UK is testimony to the quality of releases this year and the vibrancy of the UK download market. Consumers are responding to the value and innovation offered by the legal services and these new figures show how the market could explode if Government acts to tackle illegal peer-to-peer filesharing.”

 

During this year, 98.6% of all singles have been sold in digital formats. More than 389.2m single track downloads have now been sold in the UK since the launch of the first mainstream online stores in 2004.

 

Source: MW by Ben Cardrew

pity about the Album Chart :(

LOL I was just about to say the same!

 

Surely 2009 is one of the lowest years for albums? :unsure:

GaGa makes up the difference from the 08 record to this years YTD http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6/bravocbl.gif

With Leona, X Factor Winner, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and whatever other hits are in store that number is going to rise massively.

Without raining on the parade, I'd like to see the sales equated to £ monetary terms taking into account inflation.

 

I bet it comes nowhere near the late 1970s/first half of the 1980s sales zenith.

 

Then taking into account the terrible album sales and these figures are a lie suggesting the record industry is actually in a very bad way as a whole generation of teenagers thinks it is OK to have an entire music collection made up of illegal downloads.

I agree the real truth is being hidden.

 

Illegal downloading is just the way things are right now. I will use Whitney Houston as an example her album came out in America months ago if you wanted that album no one in this day and age is going to wait to purchase it in the UK.

 

From my perspective I spend a vast amount of money on cds. However, I have changed my habits. In the past I would buy a cd single of any song that I liked in the charts. In the past couple of weeks I have bought both Alexandras single and album. However, I have illegally downloaded a few songs for example Chipmunk.

 

Now I love Chipmunks new song but there is no bloody way in a recession I am going to pay for his download.

 

Artists like Lily Allen have to put up and shut up they earn a heck of alot more money than most people could dream of.

Without raining on the parade, I'd like to see the sales equated to £ monetary terms taking into account inflation.

 

I bet it comes nowhere near the late 1970s/first half of the 1980s sales zenith.

 

Then taking into account the terrible album sales and these figures are a lie suggesting the record industry is actually in a very bad way as a whole generation of teenagers thinks it is OK to have an entire music collection made up of illegal downloads.

Teenagers have often thought that.

 

The thing is downloads are more available to legally buy now and people(teenagers included) are begining to soak it up by buy downloads. Even now there is prohibiting of song promotion amoung big named record companies and they are reducing there own sales, despite this sales are increasing.

Edited October 23, 200915 yr by Ricky

The thing with teenagers (and even adults) and downloading is that its just too costly.

 

For example, just say you have 5000 songs on your Itunes. If each one was paid for legally, that would be almost £5000 of money which clearly most people dont have spare, just so that they can listen to songs that they like.

I understand that they are illegal etc and it often ruins many acts' chances of being as successful as they could be but its just that for many people, downloading legally (especially if you are a music buff and have a huge music library), is just not going to happen.

The thing with teenagers (and even adults) and downloading is that its just too costly.

 

For example, just say you have 5000 songs on your Itunes. If each one was paid for legally, that would be almost £5000 of money which clearly most people dont have spare, just so that they can listen to songs that they like.

I understand that they are illegal etc and it often ruins many acts' chances of being as successful as they could be but its just that for many people, downloading legally (especially if you are a music buff and have a huge music library), is just not going to happen.

Too costly??! I don't agree with that at all! what do you want, 1p singles?? What people seem to forget is 10 years ago we had to fork out around £2.99 for a CD single (pre-download days), and average sales for No.1 singles where much higher than now! This coming back to what the person mentioned earlier, great 'unit' sales are up, but the profits will be no where near as high!

Also, unfourtunatly these kids are growing up thinking its perfectly OK to download illegally, I don't think anything is going to change this, which is a shame. :(

I look at the old theory, I wouldn't walk into a shop and steal a CD, why would I do it on the sly, in the comfort of my own home?

Downloading a couple of songs that are 79p/99p... obviously that really wont break the bank but people who have thousands of songs, are unlikely to fork out thousands of pounds on songs.

Downloading a couple of songs that are 79p/99p... obviously that really wont break the bank but people who have thousands of songs, are unlikely to fork out thousands of pounds on songs.

I kind of understand what your saying, but when you say people who 'have' thousands of songs, do you not mean people that WANT thousands of songs?? I think it comes down to..don't buy what you can't afford....but thats just me. :mellow:

Artists who release in America first and months later in the UK for the official release are just asking for some people to download illegally no-one wants to wait.

 

I have never downloaded illegally.

Edited October 24, 200915 yr by Jmh123

I think we definitely need songs to start either being released at the same time worldwide or to be released the day it premieres. (like Crying Lightning, and sort of like Bad Romance)

I agree with Brayden.

Some of the people in here have really weak arguments. I particularly hate the you wouldn't steal a cd from a shop so why would you steal it from the internet. These artists only exist due to illegal downloading as their music can become more known.

 

I really don't see the issue with illegal downloading if you support artists you do like. I spend hundreds of pounds a year on my favourite artists. I also spend hundreds of pounds a year going to concerts and festivals. So if I want to download a few tracks illegally for my own personal use then I bloody well will.

Edited October 24, 200915 yr by Rated R

Some of the people in here have really weak arguments. I particularly hate the you wouldn't steal a cd from a shop so why would you steal it from the internet. These artists only exist due to illegal downloading as their music can become more known.

 

I really don't see the issue with illegal downloading if you support artists you do like. I spend hundreds of pounds a year on my favourite artists. I also spend hundreds of pounds a year going to concerts and festivals. So if I want to download a few tracks illegally for my own personal use then I bloody well will.

 

Though you are thinking of artists who are having a good level of success, the illegal downloading is a major issue for relatively unknown artists who are trying to get off the ground and maybe dont have a record deal or never made the Uk top 100 in the charts, okay you may know of their music but Illegally downloading it is not helping them trying to earn a living.

Though you are thinking of artists who are having a good level of success, the illegal downloading is a major issue for relatively unknown artists who are trying to get off the ground and maybe dont have a record deal or never made the Uk top 100 in the charts, okay you may know of their music but Illegally downloading it is not helping them trying to earn a living.

I'm not sure if this is particularly true. If anything, it's much harder to find the music of unknown artists illegally. The bigger the artist, the easier their music is to find. Someone's much more likely to get the new Britney Spears or Lady GaGa single on the internet seconds after it's released/leaked than say...a new release from Nicol or Alex Roots. I expect their few fans will be more likely to pay up for a song if they like it.

 

At least that's how it is for me. I'm more likely to buy an old song from the 90s that no one cares enough to upload than something I could easily find by a current major artist.

Some of the people in here have really weak arguments. I particularly hate the you wouldn't steal a cd from a shop so why would you steal it from the internet. These artists only exist due to illegal downloading as their music can become more known.

 

I really don't see the issue with illegal downloading if you support artists you do like. I spend hundreds of pounds a year on my favourite artists. I also spend hundreds of pounds a year going to concerts and festivals. So if I want to download a few tracks illegally for my own personal use then I bloody well will.

No argument (how ever weak you may find it) intended, it is how I feel about the situation. But to think that illegaly downloading up and coming artists releases is in some way helping them is somewhat delusional. This whole 'the gigs is where the money is' is irrelevent, how are these artists supose to arrange or even warrent a gig/festival appearence, when no one is willing to spend a penny on their music?

Edited October 24, 200915 yr by Justin