2007 Sales Report Reflect Generational Transition

Year-end data from NIELSEN SOUNDSCAN found that the transition from physical to online sales continued in 2007, but the increase in digital sales didn't come close to making up for another major drop in CD sales. Total album sales in 2007 declined 15% from 2006, but a 45% increase in digital sales was only good enough to cut the overall album sale decline to 9.5%.

Other data reveled a clear delineation of where the sales are and what kinds of music are being most impacted by this transition. For instance, the genre sales breakdown reveals that CD sales of youth-based genres fell far more  than CD sales of more adult-oriented genres. New Age, Classical and Jazz album sales fell 5.9%, 7.2% and 10.6%, respectively, while Rap, R&B and Alternative album sales fell 30%, 18.3% and 19.2%, respectively.

On the flip side, the entire the top-10 selling digital tracks were pop or hip-hop hits --the best-selling digital artist being FERGIE -- while the only adult-oriented release in the digital album top 10 is JOHM MAYER's "Continuum."

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