UK music sales hold steady in 2009

March 24, 2010 - PRLog -- According to latest retail sales data published by ERA, Entertainment Retailers Association, the UK’s recorded music sales performed better in 2009 y-o-y in comparison to video and computer games. The association says that music sales including music video declined by 0.6% by volume in 2009 to 154.8 million units and 0.8% by value to £1.31 billion ($1.97billion). This was the best result in terms of limiting decline for the sector for five years. On the other hand, the computer games market saw a decline of 9.5% by volume and 11% by value to £1.85 billion (2.78 billion) while the video market declined by 5.9% in volume and 10.6% in value to £2.11 billion ($3.17 billion).

The results were helped by the booming download sales that went up by 35.7% by volume for single tracks and track bundles to 149.7 million units and a value of £119.3 million ($179.5 million). In addition, download sales for digital albums were up 56.1% by volume to 16.1 million units and a value of £119.1 million ($179.2 million). However, overall album sales were down 3.7% y-o-y by volume to 134.6 million units and the value for all albums was £1.13 billion ($1.70 million).

Kim Bayley, Director General of ERA, commented on the results: “Surging download sales and the huge appeal of SuBo and Gaga show music still has huge appeal for the British public. It is too soon to call an end to music’s decline, but in 2009 entertainment retailers discovered music has still got a lot to offer”.

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