July 07, 2005 1:53 PM EDT
NEW YORK, Jul 07, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- With the year half over, Nielsen SoundScan figures show sales of recorded music are down nearly 7 percent from last year, Variety reports.
But in the digital area, paid downloads are up 104 million units.
In the first six months of 2005, Nielsen SoundScan said 282.6 million units have been sold, compared with 303 million a year ago. Digital downloads, however, have topped 158.7 million, up from 54.7 million a year earlier.
Universal Music Group is the market leader with 35.7 percent, followed by Sony BMG (28.3 percent), Warner Music Group (14.7 percent) and EMI (9.2 percent).
The year has seen only seven '05 releases become million sellers, the report said. They are 50 Cent's "The Massacre," Mariah Carey's "Emancipation of Mimi," the Game's "The Documentary," Coldplay's "Y&Z," Keith Urban's "Be Here," Jack Johnson's "In Between Dreams" and System of a Down's "Mesmerize."
Only seven releases?
Wow i wonder what the majors are thinking now?