RIAA shared a report on music sales in the US during 2017, revealing that for the first time since 2011, physical sales have outsold digital downloads.
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Specifically, physical sales grabbed 17% of the market, while downloads fetched 15%. Interestingly enough, both categories fell compared to last year – physical sales dropped 4%, while downloads took a way more serious 25% blow.
As expected, streaming dominated the list, taking 65% of the total listenership. Total revenues from streaming platforms were up 43%, reeling in a total of $5.7 billion.
The source also noted:
“Paid subscriptions were the biggest growth driver for the music industry in 2017. Year-over-year revenue growth of 63% brought total subscription revenues to more than $4 billion for the first time, making it by far the biggest format of recorded music in the United States, comprising 47% of the total market.”