Christmas week download sales were more than double compared to the same week in 2006, though you'd hope that'd be the case really wouldn't you? UK record industry body the BPI last week announced that just under three million downloads were sold in the week after Christmas, presumably aided by the giving of many thousands of MP3 players on Christmas Day itself (plus me spending the £15 iTunes voucher my Aunty Kath gave me, don't let's forget that). Download sales for the year topped 77 million, a 50% increase on 2006.
Commenting on continued growth in the digital market, BPI Director of Communications Matt Phillips told reporters: "Recent years have seen a boost in download sales in the week after Christmas, but this was a larger increase than expected, and sales should continue to grow throughout 2008. The enormous choice of music and great value for money, combined with the ease and convenience of downloading, means legal digital music services are becoming increasingly popular with music fans".