In a new report entitled 'Stating The Bloody Obvious', the **International
Federation of the Phonographic Industry** yesterday revealed that
2004 was the year digital music really took off. The worldwide industry association reported that 200 million tracks were bought from legitimate download platforms in the US and Europe last year, adding that the 230 online music stores that now exist generated in the region of $330 for the music industry.
Looking ahead to 2005, the IFPI expect similar growth in the sector
- estimating that overall income from digital music sales will double. The industry organisation also expects the mobile music sector to grow in the next twelve months.
Commenting on the report, IFPI boss John Kennedy told reporters: "At last the threat has become the opportunity". That said, he stressed the threats still existed and that legal action by his and other industry organisations against illegal downloading remained key: "We don't underestimate the challenge that free is still a very attractive concept. The biggest challenge for the digital music business has always been to make music easier to buy than to steal. In addition, legal action is necessary and while it's not always popular we know we have to carry on and we believe that it's having an impact".
No comment, however, on that report published by Shelley Taylor
& Associates earlier this week that said most of the legitimate download sites are rubbish, and the many competing codecs too damn confusing, all of which encourages kids to carry on sharing simple MP3s via the P2P networks.