Remember the heady days when digital music sales were a runaway train; a bull in a china shop eating the lunch of traditional music – and many other mixed metaphors? The salad days may be nearing an end – or at least the all-you-can-eat period. Apple could be to blame, say critics.
For the first time since 2003, sales of digital music declined nearly 1 percent for the first quarter, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
“Industry executives ascribe the slowing track sales to a number of reasons, including variable pricing implement at iTunes. While consumers will still buy hit songs for $1.29, it seems that catalog tracks priced at that level are not selling as well as they were at 99 cents,” writes Billboard.
In February, Warner Music Group said digital sales were off since Apple increased prices on most songs sold through the iTunes Store. Sales of digital tracks grew five percent for that period, half that of the 10 percent growth seen in September.
The same month, Apple offered a $10,000 iTunes card for the person making the 10 millionth sale.
[via All Things Digital and Billboard]
