The CD Industry is Not the Music Industry

Anyone who thinks the Internet is killing the music industry (*cough*EltonJohn*cough*Metallica*cough*) is fallaciously equating the music industry with the plastic disc industry. Consider the following numbers from Chris Anderson:

* Concerts and merchandise: UP (+4%)
* Digital tracks: UP (+46%)
* Ringtones: UP (+86% last year, but probably just single-digit percent this year)
* Licensing for commercials, TV shows, movies and videogames: UP (Warner Music saw licensing grow by about $20 million over the past year)
* Even vinyl singles (think DJs): UP (more than doubled in the UK)
* And, if you include the iPod in the music industry, as I’d argue a fair-minded analysis would: UP, UP, UP! (+31% this year)

Only CDs are down (-18%). They’re around 60% of the industry not including the MP3 players, but just around 25% if you do include them.

Remember, musicians: you’re in the business of music, not shiny little coasters.