iTunes Beats Wal-Mart As No. 1 Music Retailer… So What?
You may have heard that iTunes has taken Wal-Mart’s position as the top music retailer in the US. While this is probably a gradual inevitability, and iTunes sales have risen quickly over the last two years, the stats involved only cover the month of January 2008, a period influenced not just by holiday gift cards, but a lull in big album releases. With little new full-length product of note, it’s no surprise digital sales would rise in overall percentage. There’s also evidence that the slump in CD sales and the rise in digital-music sales are both slowing, and may even plateau. This doesn’t “debunk” the report, but it does suggest that everyone should chillax about the end of tangible product, and see what craziness comes next. [ArsTechnica]
