Loading ...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]
iTunes Beats Wal-Mart As No. 1 Music Retailer… So What?
 |
WOW: Guess What Adele Has To Say About Being Called Fat – Huffington Post |
 Madonna Makes A HUGE Announcement – Fox News | |
| Lady Gaga Makes Her Most Shocking Confession Yet – PopCrush | |
| Lana Del Rey's Bizarre Living Situation Is Exposed – Huffington Post | |
| SHOCKING: Learn About Chris Brown & Rihanna's Secret Rendezvous – Global Grind | |
| You Won't Believe Who Justin Bieber Is Hitting The Studio With – PopCrush |
All good points. That said, even if The Wal makes a comeback in the spring (you’re right, big new releases is what they need), their stated plan to reduce CD floor space unless the labels cut prices to as little as $5 a disc means this trend is probably accelerating.
Yeah, but Wal-Mart has the special Jimmy Buffet CDs that are so environmentally friendly, you can plant those suckers and a big ol’ beanstalk will pop out and lead you to Parrothead heaven. You can’t do that with your iTunes download, now can ye?
I wouldn’t be surprised if numbers came out showing that the trend covered the entire 1st quarter, not just January. a) for all the reasons you raise above (even in Feb. and March there weren’t any really huge albums), and b) because of the American Idol exclusives – 10+ new tracks available for purchase every week, pimped hard on the show (including the Beatles catalog!). According to the speaker-of-gospel-truth Ryan Seacrest, the contestant songs are withheld from the charts so as not to influence voting, but if they were on Billboard they’d clog the top spots.
Since he said that on national TV – meaning that his mother must have been watching – I’m inclined to believe him.