Numbers released today indicate that global music sales were down 1.3 percent in 2004, the fifth straight declining year, but U.S. sales gained over 2003. The IFPI site reports that if authorized digital downloads and ringtone sales were computed, global sales would be flat against 2003. France and Spain suffered double-digit declines. Usher, Norah Jones, Green Day, and Eminem are all cited for great sales in 2004, asnd there will probably always be a market for blockbuster content. But the real healing of the recording industry, in my opinion, will come from exploiting the long tail, separating hits from secondary tracks, and distributing easily accessible files that play back across all devices. The business is a long, long way from these ideals.
