And This Is News To…?

Like, “Duh!” Record industry cutting off nose to spite face.

“New research has confirmed what many already suspected – music download services such as Napster and KaZaA are a major factor in driving CD sales.
Many music fans use services such as KaZaA, and previously the now defunct Napster, in a ‘try before you buy’ capacity – finding out what new music they like before going out and buying a CD.”

“Perhaps the real truth is something the RIAA is unprepared to face up to. Many critics have suggested the homogenising of the music industry is the real reason for the CD slump of recent years.
Endless streams of indistinguishable boy bands, churning out cover versions, and the proliferation of the Pop Idol format, has seen the music industry stagnate in recent years.”

I’ve also read somewhere (I will try to find the source), that the music industry released 12,000 fewer CD titles last year than the previous year. If you don’t produce the goods, your sales are going to go down!