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95% of Music Downloads Illegal: Industry

40B tracks shared illegally, group claims

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 19, 2009 3:06 PM CST

(Newser) – Nearly all—95%—of music downloads globally are illegal, at least according to the industry, Techdirt reports. The numbers come from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and indicate that even a 25% increase in online music purchases last year couldn’t overcome the effects of piracy. According to the IFPI, revenues around the world are down 7%.

Graphic shows sales of CDs since 1995.
Graphic shows sales of CDs since 1995.   (AP Photo)
A man and his laptop.
A man and his laptop.   (AP Photo)
A peer-to-peer music sharing network.
A peer-to-peer music sharing network.   (AP Photo)
A person downloads digital files from a computer to an iPod.
A person downloads digital files from a computer to an iPod.   (AP Photo)
CD sales are way down.
CD sales are way down.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
Spydiggity
May 21, 2009 4:32 AM CDT
95% of music = garbage.
Michael_CT
Jan 19, 2009 11:39 PM CST
95% of dowloaded music illegal, um . . . DUH.
Nwambe
Jan 19, 2009 7:08 PM CST
The IFPI is a *trade group* for the music industry - For God's sake, believing their claim on their own financial health is like believing an addict who says he's "95% clean." Besides, how badly do you have to screw up an industry that 95% of your business evaporates? CHANGE YOUR DAMN BUSINESS MODEL!

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