It may come as a surprise to some people who assumed that the physical product has long been a dying form when it comes to music, but digital sales have only just overtaken physical sales for the first time, according to an industry report.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) reported that in 2015, digital revenues - that includes the likes of downloads, subscription services like Spotify, ads on YouTube etc. - accounted for 45% of all music sales, compared to the 39% generated by physical (i.e. CDs, vinyl, etc.)

In fact, it seems that the popularity of digital music has even helped to put the record industry back in the black; 2015 was the first year since 1995 that the industry saw a growth.

Of course, that growth doesn't necessarily reflect the amount that artists are getting paid for their work via streaming services, but that's a story for another soapbox and another day.

 

Via The Guardian