Record sales down, but seen as stabilizing
Last modified: March 4, 2004, 10:55 AM PST
By John Borland
Staff Writer, CNET News.com


Record shipments declined in 2003, but at a substantially slower rate than the steep slide seen in 2002, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) said Thursday. The value of music shipped to U.S. retail outlets fell by 4.3 percent in 2003, compared with a 6.8 percent drop the previous year. The number of units shipped dropped just 2.7 percent, compared with 7.8 percent in 2002, the group said.

The figures did not include sales though online stores such as Apple Computer's iTunes. Those markets are still very young, and their health will require continued anti-piracy enforcement efforts online, said RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol in a statement.

http://news.com.com/2110-1027-5169904.html?tag=nefd_hed

"The number of units shipped dropped just 2.7 percent, compared with 7.8 percent in 2002, the group said."

So, are they saying the "number of units shipped" is equal to the number of units SOLD?

"Those markets are still very young, and their health will require continued anti-piracy enforcement efforts online, said RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol in a statement."

Bainwol, you are rhetoric on a stick...a big, ugly, wart covered stick.

Funny I saw on the local FOX news that CD sales are up over 60% from last 1/4 Although thats the trouble "shipped" sure isn't "sold"
And I belive the reporter said something to the point of..."due to better CDs by certain artist..." didn't mention the anti helping

So, are they saying the "number of units shipped" is equal to the number of units SOLD?

Absolutely not.

In fact, I am highly entertained by the fact that there is not one actual statistic in this story.

Percentages of shadowy numbers compared to other shadowy numbers.

HAHA, health.... More like steroids. That market wouldn't exist if not for the anti-piracy movement.

The lie I can't get out of my head is this:

They say that they own 90% of the marketed music in the US. I think they got the number for the percentage of files that are theirs from how much they claim to own. They have no real statistics...

More bull if you can believe it they'll say anything to make themselves feel better I say whatever floats your boat till you get a big enough hole then you can worry.

With statistics, you could prove that 2 + 2 equals 5, if you're creative with your assumptions.

I hope their sales drop through the floor and drag every greedy executive with them. Crashing to the hard concrete below.

According to Nielsen, single sales dropped 4% in 2003. According to the RIAA, singles sales were up 85%.

The RIAA gets its retail sales data from Nielsen.

This isn't even creative.

Whatever the drop of sales, I agree , and hope that the drop in sales continues! either case, this reminds me that the RIAA labels are businessmen and lawyers who use talk to help their cause. I see the RIAA's group as a bunch of people playing with numbers, and who knows... they could be falsefying their accounting numbers (but we'll never know), to further promote their mission against shared networks.

It gets even better.

In January, Steophile magazine reported that"In 2003, CDs accounted for 96% of all music sold in the US, a total of 635.8 million units."

RIAA sez: 609.8 million CD units were shipped to retail markets in 2003.

The other 26 millions CDs must have been in the back room.

Well if none of these CDs sell we all know where they're going to end up. Were they're going to end up is in China for much less. What a sham.As for Riaa sells figures, it's all fuzzy math to me. Rest assured though that there's plenty of the likes of Spears and Timberlake and Nothing of Indie Artists. Why have all the fun here when we can dump our fakes and filth on Chinese market.

sales figures that is

HAHA FUCK THE RECORD SALES. The rappers need to STOP braggin all the $$$ they have. RIAA SUCKS PENIS. I'll burn THE HELL OF OF THE RIAA. BITCH COCK SUCKERS!!!!