Album Sales Slump Continues

According to Nielsen SoundScan album sales have dropped 3% so far this year though digital single sales have increased 96%. This preliminary first quarter outlook is part of a larger trend with seen albums steadily losing ground.  Last year overall album sales sunk 7.2% according to Digital Music News. 

Long term concerns remain as to whether single track sales can increase at a rate great enough to offset the full album sales slump.  Smart executives are putting Increased emphasis on bundling tracks with additional content (video, digital booklets, ticket incentives, etc.) as well as income from cell music services to increase revenue.