Germany music sales dip 0.8% as streaming services grow 77%

Germany music sales dip 0.8% as streaming services grow 77%


The BVMI, Germany’s Federal Music Industry Association, revealed that the music market has been more or less stable in the first half of 2014, declining by just 0.8%.

Total digital and physical sales were 656 million Euros, around four million less than in the first half of 2013. The most interesting figure for the German market is the very measured decline in CD sales, down just 3.6%, and the fact that it still represents 65.6% of the overall recorded music market.

Income from streaming music services has increased considerably, up 77% over 2013, but it still only represents 7.7% of the market in Germany.

The growth of vinyl sales is an international story, picking up 34.5% and now representing 2.4% of sales.

Download sales saw a decline of 7.1% but they still represent the second-largest source of revenues for the industry at 18.6%.

Florian Drucke, the Managing Director of BVMI, stated: “Overall we’re seeing a comparatively stable market development in Germany, the CD continues to play a key role. Unlike in other countries, the consumption of music in Germany shifted at a more moderate pace towards digital consumption.”

(Andrea Leonelli)