Ok guys lets face it.

[The Divide]

I can guarantee that overall sales, of all types of music, on all formats, everywhere in the world, are MASSIVELY down. Not just a little, but loads.

35-45%

quote your source

Enders report, ‘Piracy – Will it kill the music industry?’ concluded that “digital piracy cost about 35-40% of the reduction in the size of the global music market last year”. Enders Analysis – Europe March 2003

Its in the pdf I just posted. See pdf page 11 onwards (sourced in the footnotes)

Ill post some of them here...

Edison Media Research - Survey found that the heaviest downloader’s have the most negative influence on sales. Among those who have downloaded more than 100 files, roughly 16% of respondents, CD purchases dropped 61% from last year. A year ago heavy downloader’s purchased an average of 28.9 CDs a year versus the current average of 11.3 CDs. - Edison Media Research – May 2003

Global music sales fall by 7.6% in 2003 – some positive signs in 2004
• Global music sales down for a fourth consecutive year
• Illegal file-sharing hits markets internationally
http://www.ifpi.org – the recording industry world sales April 7, 2004

Even company looses at the MCPS and PRS society...

However the combined effects [for company losses] of:
Flat or falling audio-product volumes in the UK and continental Europe
Flat or decreasing dealer prices
Lower service income in(..)
Lower interest income(..)
Have put considerable pressure on the MCPS’ financial possition - MCPS newsletter – Sandra Cox, executive director

There has definitely been a decline in sales within the commercial market. As for techno, I wouldn’t know where to find the info but I would say its more than just a spreading out of sales over loads of smaller independent labels. Why? Because when I was young I knew loads of people personally out every weekend spending about 40-80 pounds on new records. Everything was new and exciting. Now I don’t see as many young people into it nowadays. You look at the crowds in Leeds and generally speaking it’s mostly the people who were into it 5 + years ago without as many new faces. Surely if the distributors are going down then its a sign that they aren’t moving as many units as they should.

However, the global markets picking up again both in CD sales and legitimate music downloads. See google for more