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# Streaming Services Push Digital Into Tie for Music Sales

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## Video: Streaming Services Push Digital Into Tie for Music Sales

[Watch (HLS stream): Streaming Services Push Digital Into Tie for Music Sales](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ljX6B0wH.m3u8) (1:31)

![Streaming Services Push Digital Into Tie for Music Sales](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ljX6B0wH/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-04-15. For the first time, digital music sales matched physical platforms like CDs and vinyl in 2014. Streaming music services led the push._


---

Jul 27, 2023 6:10 PM UTC

---

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[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

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### Choose the Best Music Streaming Service for You

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### Amazon Launches Prime Music Streaming Service

---


## Transcript

The music world has officially gone digital. Concertgoers have always been outnumbered, but this is the first time the music industry saw the same money come in through digital platforms as physical formats like CDs and vinyl. That's according to London based International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which released its annual music report Tuesday. Worldwide digital sales accounted for $ 6. 85 billion or 46 % of industry revenue. The same percent that physical platforms brought in. In the US, specifically, digital is already king, with 71 % of sales. While this trend was seemingly inevitable, the biggest drivers of the digital boost in the past year were subscription streaming services.

Services like Spotify, Pandora and a host of others now trying to get in on the market. Subscription service revenues rose an astounding 39 % in 2014, and now make up nearly a fourth of digital's piece of the pie. Of the rapidly growing services, IFPI noted the streaming music industry has 41 million paying customers. With another 100 million using free ad- supported accounts. IFPA wrote" There is substantial untapped potential for growth within the paid- for category ." As for the most popular music out there, it's probably not hard to guess, Pharrell William's Happy was the most downloaded single of 2014.

While Taylor Swift took home honors as the IFPI's Recording Artist of the Year with the most sales across both digital and physical platforms.

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