Digital music sales take over records for first time

Digital music has overtaken physical album sales for the first time ever.

On the back of recent high-profile releases by Adele, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, digital sales jumped 10.2% to overtake physical media in a world-first.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has completed a recent study that has digital taking 45% of music industry wealth to physical media’s 39% overall.

IFPI partially credits this sea-change to the rise of music streaming services like Apple Music and TIDAL over the last year.

“After two decades of almost uninterrupted decline, 2015 witnessed key milestones for recorded music: measurable revenue growth globally; consumption of music exploding everywhere; and digital revenues overtaking income from physical formats for the first time,” IFPI boss Frances Moore said.

“They reflect an industry that has adapted to the digital age and emerged stronger and smarter.”