No Rock And Roll Fun

SALES SLUMP: Global music sales down 11 pc in first half of the year, and although the headline from the industry is "see? downloading kills?", even the IFPI admits that less than 40 pc of the drop is due to web-thievery. They make some sort of half-assed claim that the countries where sales have fallen badly are the ones that are worst beset by piracy, but why would Germany be a country full of web-downloaders while Austria isn't? The real reason why Austria has seen a sales increase is the concentration on local acts in that market - or "giving people what they want", seemingly an astonishing concept in the music industry. Likewise, the UK has seen album sales grow, which means that apparently we're not able to be painted as country where downloading is rife. Which is, of course, just pure crystal bollocks.

The real problem with the music industry can be summed up in the way they're pinning their hopes on Robbie William's live album to be a Christmas big seller. With, presumably, the greatest hits for Xmas 2004. There is the mark of a business that has run out of steam.