New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The German music market experienced a strong first half of 2015 with a growth in sales that marked a 4.4 per cent increase over the same period in 2014. The good news was announced today in Berlin by Germany's Federal
Music Industry Association, the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). Expressed in absolute numbers, revenue from physical and digital music sales at the end of the first six months of 2015 amounted to roughly €686 million. The gains come mainly from streaming services (such as Spotify, Deezer, Napster and now also Apple Music), which shot up 87.4 per cent and now account for 12.8 per cent of all sales (first half of 2014: 7,7%). Even the download market, which has been under tremendous pressure in recent years, rose by 3.2 per cent over the previous year in Germany, driven mostly by growth in downloaded albums. At the moment, digital music sales make up roughly one third of turnover: at the end of the first half of 2014, it was still 26.5 per cent.
The vinyl market also continued its dynamic development. With an increase of almost 33 per cent, it claimed a 3.1 per cent share of the total market.In turn, the 3.3 per cent overall decline in the CD market appears to be consistent with the decline in the overall physical market, although it remains moderate in global comparison.
As Prof. Dieter Gorny, BVMI chairman noted: "Based on these latest developments, we can now regard the digital transformation of the music market as exemplary, even though it was often considered a late bloomer. Furthermore, due to its strategy of diversification, the music market has not only entered the new digital reality, it now also plays a pioneering role. Indeed, the innovations generated by all of the creative industries today foster growth far beyond their own sectors. They have become core sectors of the digital economy."
BVMI Managing
Director Dr. Florian Drücke added, "These figures point to a very positive trend that should encourage the industry to continue on its path. It's especially good news for everyone involved in the revenues, as it means the pie is getting bigger. The 87 per cent increase in music streaming even exceeds the forecast contained in the streaming study we published back in March. With regard to current discussions about copyright amendments, it's important we don't forget that the digital licensing business needs reliable conditions to function effectively, and this requires involving creatives and their partners in the revenues generated by the platforms to the appropriate degree."
