Music sales slump damaging Lincoln retail
Video killed the radio star – and now fears have been raised that downloading is killing off album sales in Lincoln's High Street.
Many might remember an era when people saved up pocket money to buy all the latest albums from the likes of Bowie, Led Zeppelin and Sly and the Family Stone.
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Inventions such as the iPod are being blamed for the drop in sales of albums from record shops.
But new figures show that people in Lincoln have on average bought just 1.17 albums in the first nine months of this year.
The emergence of downloading websites and illegal file-sharing is widely seen as playing a part in the decline of music sales in the shops.
Music experts say classic albums are still being made – but many young music fans are now picking and choosing tracks on the internet instead of buying whole albums.
Andy Richmond was general manager of national company Jive Records during the late nineties, when artists such as Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys were on the label.
He is now director of Lincoln firm LCM Digital Media – but says there has been a big shift in the way people buy music.
"I was around when the download era began, and all the major record companies were resistant at the start," he said.
"Then along came Apple and the iPod and that changed everything.
"We are no longer forced to buy a CD with a number of tracks – four of which we don't want."
The data on album purchases in Lincoln was released by the Entertainment Retailers Association.
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by rick, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 5:09PM
“in theory recording a movie from tv on anything could be classed as piracy to as your depriving the makers of money and getting it for free. (but doing it this way is not illegal) so if u want any music just record it from tv onto a harddrive-recorder and then put it on your computer to burn to disk. or would doing it this way be illegal to even if it gets shown on tv”
by Berkley Hunt, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 3:08PM
“Coward, why do you persist with this poor TV analogy? The owner wouldn't have to come to your house, he would still have his own TV too! Come on, don't pretend you don't understand.”
by W.Wilkins, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:58PM
“Well good luck Annoymous Coward, i wish you well,
Be sure you take the contents of his fridge too!”
by Martin, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:50PM
“Anon. Coward, it isn't theft though. It's an immaterial collection of 1's and 0's. It's copyright infringement and still a crime, but theft it is not.”
by Anonymous Coward, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:48PM
“Wilkins, I have got your point, stealing from people is OK as long as they have loads of money. I am going to steal from Sir Fred Godwin's house right now! I will use it in my defence, he was rich so it doesn't matter.”
by W.Wilkins, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:42PM
“Hey! You've got a point there!
Just how much is a new tramp proof laptop these days?”
by Martin, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:32PM
“It would be the first thing on my mind. My body can heal, my specially hidden tramp computer (once tramped upon) could not.”
by W.Wilkins, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:26PM
“Yes Martin, But to be fair, my internet connection would be the last thing on my mind then,
Free health care would be first thing in mind though, for when the drunks get kicked out at 2am in the morning and find me hunched up in my sleeping bag, like a great big football.
Yes i freely admit, my internet connection would be the last thing on my mind.”
by Martin, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:16PM
“To be fair though Wilkins, if you had to live under a bridge, your internet connection wouldn't be very good.....”
by W.Wilkins, Lincoln
Thursday, December 03 2009, 2:15PM
“Oh yes, Your right!
I mean those poor old record labels do have it hard, don't they?
Yes many is the time you see their chief executive's sat begging, cap in hand in the underpass, starving, shivering with cold, Yes poor old things.
See just how stupid it sounds? Not really the same thing is it?
Are you getting the picture yet?”