JupiterResearch: Digital music sales won't replace CDs

Well, CD is a digital media as well, but the research company is referring to the online music sales industry that has experienced a sudden boom after Apple entered the market. Jupiter forecasts that the music e-sales will represent a modest 8% of the total sales by 2009. Interesting about this report is that higher fidelity formats, such as DVD Audio, are not even mentioned -- it is not clear if the report used "CD" as a synonym for all optically recorded disc formats, since one would expect a slowly rising market share for the next generation media, as DVD player have become so popular and in many cases are replacing CD players.

"European Digital Music: Identifying Opportunity" published today by JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: JUPM) reveals that while the launch of new online music stores and services has jump started Europe's digital music market, the CD will remain the bedrock of music sales. By 2009, JupiterResearch forecasts that digital music revenues will grow to Û836 million from €10.6 million at the end of 2003, representing 8% of the total music market, and will be a significant alternate distribution channel.

Source: JupiterResearch