• ABOUT
    • Contact
    • The Team
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Events
    • FAQ
    • Use & Privacy Policy
  • ADVERTISE
  • ROWFAX
  • THE SPORTS CREDENTIAL
  • JOB LISTINGS
MusicRow.com
  • CALENDARS
    • Album/EP Releases
    • Single/Track Releases
    • Industry Events
  • OBITS
  • CHARTS
    • Radio Chart (Current)
    • Radio Chart (Archives)
    • No. 1 Challenge Coin
    • Songwriter Chart (Current)
    • Songwriter Chart (Archives)
  • REVIEWS
  • MY STORY
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Newsletter (Current)
    • SIGN UP (FREE!)
    • Newsletter (Archives)
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • STORE
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

Ringbacks Up, Downloads Down Among Consumers

March 31, 2009/by LB Cantrell

npdTwo research studies released today (3/31), reveal some interesting trends in how consumers are interacting with music. A study conducted by Port Washington, New York-based market researchers the NPD Group finds that U.S. teens are listening to more music in more formats, but buying and sharing significantly less music. According to NPD, teens acquired 19 percent less music in 2008 than in 2007. CD purchasing fell 26 percent among teens, while paid digital downloads fell 13 percent. 32 percent of teens expressed discontent with the music that was available, while 24 percent of teens cited cutbacks in entertainment spending as another reason for the downturn in downloads. The number of tracks downloaded from peer-to-peer networks fell six percent, while the number of teens “borrowing” music, either to rip to a computer or burn to a CD, fell by 28 percent. NPD’s surveys also noted big jumps in teens’ usage of online listening sources and satellite radio in 2008.

“With popular music sites like Pandora, imeem, and MySpaceMusic complementing offerings by terrestrial and satellite radio, more teens may be feeling less compelled to buy music or share it with others,” said Russ Crupnick, Entertainment Industry Analyst NPD. “These declines could be happening due to a lack of excitement among teens about the music available, but it could also reflect a larger shift in the ways teens interact with music.”

bmiBut hold the phone. According to annual mobile music projections for the coming year from BMI, teens and other consumers do like to interact with music through ringback tones. BMI is predicting that ringback tones (those customized songs you hear when you call your mobile subscriber friend) will surpass $235 million in U.S. retail sales during 2009. That’s a 15 percent increase over BMI’s 2008 estimate and a 68 percent increase over 2007. BMI estimates that more than 10 million U.S. subscribers are signed up for ringback-tone services with their wireless carriers. Ringback tones are sold by all major carriers, with the vast majority of tones selling at $1.99. The fee allows the subscriber to use the tone for anywhere from 90 days to 12 months.

“We predict that ringback tones will hit a new high in 2009,” said Richard Conlon, Vice President, New Media & Strategic Development for BMI. “Mobile phones are a multi-format device and have become a distribution outlet for entertainment content for the consumer. It is a music use area that we see a continuing growth rate for.”

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
LB Cantrell
LB Cantrell
LB Cantrell is Editor/Director of Operations at MusicRow magazine, where she oversees, manages and executes all company operations. LB oversees all MusicRow-related content, including the publication's six annual print issues and online news. LB is a Georgia native and a graduate of the Recording Industry Management program at Middle Tennessee State University.
LB Cantrell
Latest posts by LB Cantrell (see all)
  • NSAI Notches Another Epic Nashville Songwriter Awards Show [Recap] - September 27, 2023
  • 2023 Nashville Songwriter Award Winners – Complete List - September 27, 2023
  • Joey Harris Promoted To VP Of Publishing At 50 Egg Music - September 26, 2023
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png 0 0 LB Cantrell https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png LB Cantrell2009-03-31 10:48:062009-03-31 10:48:06Ringbacks Up, Downloads Down Among Consumers
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

RECENT NEWS

  • Luke Bryan Wraps 14th Successful ‘Farm Tour’ September 27, 2023
  • Two More Willie Nelson Catalog Classics Get The Vinyl Treatment September 27, 2023
  • Josh Thompson Extends Publishing Deal With MV2 Entertainment September 27, 2023
  • Chris Tomlin Celebrates Unprecedented Career Milestone Of Chart-Topper ‘Holy Forever’ September 27, 2023
  • Country Music Gets A New Awards Show: A Look At The ‘People’s Choice Country Awards’ September 27, 2023
  • Darius Rucker To Perform As Part Of The ‘Recorded Live At Analog’ Series September 27, 2023
  • NSAI Notches Another Epic Nashville Songwriter Awards Show [Recap] September 27, 2023
  • Chuck Aly Named President/COO Of Country Aircheck September 27, 2023
  • Zandi Holup Inks With Big Loud Records September 27, 2023
  • Pilgrimage Music & Culture Festival Sells Out For Second Time In Event History September 27, 2023
  • 2023 Nashville Songwriter Award Winners – Complete List September 27, 2023
  • CMA Makes Expansive Changes To The CMA Touring Awards Honors September 26, 2023
  • Chris Stapleton Confirms 2024 U.K. & Ireland Arena Tour September 26, 2023
  • Make Wake Artists & WME Sign The Castellows September 26, 2023
  • Weekly Register: Zach Bryan Continues To Top The Country Charts September 26, 2023

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets by MusicRow
© 2023 Music Row Enterprises, LLC – All rights reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Scroll to top