Now that the wildly popular music-streaming service Spotify has come to the U.S., all bets are off as to the future of the American music industry. The downward trend in music sales that began with the appearance of Napster and its ilk continues.
This infographic explores the relationship between music and piracy.
Between 1999 and 2008, sales dropped from nearly $14.6 billion to just under $8.5 billion with further decreases in the years since.
As a part of the whole, digital sales now account for some 20 percent of all recorded music sales across the planet. That number is considerably higher in the United States, topping out at closer to 70 percent. The digital model is just more efficient and convenient for consumers and the industry alike. Gone are costs for manufacturing, packaging, retail space, and retail profit which eat up about 34 percent of the $15.99 someone pays for a CD.
This infographic was submitted by ClickitTicket.com
Score from the experts at Killer Infographics
Visual Communication - 60%
Design - 50%
Content/Script - 50%
Usability - 40%
50%
Final Grade
This infographic presents some staggering facts about the music industry. Much of the data visualization relies on communicating the information in a visual, rather than letting the data speak for itself. For example, a record is used to display percentages. While adding a visual element beyond the data might seem like a good practice, it actually complicates the messaging. By illustrating your data in a simple visual rather than a complex concept, your messaging will come across better to your intended audience. Additionally, there are many copy errors throughout the piece that weaken the overall messaging. Furthermore, as much of the research is older, the data is not very usable. Some of the sources are from as long as 5 years ago. Featuring more recent data might allow for a more compelling argument. Overall, we'd give this infographic an F.
