At the end of 2009, the American music business was worth half of what it was ten years ago. The figures show the sharp decline of the traditional music business model in the face of online music sales and illegal pirated downloads.

Total revenue from U.S. music sales and licensing fell to US$6.3 billion in 2009, according to figures released in America by Forrester Research. In 1999 industry revenue was US$14.6 billion.

The Recording Industry Association of America has reported declining revenue in nine of the past 10 years, with album sales falling an average of 8% each year.

In Australia the news is better, ARIA figures show a 4.8% rise in wholesale revenue to $446.1 million, marking the first annual period of growth since 2003. Australia’s digital music sector rose by 46% in 2009.