RIAA releases 1995 format sales figures: analog cassettes nosedive; overall sales decline. (Recording Industry Association of America)(Industry Overview)

Tape-Disc Business, April, 1996

The Recording Industry of America (RIAA) released its 1995 cumulative sales figures by format on February, 22, 1996.

The overall picture was as had been rumored since third quarter 1995 in the face of consumer frugality: Total unit sales for the year in prerecorded music dropped off slightly less than 1 percent (precisely, 0.9 percent), with dollar volume advancing only slightly by 2.1 percent. The year saw total units shipped at 1.113 billion on sales of $12.3 billion. All unit and dollar volume figures reported are based on manufacturers' shipments, net after returns. Manufacturers represent 90 percent of U.S. industry sales; the balance is made up of Soundscan reporting.

The most noticeable statistic was the drop in analog cassette sales, which fell 21.1...

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