Online music sale

Do you like music? Of course you do. Are you still going to the record shop to buy your records? If you are, you may not be for much longer.

According to recent figures, more than 62 million singles were sold or downloaded legally from the Internet in the UK in 2006. That figure is almost twice as much as the 32 million bought in 2004, and experts think it will continue to grow over the coming years. This reflects a global trend: digital music sales across the world almost doubled to around ￡1bn in 2006, according to an industry report. And last April US hip-hop duo Gnarls Barkley became the first act to reach number one with their song 'Crazy' purely through downloads.

However, the traditional single has not disappeared. 'You cannot write off traditional formats just yet', said Mr Jamieson, spokesman for the British Phonographic Industry - the BPI, the organisation responsible for music sales in the UK.

Since music download services began a couple of years ago, the British music industry has been quick to take advantage and is now beginning to feel the benefits. While the fight against illegal downloading continues, it seems the public have been happy to join the new legal services. You access the web page, choose the songs you want, type in your credit card details and you can download immediately.

The British public still enjoys buying records, however, according to the BPI. Rock groups such as Babyshambles, Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand have been extremely popular and helped make sales high.

With music you can buy in the shops and music you can download from the Internet, from Coldplay to Oasis, Gorillaz to Franz Ferdinand, British music is going from strength to strength!