Legal downloads outsell CDs

Legal music downloads have outsold traditional physical formats such as DVDs and CDs for the first time, according to research from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

The organisation found that over 150,000 downloads were sold in January 2004. Some 50,000 of these sales came in one week alone, with the launch of legal download site MyCokeMusic.

BPI executive chairman Peter Jamieson said in a statement: "Digital music services without doubt represent an exciting future for the music industry.

"Putting the systems in place to properly reward the artists and creators of music takes time, especially against a backdrop of tough market conditions and increasing piracy."

The BPI said that download statistics would be listed in its forthcoming Official Download Chart, which entered its test phase last October.

Plans to integrate downloads into the Official Singles Chart are expected to follow later this year.

The BPI market research also found that album sales rose by 5.6 per cent in 2003.