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It can well be argued that the iTunes Music Store has saved the singles market in the U.S., which had all but evaporated before Napter was ever turned on. The second chart, which shows the digital singles, is a great example of how misleading the use of percentages can be. The staggering 263% growth the RIAA reported in 2005 dwindled to 60% in 2006 and last year plummeted to a mere 38%, even though the actual growth in sales was consistent -- about $220 million each year. |
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| These sales came at the lowest price point since 1982, even if you take into consideration the fact that if you bought a single in 1982, you got two songs -- one on each side. |  |
| While the additional volume has certainly been a boon, in terms of overall value, the singles are still dragging behind the 1997 peak... |  |
| ...and aren't even halfway to recapturing the percentage of the overall market that singles held in 1982. |  |
