Album Sales Reach Lowest Point Since 1991; Vinyl Sales and Streaming Still Increasing
According to Billboard and Nielsen Music, there’s some interesting stuff happening in the statistics of album sales and streams so far in 2016. In general, album sales are way down; the lowest, in fact, since Nielsen Music began tracking album sales back in 1991. As of July 1st, only about 100.3 million albums had been sold, compared to over twice that amount this time last year. Though, while the numbers for CD and digital sales are hurting, vinyl sales are maintaining their increase, up 11.4% from last year. Streaming, as to be expected, is only gaining momentum, as Billboard reports that streaming has increased nearly 60% in the last year, and for the first time in digital music history, audio-only streaming has surpassed lower-paying video streams.
Flying Lotus to Premiere Directional Debut “Royal” at Sundance Next Month
After scoring a handful of short films, most of them disturbing, Steven Ellison, AKA producer extraordinaire Flying Lotus, is making his directorial debut next month at Sundance. The short film “Royal” is dark, occurring in the aftermath of an L.A. earthquake so powerful, human survival has become the new way of life.
New VR Beatles Documentary…Say What?!
Sir Paul McCartney is the subject of a new virtual reality documentary detailing the formation and early years of the Beatles. The documentary, called Early Days, is directed by American History X’s Tony Kaye. McCartney is no stranger to the world of virtual reality having also been a part of the six-segment virtual reality documentary series PURE McCartney VR, offering the most intimate and immersive look into McCartney’s life to date.
-Taylor Wallace
