[latepaul]

In Music, DRM Is Back While Ownership Is Going Away

• Recorded music revenue in the United States is finally growing again, up 11% over last year after five years of flat-to-slight-decline;
• Subscription streaming revenue growth accelerated, more than doubling since 2015. It is now the majority source (51%) of recorded music revenue, even counting CDs and other physical products;
• The vinyl renaissance is hitting its limits, as growth has slowed and vinyl looks headed for a new peak of 6% of total industry revenue.

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the RIAA numbers make it official: encrypted digital music accounts for more revenue than DRM-free music (digital or analog). In other words — if you define DRM as any encrypted means of content delivery — DRM for music is back
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now only 30% of digital music comes from DRM-free sources while 70% is encrypted in some way