US-based album sales are continuing to drop precipitously, according to recent Nielsen Soundscan data.
The downward trend is being mirrored globally, part of a worldwide shift away from the physical disc.
During the most recent reporting period, weekly sales moved to 7.24 million units in the United States, a 13.4 percent drop from the comparable period last year. The weekly plunge is not an isolated incident, as the year-over-year downturn now stands at 16.5 percent. The comparative data is based on a relatively depressed 2007, one that witnessed a 15 percent album sales decline.
The United States represents the largest recorded music market, according to IFPI rankings.