Music sale falls 'slow in 2009'

Sales of videos, games software and music fell during the recession last year, according to the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA).

But music sales only dropped by 0.8% in 2009 - the lowest fall for five years.

Video and games software sales suffered bigger losses, falling by 10.6% and 11% respectively.

ERA's members - including Tesco, HMV, Amazon and hundreds of independents - account for more than 90% of video, games and music sales in the UK.

VHS cassettes

"Surging download sales and the huge appeal of SuBo and Gaga show music still has huge appeal for the British public," said Kim Bayley, director general of the ERA.

"It is too soon to call an end to music's decline, but in 2009 entertainment retailers discovered music has still got a lot to offer."

Despite a sharp downturn in games sales, the games market produced the biggest entertainment hit of the year for ERA members - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 shifted 2.92 million copies.

In 2009, sales of PC games declined nearly 25% in volume to 6.4 million - little more than half the level seen as recently as 2007.

One surprising result from the video industry in 2009 was an unexpected upturn in sales of VHS cassettes up from 44,377 sales in 2008 to 95,201 in 2009.