British music fans still buying CDs during the download revolution

The Guardian reports that, despite overall plummeting markets, British music consumers continued to spend some money on CDs in 2006. The average Briton bought 2.7 CDs, which was no change from the previous year. The UK has topped the figures for the fourth year running, spending almost twice as much as 10th place Canadians (1.5 CDs). The reduction in margins may be making physical music sellers tighten their belts, but sales have actually picked up and the £1.9bn market is down only 5% since 2001.

The numbers aren't earth-shattering (if you're only buying two or three CDs, then you're probably downloading the equivalent of many times that), but they do suggest that services such as 7digital could perhaps not find the instant growth they might expect. We expect our readers to be among the more tech-savvy and download-orientated of listeners, but how do you prefer to obtain your music? Excluding illegal free downloads, in a fair market, what would be more appealing to you? Let us know.

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