The number of song downloads at authorized websites tripled among US Internet users in the first six months of 2005, compared with the same period a year ago, new data shows. US Internet users downloaded 159 million individual songs over the period, compared with 55 million in the same period in 2004, according to figures compiled this week by Nielsen SoundScan.

The data confirmed that Internet users are moving away from piracy on peer-to-peer networks and gravitating toward pay-per-download sites...

However, the figures showed that overall industry music sales -- including album sales and digital downloads -- are down 2.5 percent this year. This is primarily due to a steep decline in album sales.

Single-song downloads now represent six percent of overall music sales, compared with less than two percent a year ago, according to the recent data.

"The industry is healthy; it's going to change," Sisco said. "Evolution is critical. It's similar to the decline of vinyl (albums) 20 years ago," when consumers moved to the CD format.

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