Market researchers NPD have compiled a list of the top five U.S. music retailers, and it makes for pleasing reading for Steve Jobs and Apple. The iPhone may be snatching headlines for Apple at present, but the iTunes store is solidly holding down the #1 position as the place where consumers commonly go to buy music. The top five currently looks like this:
1. iTunes
2. Wal-Mart
3. Best Buy
4. Amazon
5. Target
The figures include both downloads and CD sales, with bricks-and-mortar stores such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy trailing in iTunes’ wake. Amazon has also enjoyed a small leap in popularity in the first half of 2008, and it’s clear that people who pay for music are increasingly turning to online sources for their purchases. NPD thinks that Apple’s success is largely due to the slow down in CD sales, but also hints that Amazon is going to be a stiff competitor as its download services become more robust. [Hypebot]
It definitely seems like Amazon is making a strong push although it'll be tough to overcome iTunes since so many people use it to listen to music.