CD and digital album sales down 8% in 2005

CD and digital album sales in 2005 are down 8% compared with end of year 2004, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Sales of digital tracks through services like iTunes have risen 150%, to well over 320 mln songs 2005, but that rise is not enough to offset the plunge in album sales. Overall sales are down less than 5% if the digital singles are bundled into units of 10 and counted as albums.