Odyssey study: filesharing is here to stay

[TankGirl]

Newsbytes has just reported an interesting and representative Odyssey study reflecting the present (post-Napster) state of filesharing in U.S. The general message is clear: filesharing has become a mainstream activity involving tens of millions of people in U.S. alone and it shows no signs of slowing down. The figures are impressive. 31 percent of Internet users 16 years or older (=over 40 million U.S. 'consumers') have downloaded or transferred music online in the past six months. Among those under 30 years the percentage is 53 (!) and even in the age group of over 45 years 14 % of internet users are involved in filesharing. The average filesharing activity was 11 downloads or file transfers per week.

Newsbytes:

The study concluded the availability of digital music "appears to be playing a major role" in the drop in sales of recorded music.

Odyssey said the recording industry should offer services that allow consumers to create their own "play lists" of songs, and transfer ("burn") the music to their preferred format. The firm said 60 percent of U.S. households have some interest in subscribing to such a service.

"The industry has taken so long to respond that an entirely new set of expectations has been created," Nick Donatiello, president and CEO of Odyssey said in a written statement. "Now record labels will have to climb walls that they are allowing to be built."

The study said the music services offered by the record companies, such as MusicNet and Pressplay, do not meet the needs of consumers. Odyssey dismissed those services as something that solves the industry's problems, but does not meet consumers' needs.

What people want, the firm said, is to own, control and customize their music.

- tg