Mac users much more likely than PC users to pay for music - NPD
Apple's growing herd of Mac users are three times more likely to pay for and download music than their Windows PC-using counterparts, potentially serving as a harbinger for the further growth of digital music, according to a new consumer research study from NPD Group.
Data extracted from the firm's quarterly Digital Music Monitor revealed that half of all Mac users paid to download music tracks from sites like iTunes during the third quarter of 2007, compared to just 16 percent of PC owners. In addition, Mac users were also more more likely to purchase CDs, the data showed.
"There's still a cultural divide between Apple consumers and the rest of the computing world, and that's especially apparent when it comes to the way they interact with music," said Russ Crupnick, vice president and entertainment industry analyst for the NPD Group. "Mac users are not only more active in digital music, they are also more likely to buy CDs, which helps debunk the myth that digital music consumers stop buying music in CD format."
According to NPD's consumer panel data, unit-volume sales share for Apple computers increased from nearly 6 percent in 2006 to almost 9 percent this year (January through October). "Apple's growing share in the personal computing environment -- and continued success with iPod sales -- is a potential harbinger for the continued growth of digital music," Crupnick said.
Overall, more than 32 percent of Mac users report purchasing CDs in the third quarter of 2007, compared to just 28 percent of PC users. In addition to purchasing CDs and downloading music, Mac users are also more likely to listen to music and watch videos on their MP3-players and computers, according to NPD. While 34 percent of Mac users had uploaded music to their MP3 players, just 16 percent of PC users had done the same. Mac users are also much more likely to listen to music files on their computers (56 percent) than are PC users (31 percent).
"While the market for digital music is growing, it's growing slower than many would like it to -- CD sales are still declining and digital music has not entirely replaced those lost sales," Crupnick added. "The more consumers become comfortable paying for digital music, the more chance they will evangelize to others. And at this point in the game, it's the growing base of Apple consumers that are the industry's low-hanging fruit when it comes to migrating from physical CDs to digital music."
NPD discloses that the objective of its quarterly Digital Music Monitor is to measure music acquisition activities for key consumer segments, as well as other technology and entertainment activities that could influence music acquisition trends. The firm weighs and projects data to be representative of the U.S. Internet Population age 13 and older.
Data extracted from the firm's quarterly Digital Music Monitor revealed that half of all Mac users paid to download music tracks from sites like iTunes during the third quarter of 2007, compared to just 16 percent of PC owners. In addition, Mac users were also more more likely to purchase CDs, the data showed.
"There's still a cultural divide between Apple consumers and the rest of the computing world, and that's especially apparent when it comes to the way they interact with music," said Russ Crupnick, vice president and entertainment industry analyst for the NPD Group. "Mac users are not only more active in digital music, they are also more likely to buy CDs, which helps debunk the myth that digital music consumers stop buying music in CD format."
According to NPD's consumer panel data, unit-volume sales share for Apple computers increased from nearly 6 percent in 2006 to almost 9 percent this year (January through October). "Apple's growing share in the personal computing environment -- and continued success with iPod sales -- is a potential harbinger for the continued growth of digital music," Crupnick said.
Overall, more than 32 percent of Mac users report purchasing CDs in the third quarter of 2007, compared to just 28 percent of PC users. In addition to purchasing CDs and downloading music, Mac users are also more likely to listen to music and watch videos on their MP3-players and computers, according to NPD. While 34 percent of Mac users had uploaded music to their MP3 players, just 16 percent of PC users had done the same. Mac users are also much more likely to listen to music files on their computers (56 percent) than are PC users (31 percent).
"While the market for digital music is growing, it's growing slower than many would like it to -- CD sales are still declining and digital music has not entirely replaced those lost sales," Crupnick added. "The more consumers become comfortable paying for digital music, the more chance they will evangelize to others. And at this point in the game, it's the growing base of Apple consumers that are the industry's low-hanging fruit when it comes to migrating from physical CDs to digital music."
NPD discloses that the objective of its quarterly Digital Music Monitor is to measure music acquisition activities for key consumer segments, as well as other technology and entertainment activities that could influence music acquisition trends. The firm weighs and projects data to be representative of the U.S. Internet Population age 13 and older.
Comments
Well now we know that Windows users are the ones with all the stolen music on their iPods. Anyone have Ballmer's email address?
But there is a more complicated explanation for correlates. I'll bet that Mac users are significantly older than PC users. There is also probably a significant gender difference, as well as difference in proportion of 'corporate' versus 'non-corporate' types among Mac versus PC users.
<sarcasm>
OTOH, maybe it's because low life music stealing scum bags can't afford Macs to begin with?
</sarcasm>
Whether right or left, liberal or conservative, religious, agnostic, or atheist, Mac users are simply better human beings.
...causation, much? Mac users are more likely to have more disposable income than PC users (anyone who wants to argue that Mac users are not generally more affluent, go for it), therefore it stands to reason that they'd be more likely to buy music through legal means.
Yet PC users somehow manage to routinely shell out several thousand dollars on high-end gaming PCs.
Well now we know that Windows users are the ones with all the stolen music on their iPods. Anyone have Ballmer's email address?
Can you point me to the section in this article where it says ANYTHING about the percentages of Mac and PC users who illegally download music?
All it says is that 50% of Mac users have paid to download music and only 16% of PC users have done the same. It doesn't say the other 84% of PC or 50% of Mac users are illegally downloading it.
As a Mac user, I don't buy digital music but I don't steal it either. I buy CDs only.
There's no denying it!
Whether right or left, liberal or conservative, religious, agnostic, or atheist, Mac users are simply better human beings.
You can't argue with Logic!
...by the way Logic GREAT, I just bought it last Friday!
People who live in the upper east side tend to buy more things than people who live in a shanty town outside of Johannesburg.
Its not very newsworthy to suggest that people who spend more for convenience+quality on computers will spend more for convenience+quality on digital music.
Industry Canada has commissioned a study that proves that people who download music illegally actually buy more music legally than the general population. (not surprising: people who like music buy more music. people who like music also download more music. duh)
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/...y4_2007_en.pdf
This comes on top of the facts that downloaders go to more live music events (again no surprise), and that the music industry as a whole is more profitable than ever-before. (again, no surprise: more exposure + better distribution + lower barriers to entry = more $$$)
For more information on the subject, including the fascinating aftermath of industry Canada's report, check out CBC's "search engine". (One of iTunes Podcasts-of-the-Year for 2007)
http://www.cbc.ca/searchengine/
Perhaps the RIAA should stop the propaganda and learn to love downloading.
Overall, more than 32 percent of Mac users report purchasing CDs in the third quarter of 2007, compared to just 28 percent of PC users. In addition to purchasing CDs and downloading music, Mac users are also more likely to listen to music and watch videos on their MP3-players and computers, according to NPD. While 34 percent of Mac users had uploaded music to their MP3 players, just 16 percent of PC users had done the same. Mac users are also much more likely to listen to music files on their computers (56 percent) than are PC users (31 percent).
"...Mac users are also more likely to ... watch videos on their MP3-players and computers..."
Hhmmmm, and to think the execs over at NBC/Universal pulled their video content off iTunes so they can fragment the opportunities of showing to the masses their content be it Amazon, Hulu, NBCDirect, etc. and of those various opportunities, they are going after a smaller market that cares to view videos on MP3 players and computers in the first place?!
Brilliant, NBC... Simply Brilliant!
Or could it be that all of Torrent or other Peer-2-Peer software for the Mac platform really blows?
... I'll bet that Mac users are significantly older than PC users. There is also probably a significant gender difference, as well as difference in proportion of 'corporate' versus 'non-corporate' types among Mac versus PC users.
i dont think thats the casewhere i live (london). the majority of people i know are buying macs rather than windows boxes. this covers all age ranges, hell, even my grandad at 78 just bought a mac after a life (well, not all his life!) of using windows machines. gender doesnt really matter either. this only applies to the south east of england though so i dont know about across the pond.
i dont think thats the casewhere i live (london). the majority of people i know are buying macs rather than windows boxes. this covers all age ranges, hell, even my grandad at 78 just bought a mac after a life (well, not all his life!) of using windows machines. gender doesnt really matter either. this only applies to the south east of england though so i dont know about across the pond.
I think the old-school Mac users like myself (59 years old) tend to be older, but most of the switchers I know are around the mid-thirties or younger.
E.g. A lot of students are buying Macs here in Berlin.
Or could it be that all of Torrent or other Peer-2-Peer software for the Mac platform really blows?
Touché!
Interesting follow-up note:
Industry Canada has commissioned a study that proves that people who download music illegally actually buy more music legally than the general population. (not surprising: people who like music buy more music. people who like music also download more music. duh)
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/...y4_2007_en.pdf
This comes on top of the facts that downloaders go to more live music events (again no surprise), and that the music industry as a whole is more profitable than ever-before. (again, no surprise: more exposure + better distribution + lower barriers to entry = more $$$)
For more information on the subject, including the fascinating aftermath of industry Canada's report, check out CBC's "search engine". (One of iTunes Podcasts-of-the-Year for 2007)
http://www.cbc.ca/searchengine/
Perhaps the RIAA should stop the propaganda and learn to love downloading.
Great! That's 3 more major label myths down, again which leaves us 996 left to debunk.