Via: That's according to NPR, which polled a number of industry experts to determine the real cost behind a top-charting hit. In this case, it was Rihanna's recently-created "Man Down," a big-budget, blockbuster-style blowout that remains unproven. Seem ridiculous? Indeed, the cost includes ... Read more...

Looks like the projections were right, but how long can this surge last? Here's a look at first-half vinyl sales in the US, according to data shared with Digital Music News by Nielsen Soundscan. Units remain relatively low, which naturally hikes percentage changes. Then again, this is the only ... Read more...

Via: Data wonks have been hinting at this sort of statistic for years. And now, mobile music firm Music WithMe has published a report saying that 81 percent of personal iTunes collections never get played - not once. "The average iTunes library has 5,409 songs of which 4,195 have never been ... Read more...