Global digital music sales rose by 40% to an estimated -billion in 2007, but the strong growth failed to compensate for the continued slump in CD sales, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said in a report published on Thursday. Figures showed that digital sales in 2007 accounted for 15% of the global music market.
French officials are proposing to cut off the broadband connections of people who illegally download films or music over the internet. In the country’s hardest crackdown yet on online file sharing, President Nicolas Sarkozy said that he is backing a ”three strikes” policy against internet pirates.
Neil Diamond held on to the secret for decades, but he has finally revealed that President John Kennedy’s daughter was the inspiration for his smash hit Sweet Caroline. ”I’ve never discussed it with anybody before — intentionally,” the 66-year-old singer-songwriter said on Monday during a break from recording.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Cecilia, are separating by mutual consent, the president’s office said on Thursday, ending rampant speculation about the state of their 11-year old marriage. The terse statement said the couple would not make any comment about their separation.
The recording industry has won a major fight in its effort to stop illegal music downloading with a United States jury decision to impose 000 damages against a Minnesota woman who used a web service to share music. The size of the damages is nearly 80 times higher than the average European settlement figure.
