iTunes Now Sells 25% of US Music

According to NPD, Apple's iTunes now sells 25% of all music in the US. That's up from 21% last year, and 14% the year before. Zoom. Zoom. Walmart, by contrast, is at 14% combining their real-world stores and online distribution.

In the strictly digital domain -- which continues to gain share -- iTunes accounts for 69% of downloadable music, with Amazon trailing at 8%.

Those numbers, in case they don't smack anyone immediately in the face, are HUGE. Despite the jump to $1.29 for - quote unquote - premium music, the shift to DRM-free, combined with on-device downloads for the iPhone and iPod touch, might just be enough to keep the juggernaut rolling. Next up, we'll see how Digital-45s and "cocktail" do for them...

[Marketwatch via iLounge]

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.