“In 2008 Britons in their 40s spent more on pop and rock music than teenagers or people in their 20s, according to TNS, a market-research firm. As young people with more unusual tastes abandon music shops altogether, the market becomes skewed towards safe, established pop acts. ”

(implied that yout-loss is also due to downloading)

““Both the hits and the tail are doing well,” says Jeff Bewkes, the head of Time Warner, an American media giant. Audiences are at once fragmenting into niches and consolidating around blockbusters. Of course, media consumption has not risen much over the years, so something must be losing out. That something is the almost but not quite popular content that occupies the middle ground between blockbusters and niches.”

that said I listened to the top 2009 hits in pop over at w&w. hideous shit. but I never heard any of it all year ! I’ve never heard lady gaga. one of these days I’ll bother. that’s the beauty of the multi-scene now.