Industry sources report that Amazon sold some 440,000 downloads of the album – nearly all of which were the 99-cent version (a more expensive deluxe version is also available). So how much is Amazon losing? About $3.2 million over the two days the promotion ran, according to Billboard’s estimate. Here’s the math: For every unit […]

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer – Wed May 25, 10:30 am ET NEW YORK – The release of a pop star’s album usually comes with the typical cross-marketing splash — strategic magazine covers, a few major TV appearances, and perhaps a cosmetics or fashion deal to remind the public a new project awaits. […]

Celebrity endorsements are behind increases in headphone sales, says a new report by market-research company the NPD Group. That’s good news for artists with headphone lines such as Dr. Dre, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Ludacris and Diddy. Last year, headphones that cost $100 or more accounted for 3.5% of the market, up from 2% in […]