NARM’s commissioned research reports range in topic from digital music to music discovery to the demographics of the music buyer. Below is a list of the reports available to NARM members. If you would like to receive any of the reports, please complete the Research Report Request Form. Reports are free to members; and $250 per report for non-members.

For questions, please contact Nicole Hennessey, NARM Communications Manager, at hennessey@narm.com, or 856.596.2221.

Deluxe Products Survey Yields Important Insights (10.20.09)
In exploring a possible promotional effort around deluxe physical product, the New Formats Committee and NARM staff conducted a survey of member retailers around key questions regarding deluxe product. The results of the survey validated the importance of deluxe product at retail outlets: A little more than 60% of respondents believe that consumers are “more likely” to purchase deluxe product over the standard CD once they are aware of it. The survey also yielded a number of key insights that may prove useful for all members, so we’re sharing the results with you.

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Report Of Findings From The NARM College-Aged Consumer Panel (07.19.09)
As part of the recent NARM conference in San Diego, CA (June 7-10, 2009), Colen Research & Consulting conducted a live panel discussion among college-aged music consumers.  This serves as a report of the key findings from the panel. The two-part objective of the panel was to: A) Better understand how college-aged consumers are currently discovering, managing and listening to music; B) Obtain feedback on various new business models – both physical and digital.

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Worlds Apart: Diversity of Home Entertainment In The International Markets (06.09.09)
Presented as part of the recent NARM conference in San Diego, CA (June 7-10, 2009) by Alison Casey, Futuresource Consulting.

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Cyber Census 2009: A Coast-to-Coast Study of American Music Reality (06.08.09)
Presented as part of the recent NARM conference in San Diego, CA (June 7-10, 2009) by Maren Elwood & Rebecca Roth, On-Site Research Associates.

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Nielsen: Measuring Music Consumption (06.08.09)
Presented as part of the recent NARM conference in San Diego, CA (June 7-10, 2009) by Chris Muratore, Nielsen SoundScan.

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NARM And RIAA Release Sustainable Packaging Report (05.04.09)
NARM and RIAA are pleased to announce the completion and release of a comprehensive music industry-sponsored study of “Green” alternatives to current CD packaging. The 66-page report, “Comparing Packaging Options for Compact Discs – An Environmental and Toxicological Assessment,” is the product of extensive discussions among the members of the Associations’ joint Sustainable Packaging Working Group (SPWG) comprised of representatives of the record labels, music retailers and vendors to the industry. The SPWG sought to identify viable alternatives to current resin-based (plastic) and paperboard CD packaging that will decrease use of fossil fuels and require less energy consumption overall, yield a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions throughout the product life cycle, promote greater use of replenishable and recyclable resources, and reduce the industry’s toxicological impacts on human health and the environment.

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Nielsen SoundScan Presentation (05.05.08)
Presented during the 2008 NARM Convention by Chris Muratore and Rob Sisco.

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NARM 2008 Physical Products Concept Test (03.10.08)
Distributors and retailers are seeking to offer music consumers additional value added physical products. The objective is to slow and potentially reverse the decline in physical sales, while adding potentially compelling elements of digital or video to the physical product. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the potential for nine product concepts – CDVU+, DFS, Digital Album Card (open), Digital Album Card (restricted), MFA, MVI, Ringle I, Ringle II, and USB Memory Drive Albums. In addition, the CD and CD single were used to generate baseline information.

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Boometrics: Baby Boomers & The Music Marketplace (09.05.07)
Commissioned by NARM and co-sponsored by AARP, this report reveals: Boomers represent considerable buying power, comprising 76 million consumers, 70% of whom buy music, mostly in the form of CDs; Digital music is growing in importance to this segment; Baby Bomers now account for a third of all CD sales; and there is $700M in potential incremental revenue among Boomer music buyers.

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Consumers & Music Discovery (04.30.07)
This reported, authored by The NPD Group, includes a more detailed analysis of the three key messages in the report:
 1) “Digital” has created new opportunities for discovery and commerce, but it may have a dark side; 2) Consumer rejection of the CD is not the cause of the current accelerated sales decline; and 
3) Creating additional ROI within the physical retail store.

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Nielsen SoundScan Presentation (04.30.07)
Presented during the 2007 NARM Convention by Chris Muratore and Rob Sisco.

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Value-Added Physical Product Concepts (08.09.06)
Conducted by The NPD Group, this is a test of six product concepts to gauge consumer reaction and willingness to purchase. Concepts included the CD with Store Coupon, CD With Exclusive DVD Content, DVD Album, CD With Retail Link, CD With Fan Club Membership, and Vinyl Album.

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Nielsen SoundScan Presentation (08.04.06)
Presented during the 2006 NARM Convention by Chris Muratore and Rob Sisco.

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Digital Landscape (05.25.06)
Authored by The NPD Group, the key point from this report include: Digital acquisition of music is growing; Death of physical is greatly exaggerated; and In-store options present an opportunity to drive revenue.

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Consumer Profiles & Retail Experience (03.08.06)
Authored by The NPD Group, this report highlights important music trends, illustrates today’s music buyer and examines when, where and how much they shop.  The key takeaway from NPD’s point of view was that we can economically build demand for physical product, increase shopping and improve customer value.

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Ipsos-Insight/NARM Digital Music Monitor – October 2005
The report was commissioned by NARM to help members better understand the effects of evolving consumer behaviors, particularly downloading, on traditional channels of music acquisition. This research presents some key findings into the prevalence of downloading and the demographic profile of the average U.S. downloader.

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Nielsen SoundScan: State of the Industry 2005 (08.15.05)
This presentation covers sales trend comparisons not only of physical music product, but digital entertainment and video. The report reveals that there has been an increase of 21% in overall music purchases so far in 2005, which includes sales from albums, singles, digital and music videos. Albums sales at mass merchants continue to be strong – up 1.5% over last year and have gained another four points of the total market share, representing 39% of all album sales. In 2004, digital download track sales broke the 10 million mark with more than 140 million digital tracks purchased. Through the first seven months of 2005, digital track sales have reached 184 million – already 30% higher than last year. Home video sales are up 5% year-to-date 2005 compared to 2004 year-end.

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NPD Music: Hitting The Mark – Spotlight on Consumers (08.15.05)
“Music buyers aren’t lost, we just have to look harder,” reported Russ Crupnick, President of NPD Music. Technology is changing consumer behavior and that change is clearly challenging physical retail; however,  physical retailers have a unique opportunity to take advantage of this  change. This report analyzes how consumer behavior changed in the past year, and what motivates consumers to buy more.

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NPD Music: DualDisc Part 1 — The Early Days (08.15.05)
This NARM-commissioned DualDisc study revealed that nearly 5 million DualDisc units have been sold through June 2005, representing almost 2% of overall physical sales.

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Ipsos-Insight/NARM Digital Music Monitor – June 2005
The report was commissioned by NARM to help members better understand the effects of evolving consumer behaviors, particularly downloading, on traditional channels of music acquisition. This research presents some key findings into the prevalence of downloading and the demographic profile of the average U.S. downloader.

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NPD Music’s Year In Review (04.05.05)
The five key takeaways from this report include: Tiered pricing may provide some breathing room so that retailers can maintain overall competitive average prices; “The Long Tail” (depth/breadth of selection) is a reality, and it’s bringing teens back as physical music buyers; digital music can help with selection/sampling issues that would otherwise impede a sale; there are many similarities between the demographics of the DVD buyer and the CD buyer, though the marketing tactics differ; and retailers could be doing more to cross-promote music with other entertainment categories.

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Ipsos-Insight/NARM Digital Music Monitor - November 2004 (11.16.04)
The report was commissioned by NARM to help members better understand the effects of evolving consumer behaviors, particularly downloading, on traditional channels of music acquisition. This research presents some key findings into the prevalence of downloading and the demographic profile of the average U.S. downloader.

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What’s Ahead For The Entertainment Industry: An Analyst’s Perspective (PriceWaterhouseCoopers) (08.24.04)
The entertainment and media industry is on an upswing following three years of sluggish growth caused by economic weakness and terrorism. Projections show that global industry revenues will increase from $1.2 trillion in 2003 to $1.7 trillion in 2008, propelled by an improved economy, new distribution channels and the next generation of technologies. Broadband Internet will stimulate the market for digital distribution and the U.S. digital music market will total $2.2 billion by 2008, constituting 16% in total U.S. music sales.

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Demystifying Sales Trends In Music, Video and Video Games (08.24.04)
According to Nielsen SoundScan, overall music sales for year-to-date 2004 are up 7%, compared to being down 8% in 2003. Classical, Latin, Alternative and Country have all seen double-digit growth. Total new album releases for year-todate 2004 (Jan. 1 – Aug. 15) have totaled 22,977 compared to 21,567 in the same time period in 2003. Music video sales continue to grow with sales up 96% over 2003 and DVD music video sales are up 107%. Digital track sales have already exceeded 70 million in 2004.

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Consumer Insights: from Home Front To Store Front (08.24.04)
The music consumer is aging and we have entered the Generation i (Pod). There is an ongoing and fundamental shift in shopping preferences that puts traditional music and entertainment retailers at risk. In this report The NPD Group urges that retailers must reclaim their share of the music market by being outstanding at the basics and taking advantage of co-branding and co-marketing opportunities.

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Looking Back, Looking Forward (04.24.04)
Authored by Russ Crupnick and Isaac Josephson of The NPD Group, this report takes a look back at the fundamental shift in channel share that took place in 2003, with CD/Record Stores losing all age groups to Electronics, Discount/Mass Merchandising and Online. It also looks forward into 2004 at the promise of growth in the online channel.

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Ipsos-Insight/NARM Digital Music Monitor – April 2004 (04.16.04 )
The report was commissioned by NARM to help members better understand the effects of evolving consumer behaviors, particularly downloading, on traditional channels of music acquisition. This research presents some key findings into the prevalence of downloading and the demographic profile of the average U.S. downloader.

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Getting Closer to the Truth (11.05.03)
In an ethnographic research study sponsored jointly by NARM and RIAA, The Sterling Group has delved deep into understanding consumer satisfaction and its implications to the music industry. This comprehensive study, titled “Getting Closer to the Truth,” aims to answer two questions plaguing the music industry today: 1) Why aren’t consumers buying as much pre-recorded music as they once did?
2) What can be done to get them to buy more in the future? Six researchers from The Sterling Group entered the lives and minds of over 200 music consumers to answer these questions. They conducted interviews with consumers of all ages, ethnicities, incomes, and music tastes and in a variety of locations airports, bars, concerts, record stores, malls, and in consumers’ homes. Together these interviews have produced a multitude of insights into consumer attitudes about music today, and more than 30 direct-from-the-consumer recommendations that may help transform the music-purchasing process into a more valued experience.

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Putting Facts to Issues (11.03.03)
The report discusses how declining music sales have been affected by file-sharing, the economy, changing buyer demographics, the retail landscape, and pricing.

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The Music Consumer: Basic Profiles (06.03.03)
The purpose of this research is to factually define the music buyer by giving you essential demographic profiles and trend data.  While the primary focus is on physical purchases, the report does contain supplemental information on the digital environment

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Ipsos-Insight/NARM Digital Music Monitor – March 2003
The report was commissioned by NARM to help members better understand the effects of evolving consumer behaviors, particularly downloading, on traditional channels of music acquisition. This research presents some key findings into the prevalence of downloading and the demographic profile of the average U.S. downloader.