Album Sales Down in 2009 Despite Huge Jackson, Beatles Numbers

Album sales are down 11.1 percent in the third quarter of 2009 Rosetta Stone outlet compared to the se period last year, Reuters reports based on figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. That decline comes even with the influx of sales after Michael Jacksons death and the release of the Beatles remasters, as both artists respective catalogs have combined for about 6.3 million in sales this quarter. Even with the unexpected push from the catalog albums, total sales are still down 13.9 percent from 2008, a year which itself saw its sales drop 14 percent compared to 2007. If the trend continues, this will mark the eighth time in nine years that the record industry has seen a decline.According to Reuters, 2009s biggest seller so far has been Michael Jacksons Number Ones compilation, which sold 1.8 million copies since the King of Pops Rosetta Stone Arabic death on June 25th. Sluggish sales cant be bled on a lack of marquee releases, though, as artists who have generally gone multiplatinum in the past like Green Day, Eminem, Dave Matthews Band and U2 have all put out high-profile releases this year. Eminems Relapse has lead the charge with 1.4 million copies since its release in May. After 30 weeks on the Billboard chart, U2s No Line on the Horizon reached platinum two weeks ago, while Green Days 21st Century Breakdown and DMBs Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King have y to pass the million copies sold mark.There is some help in the coming months, bween Eminems Relapse 2, a pair of long delayed hip-hop albums in 50 Cents Before I Self Destruct and Lil Waynes Rebirth (Weezys Tha Carter III was the best-selling album of 2008), Michael Jacksons This Is It soundtrack, the debut discs from erican Idols Kris Allen and Ad Lbert, plus reported releases by Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, Shakira, John Mayer, Carrie Underwood, Weezer Rosetta Stone French and more.For info on all the big releases due out in these final months of 2009, check out Rosta Stones Fall Music Preview.