In case you were wondering why artists are constantly touring these days, there’s this. According to a survey recently conducted by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and Entertainment Retail Association (ERA) in the UK, roughly 71 percent of all music listening is unpaid. Even formats commonly regarded as paid are predominantly free. In the case of downloads, the BPI earlier estimated that 95% of all song downloads are unpaid and illegally acquired, an estimate that doesn’t even consider songs ripped from CDs.
Source: 71% of All Music Listening Is Now Free, Study EstimatesDigital Music News