US Christian music industry reports upturn of sales in latter half of 2003.

THE AMERICAN Christian record industry has reported a surprising upturn of sales in the latter part of 2003. While the music industry continues to struggle with piracy and a harsh economic climate, Christian/gospel music sales have rebounded. At the mid-year point, sales were down 10.4 per cent from the first half of 2002. However, at the end of 2003, sales of Christian/gospel music were down only five point two per cent, cutting in half the mid-year decline, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In 2003, 47.1 million albums were sold, compared with 49.6 million the year before.

Gospel Music Association president John Styll calls the rebound "a bit of a surprise. Over the last six months, we would gain a half a per cent here and a half a per cent there and that all looked good. You never know if that's going to dial back again, but the good news is that (sales) got even stronger, especially at the Christmas season." Styll attributes sales picking up to "an improvement in the economy and the fourth quarter, which is a good sales period, and there's product out there that people want to buy. MercyMe is continuing real strong. Stacie Orrico is real strong. It's a combination of everything."