A broken record: Global music biz losing war on piracy

The global music industry is winning some sales battles, but online piracy continues to pummel it in a larger war.

As a result, the industry's worldwide trade group is calling on Internet regulators to assist in bringing an end to illegal downloads.

Some political heavyweights are joining the fight.

Digital music sales increased 40 percent in 2007, to US$2.9 billion from $2.1 billion, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) reported Thursday.

However, illegal downloads, which outpaced legal sales by a 20-to-1 margin last year, cost the industry much more than the reported gains, the group said.

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