MXP4 today released data showing how interactive music drives engagement, viral distribution and music sales.  here are the key data points:

• Interactive music users playing with 2.6 tracks for 9.1 minutes per session
• 75% of interactive music traffic on the Web is viral
• Recent tests show that 3% of traffic clicks through to buy.

The full release is at http://blog.mxp4.com/2009/12/mxp4-data-shows-interactivity-music-drives-engagement-viral-distribution-and-music-purchases/

And a video about MXP4 (www.mxp4.com)

MXP4 – Play with it! from MXP4 HQ on Vimeo.

Yes, we know that consumers want everything for free and without advertising.   I asked if my car dealership offered cars this way and they actually seemed surprised by the question. 

What consumers have shown, time and time again, is that they are willing to pay for quality content delivered in a convenient fashion.  Do we really need to say “iTunes” again to point this out?

The latest Pew report on online music goes further than this point and focuses on what consumers want to do with their music.  There were several areas cited but one missing.  Consumers want music to be

• - free or virtually free
• - portable to any device
• - accessible wirelessly
• - offered in a library that includes every song ever recorded
• - able to be remixed and mashed up at will

So what was missing?  If they want music to be free or virtually free, what are consumers willing to do so that the music industry makes money?  More ad-supported music (radio-like models)?  More premium services?  The answer, coming up over the next few years.

Read the full report at http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2009/The-State-of-Music-Online_-Ten-Years-After-Napster.pdf