Indie Labels Just 12% of 2011 U.S. Sales. Here's How the Major Labels Divided the Rest

Overall U.S. music sales rose 6.9% in 2011, as album sales increased for the first time since 2004,  according to Soundscan. Digital powered the increase, with sales of album downloads up 19.5% over 2010. But for all the talk here and elsewhere about the ascendancy of independent music, indies accounted for just 12.1% of U.S. music sales last year.  Here's how independents did alongside the 4, or if the sale of EMI to UMG passes regulators, 3 major label groups:

% Of U.S. Music Sales In 2011

1. Universal Music Group㬙.9%
2. Sony Corp.㬙.3%
3. Warmer Music Group㬏.1%
4. EMI Groupׯ.6%
5. Indies 12.1%