BBC NEWS | Entertainment | File-sharing ‘not cut by courts’:

Global court action against music file-sharers has not reduced illegal downloading, an industry report says. The level of file-sharing has remained the same for two years despite 20,000 legal cases in 17 countries. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (IFPI) said it was “containing” the problem and more people were connecting to broadband. The global music industry trade body said sales of legal downloads were worth more than $1bn (£570m) in 2005. That is up from $380m (£215m) in 2004, with “significant further growth” predicted this year. DIGITAL MUSIC: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY Legal download sales pass $1bn a year A library of two million songs legally available 420 million singles downloaded in 2005 19,400 people sued for illegal song-swapping to date 335 legal online music services available 35% of illegal file-sharers have cut back* 14% of illegal file sharers have increased activity* One in three illegal file-sharers buy less music* *Jupiter survey of 3,000 people in UK, Germany and Spain Download stores now offer two million songs – double the number available a year ago – and the total number of legal downloads shot up to 420 million in 2005. IFPI chairman John Kennedy said the industry was “winning the war but we haven’t won the war” against piracy.