May 05, 2008

By By Cortney Harding, N.Y.

The National Assn. of Recording Merchandisers president Jim Donio kicked off the 50th anniversary of the conference today by stressing that, even in the face of a rapidly changing retail marketplace, NARM remains vital. Donio cited statistics about piracy, pointing out that 42% of all music acquisition is paid, and that despite a recent rebound in the first quarter of this year, CD sales continue to drop. He then suggested that a new version of "CD 2.0," a sort of hybrid compact disc, might be a solution.

Donio laid out two key questions for attendees: how to get younger music fans, who are used to free music, to pay; and how to get older fans, who now account for a third of all music sales, to continue to pay.

The opening events also included welcome speeches by NARM chair Sue Peterson and convention committee chair Rachel Friedman, performance by Hilary McRae and Randy Travis, and award presentations to Eric Paulson of Navarre, the Country Music Association, and the Recording Academy.

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