SOARING LED ZEPPELIN ALBUM SALES WON’T SAVE THE RECORD INDUSTRY

According to Telegraph.co.uk, the recent Led Zeppelin reunion gig at the O2 Arena in London has sparked Led Zeppelin fever throughout the UK. The recently released Best Of album Mothership, released in November, is already platinum in the UK (300,000 units), and sales of the band’s back-catalogue rose 500% in the day since the concert, according to an HMV spokesman.

This is all well and good, and certainly bodes well for a slumping industry that could use a holiday boost. But guess what — not only will it not last, but it’s a relative blip in the radar compared to how far off overall sales numbers are from last year.

Expect a big drop in overall CD sales from 2007 to 2006, and expect big retailers to cut shelf space as soon as the numbers come in. It’s (still) the beginning of the end for the CD.

UPDATE: The Sun [via Blabbermouth] reports that after the gig the bandmembers were overheard discussing a three-night set at Madison Square Garden in New York City sometime in 2008. According to the report, the consensus was “Why not?” It’s inevitable, folks!

-VN