So far this year, digital album sales in the U.S. are up 15 percent from the same period last year. And Americans have already purchased one billion digital tracks, a pace that is set to break 2011’s record of 1.3 billion sold, according to Nielsen.  A look back at music sales over the past few years found that the explosion of devices on the market-- such as smartphones and tablets-- and their increasing role in consumers’ everyday lives has played a major factor in the growth of digital music.

“As we look ahead, it’s clear that digital music purchases—and consumption through streaming sources—will continue to grow, and that consumers’ appetites for digital music will change at the speed of technology,” said David Bakula, Senior Vice President of Client Development at Nielsen. “These trends will no doubt continue to shape the way that music is discovered, marketed, consumed and sold.”