More than 70% of the 76 million baby boomers in the United States bought music in the past year, according to The NPD Group's "Boometrics" study conducted for the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) and AARP.
NPD projects that incremental CD and digital music download sales to those born from 1941 to 1964 could reach $700 million to $1 billion. Making those sales will require improvements in available product and support for boomer buyers, the company stated.
"While the recording industry struggles with piracy and sharing among younger consumers, there's at least one group with the income and inclination to pay for music," said Russ Crupnick, entertainment analyst at NPD, in a statement.
"Most baby boomers are still buying only CDs, but many have also begun to add digital tracks and subscriptions to their music-buying mix," he said.
More than two-thirds of boomers purchase only CDs, but 26% buy both digital music and CDs. Just 6% purchase only digital music downloads.
Baby boomers now account for a third of all music sales, according to the company.
NPD conducted consumer focus groups in February 2007 in Paramus, NJ and Tulsa, OK. The company also conducted online surveys between May 30 and June 7, 2007.