Fat people hate music.

This section presents statistics on the various information and communications media: publishing, including newspapers, periodicals, books, and software; motion pictures, sound recordings, broadcasting, and telecommunications; and information services, such as libraries. Statistics on computer use and Internet access are also included. Data on the usage, finances, and operations of the Postal Service previously shown in this section are now presented in Section 23, Transportation.

This is the source referenced by The Big Picture. There is a lot of interesting data here.

If you look at the Bureau's projections for Table 1125, you'll see that recorded music is expected to continue its decline:

Recorded music: 238 in 2001 (actual); 228 in 2002; 219 in 2003; 211 in 2004; 203 in 2005; 195 in 2006 (projections)

Video games, Internet, and home video are rapidly on the rise. Television, radio, and box office are expected to hold steady. Newspapers, books, and magazines are on a slow, modest decline far less dramatic than that of recorded music.

It's no surprise that Internet use is still in a growth period. But to see usage of recorded music drop by 20 percent in the span of 5 years, after decades of accumulated consumer experience with the medium -- that's something that should be a serious concern to those in the industry and to musicians especially.

For the fatsos^h^h^h^h^h^hskeptics out there, consider this alternate theory to explain the decline of recorded music: the "on-air personalities" of broadcast radio are downright awesome! (The census numbers do support this theory. In fact, the increase in radio exceeds the decrease in recorded music.) Think about it -- the ever-expanding blight of heavy traffic, the outrageously funny antics of middle-aged people, insufficiently attractive for the much-vaunted career in movies, who majored in "communications" and labored unjustly through so many unremembered years as the graveyard shift 'jockey' (read: IT administrator/mouse clicker) at that stupid station no one listened to. What's not to love? They deserve your affection, your admiration, and your unbounded gratitude!

Nobody needs those cocky rockers, what with their beautiful bodies, great hair, fine fashions, and craptacular cribs!

Support your local on air personalities! They're Ordinary Americans, just like you. Except they have hugely successful radio shows, and, um, well, you don't.

US Census Bureau | Information and Communications [PDF]