KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — The music industry has seen a 50 per cent drop in revenue due to pirated music.

Recording Industry Association of Malaysia (RIM) vice-president Norman Abdul Halim said pirated music included pirated CDs, VCDs and DVDs.

“Fifteen years ago the music industry’s income in the country was about RM300 million but due to piracy, we are looking at only RM150 million which is a huge loss,” he told Bernama Radio24’s “Kerusi Panas” programme.

Norman, who is also KRU Studios chief executive officer, said the size of the Malaysian music industry was not big but has the potential to contribute towards the nation’s aspirations to become a high income and developed nation by 2020.

He added that the digital industry had already taken over physical sales of albums and opened a whole new perspective for musicians to enhance their career in the music industry.

“In the past, one would have to buy an album or cassette even to listen to only one favourite song, but now people can download a song through their handphones for just RM2 or RM3 per song,” he said.

However, those in the industry must not do away with the physical production of cassettes or CDs, he said. — Bernama