Follow the Money: Klosterman Edition

I'm not really a huge fan of Chuck Klosterman, in terms of style, themes, or high-concept (pop theorist with a large and specific vocabulary for the irrelevant that constitutes so much of our pop conscious?). Admittedly, I do generally get hooked by his middle concept: the tweaky musings that generally form the bases for his essays.

For example, here is an interesting question that fails to get answered, from Esquire:

People hate corporate record labels and love reading about how the industry is failing. As such, the media coverage of plummeting music sales almost always focuses on how labels are losing money. But this coverage usually ignores an economic element that is less tangible but more interesting: What is happening to all the money not being spent on music?

In 1999, the total revenue from all music sales (albums and singles) was $14.2 billion. By 2006, it was barely more than $10 billion, including downloads.

Where does the money go? A great, fundamental marketing and economics question, particularly in the face of looming inflation and recession. Anybody have a different, more compelling answer? I'm sure Chuck and I would love to see the data...