Music Business News and Industry Developments Roundup

The Numbers Behind the First Positive Album-Sales Year Since 2004 - Billboard.biz reports on SoundScan's year end charts.

Vinyl Sales Up 39 Percent In 2011 - Digital Music News reports...

Digital Squeaks Past Physical Music Sales - Digital Media Wire reports that this may lend some support to the belief that consumers are losing interest in physical product, but when they do purchase they're increasingly likely to choose something that they connect with on a personal level.

3 Essential Music Sites You Need To Use In 2012 - No big surprises here. Hypebot.com reports...

Bands Want Facebook Likes, But Should They Be Chasing YouTube Views? - Hypebot.com breaks it down.

SoundCloud Gets $50 Million to Expand Social Sound - Funds will be used to expand more rapidly.

How QR Codes Could Improve - New research found that half of appropriately capable smartphone owners had scanned a QR code, and a fifth of those had gone on to make a purchase.