US MUSIC INDUSTRY SALES FALL AGAIN : But evidence of 'Napster effect' is thin.

* The US music market declined last year for only the second time in 10 years

* Music spending is still higher than cinema, leisure software, video rental and retail

* All categories of music save CD albums and DVD audio declined last year

* Industry claims that Internet file sharing is at fault are at best unproven

* CD single sales indeed fell, but annual losses are just $80m out of a $260m total

* Non-retail outlets account for 27 per cent of unit sales, but at a much lower price

The US music market was worth