Classical music is hot!

Alex Ross notes (via a tip relayed by Troy Peters) a Nielsen SoundScan press release on recorded music sales in 2006. Overall sales were up in 2006, with a small decline in CD sales made up for by a sharp increase in downloadable music sales. But the most interesting news is that classical music showed the biggest category gain, up 22.5 percent. New Age music was the biggest loser, down 22.5 percent. Rap music also fared poorly.