Album sales in the US are down 4.4% to 218.4 million units for the first nine months of the year, compared to the same period in 2011.

According to new Nielsen Soundscan figures, the drop has been fueled by CD sales dipping to 129.7 million units from 151.6 million units the year before.

The figures published by Billboard show that digital album sales are up 15.3% to 85.5 million units - not enough to make up the shortfall from declining ...