iTunes now largest U.S. music retailer

Apple announced its iTunes digital music storefront is now the largest music retailer in the U.S., surpassing brick-and-mortar giant Wal-Mart for the first time. According to market research firm NPD Group's MusicWatch survey, Apple sold more music in January and February than any other retail outlet--in all, iTunes has now sold more than four billion songs, with a music catalog that spans more than six million tracks. "We launched iTunes less than five years ago, and it has now become the number one music retailer in the world," said Apple's vice president of iTunes Eddy Cue in a prepared statement.

For more on iTunes' ascent:
- read this release

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