iTunes Store now 3rd largest US music retailer

iLounge is reporting on a NPD Group MusicWatch report that as of the first quarter of 2007 the iTunes Store is the third largest music retailer in the United States. The iTunes Store now accounts for 9.8% of music sold (both physical discs and downloadable), moving Apple ahead of fourth place Amazon (6.7%). As iLounge points out, this gain is particularly impressive given that Apple only gained fourth-place back in January. Next in Apple's sights are Best Buy (13.8%) and market leader Walmart (15.8%). With strong sales of EMI's DRM-free music, the iTunes Store looks to be building momentum. Personally, I hope Apple's increasing retail music marketshare will translate into more clout with the labels and thus more DRM-free music.