Seems the RIAA is using some fuzzy accounting to make it seem that piracy is worse than it really is.
See, SoundScan says album sales are up, but RIAA says they are down. Doesn't seem to make sense, but this article helps make some sense of the situation.
Forget the confusing percentages, here’s an oversimplified example: I shipped 1000 units last year and sold 700 of them. This year I sold 770 units but shipped only 930 units. I shipped 10% less units this year. And this is what the RIAA wants the public to accept as “a loss.”
Just another example of how statistics can say whatever it is you want them to.
Via Lessig Blog and Tech Law Advisor.