Apple’s iTunes Music Store was used by 20.7 million users in December, or almost 14 percent of the active Internet population. That’s according to a new report published by market research firm Nielsen/NetRatings.
Traffic to iTunes exploded year over year, according to the report — iTunes’ online traffic increased a staggering 241 percent, from 6.1 million unique visitors in December 2004 to 20.7 million in December 2005.
Nielsen/NetRatings said that 12 to 17 year olds are more than twice as likely to visit the iTunes Music Store than the average Internet user. iTunes users are a little more likely to be male, according to the report, with the split at 54 percent male, 46 percent female.
The report also correlates iTunes users with brand preferences — iTunes users express a higher preference towards Volkswagens, Audis and Subarus and like to drink hard cider followed by imported and domestic beer. They’re more likely to read Wired, Rolling Stone and FHM. What’s more, they also watch Cartoon Network, HBO and BBC America more average than often, according to the report.
Nielsen/NetRatings did not define its methodology.