Music industry claims Google is failing to stamp out piracy

The global music industry body has attacked Google for failing to address Internet piracy after revealing a $600 million (£362 million) decline in worldwide music sales in 2013.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said the search engine had “not been effective” and “could do so much more” to prevent illegal music downloading, which the industry says costs it billions in revenues every year.

It came as the IFPI’s annual review of the industry revealed a 3.9-percent fall in global recorded music sales in in 2013, despite a massive increase in consumers’ spending money on music streaming.