According to the most recent Recording Industry Association of America 10-year consumer poll (from 1998-2008), 10.7 percent of Americans bought at least one album or recording of rap music in 2008. This makes it the second most popular genre of music in that year (behind rock).
The RIAA consumer report also provides data on the total monetary value of all music sold, and in 2008 over $900 million worth of rap music was sold. The trends identified by the report also suggest several patterns that could be related to the calculated overall popularity of rap music, such as people aged 35 and up, being the largest purchasers of music.
