ITunes Traffic Skyrockets, Study SaysITunes Traffic Skyrockets, Study Says

Traffic to Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes music store surged by 241 percent last year, driven in part by its popularity among teenagers, a research firm said Thursday.

In addition, the study by Nielsen/NetRatings found that iTunes users were more likely than the average Internet user to drive a Volkswagen and read Wired magazine. They listed hard cider as their alcohol of choice.

The number of unique visitors to iTunes reached 20.7 million in December 2005 from 6.1 million in the same month a year ago, Nielsen/NetRatings said. The former number represented nearly 14 percent of the active Internet population.

Teenagers were nearly twice as likely to visit the Cupertino, Calif., company's site as the average Intenet user, the study found. In addition visitors were more likely to be male. Males accounted for 54 percent of the traffic versus 46 percent females.

ITunes users were more than twice as likely to drive a Volkswagen than the average Internet users, and preferred hard cider as their alcohol of choice, followed by imported and domestic beer, Nielsen/NetRatings said. They were also more than three times likelier to read Wired magazine.