The international music market must focus on mobile and internet distribution as consumers stop purchasing physical copies of songs, a new report suggests.

Online information resource eMarketer forecasts that downloads through the web and mobile handsets will take up 40 per cent of the amount spent on music next year.

This means marketers must target online communities to promote their music, it urges.

Consumers can feel involved with their bands and as though they belong to a community if they are targeted in this way, the report continues.

"Marketers should be looking to enhance the customer experience by bringing together online, mobile and user-generated platforms such as blogs where fellow users can interact," eMarketer adds.

A recent study conducted by Javelin Strategy & Research showed that an increasing number of American citizens are receiving mobile marketing messages.

It revealed 58 million US adults received at least one mobile marketing message during the last six months.