Well with great sites like VGChartz up and running, hopefully the industry can continue to become more open with its comsumers.

*takes check from ioi

Considering my whole last paragraph, I don't think it matters much at all.

If you want to find something, go ahead.

It's important to note, as theRepublic had already mentioned, popularity cannot accurately be measured soley by revenue anyway.

Edit: He beat me to it.

Some things that need to be taken into consideration, Mobile gaming (which has seen a massive buzz these last few years) is considerably cheaper than movies and music. Also do the Music figures include concerts?

It's a difficult comparison to make empirically as one could stretch to include cover fees for bar bands, for instance. Revenue, due to all of the many variables, is a particularly poor measure of popularity here.

I'm thinking it should be common sense based on the simple fact that both music and movies are far more accessible in terms of participation and affordability.

That is the context we're using, right? That's what Beuli2 said. I think we're getting confused with what we mean by bigger.

Yeah I think he meant the amount of people enjoying each is in movies favour. Except with Mobile gaming being so cheap and accessible just like movies and music, that is a big factor. That and we can't count how many times people go to the cinema in a year.

Now on average it's never going to come close to the price of a console and a few games, but personally, I imagin the vast amount of people that go to the cinema do some form of gaming, be it free online, mobile gaming, DS and consoles, that reachs a massive demographic.

Shame they can't do a survery asking people what media's they're into. I think gaming would be up their with movies, not music though.

I think Nintendo had done one before the Wii had been released. It was based on attitudes toward different types of media... not exactly what we're talking about here.

Point well taken about mobile and free online gaming, though. With all these variables, perhaps an updated qualitative survey like Nintendo had done would be useful here. Then again, I doubt we'd find anything unfortunately.

Not to mention does this take into account Used game sales?  Cause that is a massive part of the industry.  Trust me I do it for a living and we generate huge revenue.

I can tell you right now people spend more hours per year in NA playing games than they do watching movies.  Without a doubt.  Movies are 2 hours average while gaming is more a lifestyle for many people.  I think many people don't realize how much money the PS2 still generates from used game sales.  Its massive.

It's gotta be because of people still don't respect video games as an entertainment medium along with movies, music, and books.  Pretty much everyone watches movies, but not everyone plays games.  In fact, sometimes when I mention i played a game or something, I've actually had people ask why I play them and that they are meant for children.  It's just still not as widely accepted as it should be unfortunately.  And I blame things like Fox News for putting us in the wrong direction. 

PS Sorry if I went a little off topic there...

@OP:

I agree that information is lacking for video games. 

Just to add to your point about the industry being secrative, look at video game journalism and game reviewing. Part of the reason it can be so secretive is that those tasked with being journalists are actually gaming enthusiasts who are okay with the status quo. 

Interviews with industry folk are often just shameless advertising. Questions are topical and unobtrusive and only rarely investigative in nature. Those responsible for providing information about gaming (gaming press) are pretty much in bed with publishers. Any game 'journalist' who would dare to ask hard questions or dig up and publish incriminating information would find their organization black balled by publishers, or out of a job.

There is evidence that publishers influence review scores and content. While this certainly isn't true for every game nor every reviewer, publishers are able to influence outlets through bribery or withholding lucrative advertising deals. 

Why be secretive? Control the flow of information. Without reliable regular hardware and software data, or investigative journalism, companies with a vested interest in the gaming industry can construct their own reality.