Newsstand magazine revenues in North America declined 7.6 percent during 2015’s fourth quarter and 13 percent for the year, causing total industry revenues to fall to near-record lows of $2.5 billion, according to a report released this week by magazine industry group MagNet.

Nearly 16 percent fewer magazines were sold at North American newsstands in 2015 than 2014, according to MagNet. Publishers of North America’s top 100 magazine titles experienced year-over-year declines of 8 percent, publishers behind the top 50 titles saw dips of 10.7 percent, and publishers of North America’s top 25 magazine titles fared the worst, plummeting 11.3 percent.

Some categories weathered the year better than others. Teen/children’s magazines took the hardest hit, suffering declines of 29 percent from the year prior. Magazines focusing on crafts were down 18.6 percent in 2015, and women's magazines — consistently one of the industry's most popular categories — fell 18.4 percent. Automotive and general interest magazines were other magazine categories that experienced noticeable declines, falling 18.3 percent and 17.9 percent, respectively.

There were several bright spots. For the second quarter in a row, magazines in the game/puzzle/crossword category revealed growth — now up 4.2 percent year-over-year — and entertainment magazines experienced a modest uptick of 1.2 percent. Most impressively, magazines focusing on science increased by an impressive 7.3 percent. MagNet noted that a new subject category — adult coloring books — has stirred marked buyer interest at newsstands, accounting for more than $10 million in sales during 2015's fourth quarter alone.

Magazine wholesalers distributed 84.4 million fewer units in 2015 than 2014, according to MagNet, accounting for a total decline of more than 4.5 percent. Sell through efficiency — the percentage of wholesale magazines distributed to retailers that are sold by those outlets — was down overall for 2015 after a temporary uptick during the year’s fourth quarter, falling to 26.4 percent, a 3.5 percent decline from 2014’s 29.9 percent.

All retail outlets that sell single-copy magazines revealed declines last year. Convenience stores were hit hardest, with magazine sales dropping 30.1 percent year-over-year, followed by drug stores — once a mainstay for magazine sales — which were down about 5 percent from 2014.

“On a unit sold basis, publishers’ costs are increasing as they sell less of what they produce,” the MagNet report noted.