(AP) - Americans' consumption of fizzy soft drinks, on the decline since 2005, fell last year to its lowest level since 1996.

If it weren't for increasingly popular energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull, the decline would have been worse.

That's according to Beverage Digest, an industry newsletter that publishes a similar report every March.

The trade journal also found that the pace of decline for carbonated beverages has sped up - down 1.2 per cent last year compared with a 1 per cent drop in 2011 and a 0.5 per cent drop in 2010. Without energy drinks, volume would have fallen 1.7 per cent.

A 3 per cent soda price hike helped revenue rise 1.8 per cent to US$77.1 billion (S$96 billion).

Despite the decline, carbonated soft drinks still make up the biggest category of non-alcoholic beverages.