Global Recorded Music Revenue Tops $30 Billion for the First Time as Streaming Keeps Driving Growth
Story Summary
The latest global music figures showed another year of expansion, but also pointed to new pressure points around AI, fraud and the balance between local scenes and global scale.
LONDON ? Global recorded music revenue rose 6.4% in 2025 to a record $31.7 billion, crossing the $30 billion mark for the first time as paid streaming subscriptions continued to dominate industry growth.
The headline figures came from IFPI's Global Music Report 2026, which said subscription streaming revenue grew 8.8% and that paid accounts climbed to 837 million worldwide.
The broader report, available in IFPI's state-of-the-industry briefing, said every region grew in 2025, with Latin America rising 17.1% and Mexico entering the global top 10 music markets.
The commercial backdrop also helps explain the staying power of the biggest global acts. IFPI's artist ranking release said Taylor Swift finished 2025 as the world's biggest-selling artist for a sixth time, while Korean acts remained high in the rankings.
The new revenue record confirmed that streaming is still the main engine of the recorded music economy, but IFPI also used the report to warn about streaming fraud and argue for stronger copyright rules as AI tools become more deeply embedded in music production and distribution.