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Data · 54 figures with sources

Music Streaming Statistics 2026

This page collects 54 figures on music streaming: global revenue and paid subscribers, how many people pay in the U.S., UK and EU, subscribers and revenue at Spotify, Deezer and Pandora, U.S. and UK streaming revenue, payouts to labels, artists and songwriters, U.S. prices for standard and hi-fi tiers, and stream volumes and listening time. Most figures describe 2025 and 2026. Sources are IFPI, the RIAA, the BPI, Goldman Sachs, Luminate, Edison Research, SoundExchange, the Mechanical Licensing Collective, company filings and releases from Spotify, Deezer, SiriusXM, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, and the U.S. pricing pages of Spotify, Apple, Amazon, TIDAL and Qobuz.

By the HearSmart research desk · Updated November 13, 2026 · 54 numbers drawn from 26 publishers and reports

58 of 58 quotes matched to the publisher's page by our checker on November 13, 2026

Short answer

IFPI counted 837 million paid music streaming accounts worldwide in 2025, when paid streaming made up 52.4% of $31.7 billion in global recorded music revenue. Spotify had 306 million Premium subscribers in the third quarter of 2026 and paid more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025, while Goldman Sachs expects paid penetration in developed markets to approach 60% by 2035, up from about 53% of Americans in 2025.

Headline numbers

  1. 837 millionIFPI counted 837 million users of paid music streaming subscription accounts worldwide at the end of 2025.IFPI
  2. 52.4%Paid streaming revenue grew 8.8% in 2025 and made up 52.4% of global recorded music revenue.IFPI
  3. 27%Paid music streaming subscriber penetration stood at 54% in the U.S., 47% in the UK and 27% in the EU, according to IFPI's Music in the EU 2026 report.IFPI
  4. 306 millionSpotify had 306 million Premium subscribers worldwide at the end of September 2026, up 9% from a year earlier.Spotify
  5. 82%Streaming accounted for 82% of U.S. recorded music revenue in the first half of 2026, at $4.9 billion.RIAA
  6. $11 billionSpotify paid more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025, up more than 10% from 2024.Spotify
  7. 24-bit/44.1 kHzSpotify Premium includes lossless audio at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz.Spotify
  8. 9.8%Global on-demand audio streams grew 9.8% in the first half of 2026, while streams outside the U.S. grew 11.8%, according to Luminate.Luminate

Reading the numbers

Paid streaming now carries the recorded music business. IFPI found global recorded music revenue grew 6.4% to $31.7 billion in 2025, with paid streaming up 8.8% and accounting for 52.4% of the total. The RIAA reported a record $11.5 billion in U.S. wholesale revenue in 2025 and streaming at 82% of revenue in the first half of 2026, while the BPI reported UK streaming revenue at a record £1.07 billion.

Subscriber growth is steady rather than explosive. IFPI counts 837 million paid accounts, Spotify reached 306 million Premium subscribers in the third quarter of 2026, up 9% in a year, and the RIAA counted 111.1 million U.S. premium accounts in the first half of 2026. Penetration is still uneven: IFPI puts it at 54% in the U.S. and 47% in the UK but only 27% across the EU, and Goldman Sachs expects most of the next decade's growth to come from emerging markets, where only 10% of internet users paid in 2025.

Price is now a bigger driver than before. Spotify raised U.S. Premium to $12.99 and its Premium revenue per user rose 9.3% in the third quarter of 2026, UMG credited wholesale price increases for 9.5% organic subscription growth, and WMG pointed to per-subscriber minimums behind 12.5% subscription growth. Hi-fi sound has stopped being a reason to pay more: Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited include lossless audio, and Spotify added lossless at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz to Premium in 2025, so U.S. individual plans with lossless sit between $11.99 and $12.99.

Money flowing to rights holders keeps rising at the largest service. Spotify says it paid more than $11 billion in 2025 and returns almost 70% of its music revenue, and the MLC has passed $3 billion in U.S. mechanical royalties. Older radio-style services are shrinking: SoundExchange distributions fell 5.9% in 2025 and Pandora's ad-supported listener hours fell 10% in the third quarter of 2026, while Luminate measured global on-demand audio streams up 9.8% in the first half of 2026.

Global market size and paid subscribers

  1. 1.

    Global recorded music revenue grew 6.4% to $31.7 billion in 2025, the eleventh straight year of growth, according to IFPI.

    IFPI, Global Music Report 2026: Global Recorded Music Revenues Grow 6.4% as Record Companies Drive Innovation (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Global recorded music revenues grew 6.4% and reached US$31.7 billion in 2025, the eleventh year of consecutive growth, according to IFPI, the organisation representing the recording industry worldwide.
  2. 2.

    Paid streaming revenue grew 8.8% in 2025 and made up 52.4% of global recorded music revenue.

    IFPI, Global Music Report 2026: Global Recorded Music Revenues Grow 6.4% as Record Companies Drive Innovation (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Engagement with paid streaming services is once again the key driver, with revenue from the format growing by 8.8% and accounting for 52.4% of global revenues.
  3. 3.

    IFPI counted 837 million users of paid music streaming subscription accounts worldwide at the end of 2025.

    IFPI, Global Music Report 2026: Global Recorded Music Revenues Grow 6.4% as Record Companies Drive Innovation (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    There are now 837 million users of paid streaming subscription accounts.
  4. 4.

    Spotify estimates that more than 750 million people worldwide pay every month for music streaming across all services.

    Spotify, From $11B in 2025 Payouts to What We're Building for Artists in 2026 (Jan 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    More than 750 million people around the world are now paying every month for music streaming, across all streaming services.
  5. 5.

    Goldman Sachs forecasts global music industry revenue, including publishing and live, to grow 5.8% a year from $112 billion in 2025 to almost $200 billion in 2035.

    Goldman Sachs, Global Music Revenues Are Forecast to Rise as Subscriber Growth Beats Expectations (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Goldman Sachs Research expects global music revenues to grow at an annualized rate of 5.8% to almost $200 billion in 2035 from $112 billion in 2025.
  6. 6.

    Goldman Sachs expects global music revenues to grow 6.7% in 2026, its first upgrade to the long-term outlook in three years.

    Goldman Sachs, Global Music Revenues Are Forecast to Rise as Subscriber Growth Beats Expectations (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Goldman Sachs Research expects global music revenues to increase at 6.7% year-on-year in 2026 and at a compound rate of 5.8% per year between 2025 and 2035.
  7. 7.

    Goldman Sachs expects paid music subscribers in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australasia to rise from 398 million in 2025 to 568 million in 2035.

    Goldman Sachs, Global Music Revenues Are Forecast to Rise as Subscriber Growth Beats Expectations (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Paid subscriptions in developed markets also have room to grow, according to Laszczyk and Sheridan, who expect the number of paid subscribers in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australasia to rise to 568 million in 2035 from 398 million in 2025.
  8. 8.

    In emerging markets, Goldman Sachs forecasts the share of internet users with a paid music subscription to rise from 10% in 2025 to 15% in 2035.

    Goldman Sachs, Global Music Revenues Are Forecast to Rise as Subscriber Growth Beats Expectations (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Laszczyk and Sheridan forecast the percentage of internet users with paid streaming subscriptions in emerging markets to rise from 10% in 2025 to 15% in 2035, with subscriber numbers boosted by growing populations and increasing internet penetration.

Penetration: how many people pay for music

  1. 9.

    Paid music streaming subscriber penetration stood at 54% in the U.S., 47% in the UK and 27% in the EU, according to IFPI's Music in the EU 2026 report.

    IFPI, EU Recorded Music Revenues Reach €6.0 Billion as European Music, Culture and Innovation Continue to Excel (Sep 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Europe remains a market with significant growth potential, with paid music streaming subscriber penetration in the EU standing at 27%, compared to 54% in the US and 47% in the UK.
  2. 10.

    About 53% of Americans paid for a music streaming subscription in 2025, compared with about 60% for gaming and 90% for on-demand video, according to Goldman Sachs.

    Goldman Sachs, Global Music Revenues Are Forecast to Rise as Subscriber Growth Beats Expectations (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Only around 53% of Americans subscribed to paid music streaming in 2025, compared with around 60% for gaming and 90% for on-demand video.
  3. 11.

    Goldman Sachs expects most developed markets to approach a peak paid music streaming penetration of 60% by 2035.

    Goldman Sachs, Global Music Revenues Are Forecast to Rise as Subscriber Growth Beats Expectations (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Goldman Sachs Research expects most developed markets to approach peak penetration for paid music streaming at 60% by 2035.
  4. 12.

    U.S. paid music streaming reached 106.5 million accounts in 2025, generating $6.4 billion in wholesale revenue, according to the RIAA.

    RIAA, RIAA Year-End 2025 Recorded Music Revenue Report (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Paid streaming grew to 106.5M accounts, with revenues reaching $6.4B.
  5. 13.

    U.S. premium paid subscription accounts averaged 111.1 million in the first half of 2026, up from 105.3 million a year earlier, according to the RIAA.

    RIAA, RIAA Mid-Year 2026 Recorded Music Revenue Report (Sep 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Paid Subscriptions (Premium) 105.3M $2,888.4 111.1M $3,112.6
  6. 14.

    Streaming made up about 66% of European recorded music revenue in 2025, according to IFPI.

    IFPI, EU Recorded Music Revenues Reach €6.0 Billion as European Music, Culture and Innovation Continue to Excel (Sep 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Streaming remains the key driver of growth across the region, accounting for approximately 66% of European recorded music revenues in 2025.
  7. 15.

    EU recorded music revenue grew 5.1% to €6.0 billion in 2025, or 21.3% of the global total.

    IFPI, EU Recorded Music Revenues Reach €6.0 Billion as European Music, Culture and Innovation Continue to Excel (Sep 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Recorded music revenues in the European Union reached €6.0 billion in 2025, growing 5.1% year-on-year and accounting for 21.3% of global recorded music revenues, according to ‘Music in the EU 2026’ , IFPI’s new annual report examining the performance, impact and future of Europe’s music sector.

Chart

Paid music streaming subscriber penetration, 2025

Share of the population with a paid music streaming subscription, as reported in IFPI's Music in the EU 2026.

  • United States54%
  • United Kingdom47%
  • European Union27%

Source: IFPI, EU Recorded Music Revenues Reach €6.0 Billion as European Music, Culture and Innovation Continue to Excel

Streaming services: subscribers, users and revenue

  1. 16.

    Spotify had 306 million Premium subscribers worldwide at the end of September 2026, up 9% from a year earlier.

    Spotify, Spotify Q3 2026 Update (Form 6-K Exhibit 99.1) (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Premium Subscribers 281 300 306 9% 2%
  2. 17.

    Spotify had 788 million monthly active users in the third quarter of 2026, of whom 499 million used the ad-supported tier.

    Spotify, Spotify Q3 2026 Update (Form 6-K Exhibit 99.1) (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Total Monthly Active Users ("MAUs") 713 777 788 11% 1%
  3. 18.

    Spotify's Premium average revenue per user was €4.95 a month in the third quarter of 2026, up 9.3% year over year, mainly from price increases.

    Spotify, Spotify Q3 2026 Update (Form 6-K Exhibit 99.1) (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Premium Revenue* grew 17% Y/Y to €4,487 million (or 15% Y/Y constant currency**), reflecting 9% Y/Y Subscriber growth and Premium Average Revenue per User (ARPU) of €4.95, up 9.3% Y/Y (or 7.5% Y/Y constant currency).
  4. 19.

    Spotify's total revenue was €4,969 million in the third quarter of 2026, up 16% year over year, with a gross margin of 33.0%.

    Spotify, Spotify Q3 2026 Update (Form 6-K Exhibit 99.1) (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Revenue of €4,969 million grew 16% Y/Y in Q3 (or 14% Y/Y constant currency*), reflecting:
  5. 20.

    Deezer's revenue was €268.2 million in the first half of 2026, up 0.4% year over year.

    Deezer, Deezer delivers sustained Direct growth and profitability, confirms FY26 guidance (Jul 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Consolidated revenue amounted to €268.2 million in the first half of 2026 compared to €267.1 million in the first half of 2025, up 0.4% at current and constant currency, in line with expectations.
  6. 21.

    Deezer's direct subscriber base in France rose 8.4% to 3.9 million in the first half of 2026.

    Deezer, Deezer delivers sustained Direct growth and profitability, confirms FY26 guidance (Jul 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    This revenue growth was primarily driven by: (i) subscriber base increase in France to 3.9 million (+8.4%) reflecting Deezer’s strategic focus, and (ii) good momentum in RoW subscribers (+9.2%) reflecting Deezer’s branding success.
  7. 22.

    Pandora Plus and Pandora Premium had about 5.5 million self-pay subscribers at the end of September 2026, with 38.8 million monthly active users.

    SiriusXM, SiriusXM Reports Third Quarter 2026 Operating and Financial Results (Form 8-K Exhibit) (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Pandora Plus and Pandora Premium ended the quarter with approximately 5.5 million self-pay subscribers, while monthly active users totaled 38.8 million.
  8. 23.

    Pandora's monthly active users fell by 2.75 million, or 7%, in the year to September 2026.

    SiriusXM, SiriusXM Reports Third Quarter 2026 Operating and Financial Results (Form 8-K Exhibit) (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Pandora and Off-platform Monthly active users - all services 38,812 41,562 (2,750) (7) %
  9. 24.

    Spotify was the most used online audio brand in the U.S. in early 2026: 36% of Americans age 12 and older used it in the past month, ahead of YouTube Music at 34%.

    Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2026 (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Online Audio Brands Listened to in Last Month 36 34 21 19 17 12 6 Spotify YouTube Music* Pandora Amazon Music Apple Music iHeartRadio SoundCloud

Chart

Online audio brands used in the past month, U.S. age 12+, 2026

Edison Research online survey of 2,050 Americans age 12 and older, January 2026.

  • Spotify36%
  • YouTube Music34%
  • Pandora21%
  • Amazon Music19%
  • Apple Music17%
  • iHeartRadio12%
  • SoundCloud6%

Source: Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2026

U.S. and UK revenue from streaming

  1. 25.

    U.S. recorded music wholesale revenue reached a record $11.5 billion in 2025, according to the RIAA.

    RIAA, 2025 Year-End Music Industry Revenue Report (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    The RIAA released its 2025 Year-End Recorded Music Revenue Report, which reported that US wholesale annual revenue achieved a record high of $11.5 billion.
  2. 26.

    Streaming accounted for 82% of U.S. recorded music revenue in the first half of 2026, at $4.9 billion.

    RIAA, 2026 Mid-Year Music Industry Revenue Report (Sep 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Accounting for 82% of total revenue at $4.9 billion, streaming remained the largest driver – powered by paid subscriptions.
  3. 27.

    U.S. paid subscription revenue rose 6.4% to $3.4 billion in the first half of 2026.

    RIAA, RIAA Mid-Year 2026 Recorded Music Revenue Report (Sep 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Paid Subscription Revenue up 6.4% to $3.4B
  4. 28.

    U.S. recorded music revenue rose 6.9% in the first half of 2026 from the first half of 2025.

    RIAA, 2026 Mid-Year Music Industry Revenue Report (Sep 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    US recorded music revenues for the first half of 2026 were up 6.9% from the first half of 2025 and outpaced inflation, with growth across every major revenue category as streaming, physical formats and sync all posted gains.
  5. 29.

    UK recorded music revenue rose 5.0% to £1.57 billion in 2025, and streaming revenue rose 4.6% to a record £1.07 billion, according to the BPI.

    BPI, New generation of British artists helped UK recorded music market in 2025 surpass £1.5 billion in annual revenue for the first time (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    BPI reports UK recorded music revenue increased for an 11 th consecutive year in 2025, rising by 5.0% to a new nominal high of £1.57 billion. Streaming revenue rose by a further 4.6% to a new record level of £1.07 billion.
  6. 30.

    UK paid streaming subscriptions brought in £902.2 million in 2025, up 3.1% year over year.

    BPI, New generation of British artists helped UK recorded music market in 2025 surpass £1.5 billion in annual revenue for the first time (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Paid subscriptions from services including Amazon, Apple, Spotify and YouTube brought in £902.2 million across the year, up 3.1% year-on-year.
  7. 31.

    Subscriptions made up 84.7% of UK streaming revenue in 2025.

    BPI, New generation of British artists helped UK recorded music market in 2025 surpass £1.5 billion in annual revenue for the first time (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    However, subscription revenue continues to account for the vast majority of UK streaming, accounting for 84.7% of the market.
  8. 32.

    UK ad-supported audio streaming revenue grew 21.8% to £97.2 million in 2025.

    BPI, New generation of British artists helped UK recorded music market in 2025 surpass £1.5 billion in annual revenue for the first time (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Within this, ad-supported audio streaming increased by 21.8% to £97.2 million.

Chart

U.S. recorded music revenue by format, first half of 2026

Share of U.S. wholesale recorded music revenue, January to June 2026.

  • Paid subscriptions56%
  • Free streaming15%
  • Other streaming11%
  • Physical12%
  • Other6%

Source: RIAA, RIAA Mid-Year 2026 Recorded Music Revenue Report

Payouts and royalties

  1. 33.

    Spotify paid more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025, up more than 10% from 2024.

    Spotify, From $11B in 2025 Payouts to What We're Building for Artists in 2026 (Jan 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Today, Charlie Hellman , Spotify’s Head of Music, shared the following note on the Spotify for Artists blog that the company paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025 (up more than 10% from 2024), the largest annual payment to music creators from any retailer in history.
  2. 34.

    Spotify says it accounts for roughly 30% of global recorded music revenue.

    Spotify, From $11B in 2025 Payouts to What We're Building for Artists in 2026 (Jan 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Today, Spotify accounts for roughly 30% of recorded music revenue.
  3. 35.

    Spotify says it pays out about two-thirds of its music revenue to the industry, almost 70% of what it takes in.

    Spotify, From $11B in 2025 Payouts to What We're Building for Artists in 2026 (Jan 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Since Spotify pays out two-thirds of all music revenue to the industry – almost 70% of what we take in – as Spotify revenues grow, music payouts have grown as well.
  4. 36.

    Universal Music Group's recorded music subscription revenue grew 19.2% in constant currency in the third quarter of 2026, or 9.5% excluding its Downtown acquisition.

    Universal Music Group, Universal Music Group N.V. Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2026 (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Recorded Music subscription revenue grew 19.2% in constant currency, or 9.5% excluding Downtown, supported by wholesale price increases and continued healthy subscriber growth.
  5. 37.

    Warner Music Group's recorded music subscription streaming revenue grew 12.5% in the quarter to June 2026, and ad-supported streaming revenue grew 10.0%.

    Warner Music Group, Warner Music Group Corp. Reports Results for Fiscal Third Quarter Ended June 30, 2026 (Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1) (Aug 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Streaming revenue reflects growth in subscription revenue of 12.5% (or 10.8% in constant currency) and in ad-supported revenue of 10.0% (or 8.0% in constant currency).
  6. 38.

    SoundExchange distributed $991.5 million to U.S. recording artists and rights owners in 2025 (unaudited), 5.9% less than in 2024.

    SoundExchange, SoundExchange Tops $13B Distribution Milestone (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    In addition, SoundExchange reported Q4 2025 distributions were $247.7 million and unaudited 2025 full year distributions were $991.5 million, 5.9% lower than 2024.
  7. 39.

    SoundExchange has distributed more than $13 billion since it began in 2003.

    SoundExchange, SoundExchange Tops $13B Distribution Milestone (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    SoundExchange has distributed more than $13 billion to recording artists and rights owners since its inception in 2003, the non-profit collective management organization (CMO) announced today.
  8. 40.

    The Mechanical Licensing Collective had distributed more than $3 billion in U.S. digital audio mechanical royalties by October 2025.

    The MLC, The MLC Holds Annual Membership Meeting, Highlighting More Than $3 Billion in Royalties Distributed (Oct 2025)

    Exact wording at the source
    The MLC has achieved total royalties distributed of more than $3 billion and has processed nearly $4 billion in royalties .

Prices and hi-fi tiers

  1. 41.

    Spotify Premium Individual costs $12.99 a month in the U.S. after the introductory offer.

    Spotify, Spotify Premium plans (U.S.) (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    $0 for 1 month, then $12.99 per month after.
  2. 42.

    Spotify Premium includes lossless audio at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz.

    Spotify, Spotify Premium plans (U.S.) (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Lose yourself in music with sound quality up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz.
  3. 43.

    Spotify began rolling out lossless audio to Premium subscribers in more than 50 markets in September and October 2025.

    Spotify, Lossless Listening Arrives on Spotify Premium With a Richer, More Detailed Listening Experience (Sep 2025)

    Exact wording at the source
    Lossless is rolling out gradually to more than 50 markets through October.
  4. 44.

    Apple Music Individual costs $11.99 a month in the U.S. and includes lossless audio and Spatial Audio.

    Apple, Apple Music (U.S.) (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Individual $11.99/month, first month free for new subscribers.
  5. 45.

    Amazon Music Unlimited costs $12.99 a month in the U.S., or $11.99 for Prime members, and includes HD and Spatial Audio.

    Amazon, Amazon Music Unlimited (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Auto-renew starts at $12.99/mo ($11.99/mo for Prime members) after until canceled.
  6. 46.

    TIDAL Individual costs $11.99 a month in the U.S.

    TIDAL, Subscription Types (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Tidal Individual: $11.99 USD/month
  7. 47.

    Qobuz Studio, a hi-res streaming plan, costs $12.99 a month in the U.S. on a monthly subscription.

    Qobuz, Qobuz Studio offer (U.S.) (Nov 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    $12.99 / Month for a monthly subscription without commitment

Listening time and stream volumes

  1. 48.

    Global on-demand audio streams grew 9.8% in the first half of 2026, while streams outside the U.S. grew 11.8%, according to Luminate.

    Luminate, The key engagement and consumption trends that shaped Music, TV & Film in H1 2026 (Jul 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Global Music Growth: Global On-Demand Audio (ODA) streams grew 9.8% globally, while ex-U.S. On-Demand Audio song streams climbed 11.8%.
  2. 49.

    UK listeners generated 210.3 billion audio streams in 2025, the first year above 200 billion, according to BPI analysis of Official Charts data.

    BPI, A new wave of global British breakthrough talent helps UK recorded music grow for an 11th consecutive year in 2025 (Dec 2025)

    Exact wording at the source
    BPI analysis of Official Charts data show the annual audio streaming market surpassed 200 billion streams for the first time , with 210.3 billion streams accumulated across the year.
  3. 50.

    Streaming made up a record 89.3% of UK music consumption in 2025, up from 88.8% in 2024.

    BPI, A new wave of global British breakthrough talent helps UK recorded music grow for an 11th consecutive year in 2025 (Dec 2025)

    Exact wording at the source
    Overall, streaming rose 5.5% year-on year to make up a record 89.3% of consumption (2024: 88.8%), while sales of vinyl LPs increased for an 18th consecutive year, keeping recorded music on physical formats in growth for the second year running (up 1.4% overall).
  4. 51.

    An estimated 233 million Americans age 12 and older listened to online audio in the past month in January 2026, according to Edison Research.

    Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2026 (Mar 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Estimated 233 Million Online Audio
  5. 52.

    Pandora's ad-supported listener hours fell 10% to 2.25 billion in the third quarter of 2026, from 2.49 billion a year earlier.

    SiriusXM, SiriusXM Reports Third Quarter 2026 Operating and Financial Results (Form 8-K Exhibit) (Oct 2026)

    Exact wording at the source
    Ad supported listener hours (in billions) 2.25 2.49 6.82 7.43 (0.24) (10) %
  6. 53.

    People spent an average of 20.7 hours a week listening to music in 2023, up from 20.1 hours in 2022, in IFPI's global survey; this is older data and the latest IFPI release of this measure.

    IFPI, IFPI's global study finds we're listening to more music in more ways than ever (Dec 2023)

    Exact wording at the source
    20.7 hours – The time, on average, that people spend listening to music each week (up from 20.1 hours in 2022).
  7. 54.

    In IFPI's 2023 global survey, 73% of people said they listen to music through licensed audio streaming services, subscription or ad-supported.

    IFPI, IFPI's global study finds we're listening to more music in more ways than ever (Dec 2023)

    Exact wording at the source
    73% of people say they listen to music through licensed audio streaming services (subscription and ad-supported).

Questions readers ask

How many people pay for music streaming?
IFPI counted 837 million users of paid music streaming subscription accounts worldwide at the end of 2025. Spotify estimates that more than 750 million people pay every month across all services; the numbers differ because family plans put several people on one account.
How many subscribers does Spotify have?
Spotify had 306 million Premium subscribers and 788 million monthly active users at the end of September 2026, according to its third-quarter update. Premium subscribers grew 9% year over year.
How much of music industry revenue comes from streaming?
Paid streaming made up 52.4% of global recorded music revenue in 2025, according to IFPI. In the U.S., the RIAA reported streaming at 82% of revenue in the first half of 2026, and in the UK the BPI reported streaming revenue of £1.07 billion out of £1.57 billion in 2025.
How much does Spotify pay the music industry?
Spotify says it paid more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025, up more than 10% from 2024, and that it pays out almost 70% of its music revenue. That money goes to labels, distributors and publishers, who then pay artists and songwriters under their own contracts.
Which music streaming services offer lossless or hi-fi audio in the U.S.?
Apple Music ($11.99 a month) and Amazon Music Unlimited ($12.99, or $11.99 for Prime members) include lossless or HD audio, Spotify Premium ($12.99) added lossless at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz in 2025, and TIDAL ($11.99) and Qobuz Studio ($12.99) focus on hi-res audio, based on their U.S. pages in November 2026.
How much music do people stream?
Luminate measured global on-demand audio streams up 9.8% in the first half of 2026, and the BPI counted 210.3 billion audio streams in the UK in 2025. IFPI's latest global survey of listening time, from 2023, found people spent 20.7 hours a week listening to music.

Where these numbers come from

We chose figures that describe music streaming directly: trade body revenue reports (IFPI, RIAA, BPI), company filings and releases (Spotify, Deezer, SiriusXM, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group), royalty collectors (SoundExchange, the MLC), consumer surveys and measurement panels (Edison Research, Luminate, IFPI), a bank forecast (Goldman Sachs) and U.S. pricing pages. Definitions differ: IFPI counts subscription accounts, Spotify's 750 million estimate counts paying people, and the RIAA counts U.S. accounts including family and student plans. RIAA and BPI figures are wholesale label revenue, not consumer spending. Goldman Sachs figures for 2026 and 2035 are forecasts and include publishing and live music. IFPI's weekly listening hours come from its 2023 survey, the latest edition of that measure we could find. Ofcom's 2026 UK audio research could not be fetched and verified from our location, so UK figures come from the BPI. Prices were checked on each service's U.S. page in November 2026 and change often. Every figure links to the page it was taken from, and each quote was checked against that page. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.

Sources

  1. Amazon. Amazon Music Unlimited (Nov 2026).
  2. Apple. Apple Music (U.S.) (Nov 2026).
  3. BPI. New generation of British artists helped UK recorded music market in 2025 surpass £1.5 billion in annual revenue for the first time (Mar 2026).
  4. BPI. A new wave of global British breakthrough talent helps UK recorded music grow for an 11th consecutive year in 2025 (Dec 2025).
  5. Deezer. Deezer delivers sustained Direct growth and profitability, confirms FY26 guidance (Jul 2026).
  6. Edison Research. The Infinite Dial 2026 (Mar 2026).
  7. Goldman Sachs. Global Music Revenues Are Forecast to Rise as Subscriber Growth Beats Expectations (Nov 2026).
  8. IFPI. Global Music Report 2026: Global Recorded Music Revenues Grow 6.4% as Record Companies Drive Innovation (Mar 2026).
  9. IFPI. EU Recorded Music Revenues Reach €6.0 Billion as European Music, Culture and Innovation Continue to Excel (Sep 2026).
  10. IFPI. IFPI's global study finds we're listening to more music in more ways than ever (Dec 2023).
  11. Luminate. The key engagement and consumption trends that shaped Music, TV & Film in H1 2026 (Jul 2026).
  12. Qobuz. Qobuz Studio offer (U.S.) (Nov 2026).
  13. RIAA. RIAA Year-End 2025 Recorded Music Revenue Report (Mar 2026).
  14. RIAA. RIAA Mid-Year 2026 Recorded Music Revenue Report (Sep 2026).
  15. RIAA. 2025 Year-End Music Industry Revenue Report (Mar 2026).
  16. RIAA. 2026 Mid-Year Music Industry Revenue Report (Sep 2026).
  17. SiriusXM. SiriusXM Reports Third Quarter 2026 Operating and Financial Results (Form 8-K Exhibit) (Oct 2026).
  18. SoundExchange. SoundExchange Tops $13B Distribution Milestone (Mar 2026).
  19. Spotify. From $11B in 2025 Payouts to What We're Building for Artists in 2026 (Jan 2026).
  20. Spotify. Spotify Q3 2026 Update (Form 6-K Exhibit 99.1) (Oct 2026).
  21. Spotify. Spotify Premium plans (U.S.) (Nov 2026).
  22. Spotify. Lossless Listening Arrives on Spotify Premium With a Richer, More Detailed Listening Experience (Sep 2025).
  23. The MLC. The MLC Holds Annual Membership Meeting, Highlighting More Than $3 Billion in Royalties Distributed (Oct 2025).
  24. TIDAL. Subscription Types (Nov 2026).
  25. Universal Music Group. Universal Music Group N.V. Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2026 (Oct 2026).
  26. Warner Music Group. Warner Music Group Corp. Reports Results for Fiscal Third Quarter Ended June 30, 2026 (Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1) (Aug 2026).

Citing this page

Link to this page or to a single numbered figure. If you reuse a number, name the organization that released it in the first place.

HearSmart. (2026, November 13). Music Streaming Statistics 2026. https://hearsmart.org/music-streaming-statistics

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Found a number that changed or a source that moved? Email editorial@hearsmart.org. We plan to check this page again by January 12, 2027.

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