The UK recorded music market has passed a major financial milestone, with industry revenue exceeding £1.5 billion for the first time in 2025.
Figures released by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) show that total recorded music revenue rose 5.0% year-on-year to £1.57 billion, marking the 11th consecutive year of growth for the sector.
The surge reflects the growing global reach of British artists across multiple genres, from emerging pop and soul acts to alternative rock and hip-hop.
Among the new generation helping drive momentum were artists including Olivia Dean, Lola Young and Skye Newman, alongside rising performers such as SIENNA SPIRO, EsDeeKid, Sleep Token and YUNGBLUD.
They joined an established wave of successful UK artists including Central Cee, FLO, The Last Dinner Party, Myles Smith, PinkPantheress, RAYE, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice and Mercury Prize winner Sam Fender.
Streaming remains the industry’s biggest revenue source
Streaming continued to dominate the UK recorded music market in 2025.
Revenue from streaming rose 4.6% to £1.07 billion, accounting for 67.7% of total industry income. Although growth slowed slightly compared with previous years, it still represents substantial expansion for a market that has already matured significantly.
Streaming income has increased by nearly two-thirds since the start of the decade, reflecting the continued dominance of subscription platforms and the global reach they provide to artists and labels.
Paid subscriptions from major platforms including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and YouTube generated £902.2 million, up 3.1% year-on-year.
Advertising-supported streaming also expanded rapidly, rising 13.9% to £163.4 million, with ad-supported audio alone increasing 21.8% to £97.2 million.
Despite this growth, subscription streaming still represents the vast majority of the market, accounting for 84.7% of total streaming revenue.
Vinyl boom drives physical music growth
While streaming remains dominant, physical music experienced a notable resurgence in 2025.
Total physical revenue rose 12.8% to £278 million, marking the third consecutive year of growth and the first time the category has exceeded £250 million in eight years.
Vinyl led the surge. Revenue from vinyl sales climbed 19.9% to £174.7 million, its highest level in more than three decades. The format accounted for 62.9% of all physical music sales.
Global superstar Taylor Swift played a major role in the format’s success. Her album The Life of a Showgirl sold more than 147,000 vinyl copies in the UK during 2025, the largest annual vinyl total for any new album this century.
Other strong vinyl sellers included releases by Sabrina Carpenter and Sam Fender.
Catalogue classics also continued to sell strongly. Albums such as Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis returned to the Top 10 following the band’s reunion tour, while Rumours by Fleetwood Mac remained one of the format’s most enduring catalogue successes.
CDs return to growth
The CD format also experienced a modest recovery.
Revenue from CD sales rose 3.1% to £99.6 million, its highest annual total since 2021. New releases accounted for the majority of sales, suggesting the format continues to attract fans who want physical copies of current albums.
Swift again led the category with The Life of a Showgirl, which sold roughly 226,000 CDs by the end of the year. Other strong performers included albums from Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga.
British artists dominate the charts
The BPI also highlighted the geographical spread of UK success during the year, with artists from nine of the UK’s 12 nations and regions topping the Official Charts Company UK Albums Chart.
Examples included:
- Sam Fender from North-East England
- Biffy Clyro from Scotland
- Stereophonics and Those Damn Crows from Wales
- Robbie Williams from the West Midlands
- Pulp and YUNGBLUD from Yorkshire
- The year’s most streamed song
In terms of streaming, Ordinary by Alex Warren was the standout track of the year.
The song generated 261.9 million combined audio and video streams in the UK, making it the only track to surpass 200 million streams in 2025.
The second-largest streaming total came from APT., a collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars.
Several UK artists also achieved major streaming success. Tracks including Messy by Lola Young, The Days by Chrystal and Man I Need by Olivia Dean all surpassed 100 million streams.
Industry leaders highlight importance of copyright protection
Commenting on the results, BPI Chief Executive Jo Twist said the figures demonstrate the continued strength of British music internationally.
She noted that the success of emerging artists has been visible not only in the UK but across global streaming platforms and major awards, including the Grammy Awards.
Twist also emphasised the importance of maintaining strong copyright protections as new technology, including artificial intelligence, begins to reshape how music is licensed and distributed.
Meanwhile, BPI Chair YolanDa Brown said the sector’s growth shows what can happen when artists from diverse backgrounds are supported by strong label infrastructure and global marketing.
With new talent continuing to emerge and streaming revenues still expanding, the outlook for the UK music industry remains strong despite increasing international competition.
