Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and a wave of fast-rising British artists have helped drive the UK’s recorded music market to its highest level on record, with new figures showing the industry hit £1.57 billion in 2025.
They were joined by breakthrough names such as Skye Newman, Sienna Spiro, and EsDeeKid. Long-established acts, including Oasis, also played a major role in pushing the sector into its 11th consecutive year of growth, according to new data from the BPI.
The trade body reported a 5 per cent rise in total revenue, marking the first time the UK market has crossed the £1.5bn threshold. Streaming remained the dominant force, generating £1.07bn — the first time it has ever passed the £1bn mark — while physical formats contributed £278m and downloads £22.9m.
Vinyl continued its remarkable resurgence, climbing 20 per cent year-on-year to £174.7m, extending its revival to a 16th straight year. CD sales also saw a modest increase, rising 3 per cent to £99.6m. Public performance revenue dipped slightly to £162.6m, and synchronisation income — covering music used in film, TV, advertising and games — fell 11 per cent to £39.2m.
The BPI highlighted a broad mix of artists shaping the market, from PinkPantheress, RAYE, Central Cee, Wet Leg, and Myles Smith to established names such as Oasis, Calvin Harris, Charli xcx, and Lily Allen, all contributing to the UK’s strong global presence.
BPI chief executive Dr Jo Twist said the latest figures reflect a renewed global appetite for British music and a healthy pipeline of new talent.
She said: “Beyond the positive headlines, what is especially satisfying about this 11th consecutive annual rise in UK recorded music revenue is that it has been in part driven by a resurgence in British music with a new generation of artists breaking through.
“Its impact is being felt not just at home but globally, highlighted by the recent Grammy wins of Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and others, as well as on streaming services and music charts around the world.
“This success is a testament to our brilliant record labels and shows what can be achieved in the right business environment. Underpinning this success is the UK’s gold-standard copyright framework, and it remains essential that this is safeguarded by our policymakers as a burgeoning market to license music to AI firms takes root.”
Jo continued: “Given the intense global competition, I know how increasingly hard it is for our music to compete when fans have endless choices, so this success shows what can be achieved when artists of all backgrounds are paired with world-class record labels backing their careers.
“Provided our labels can continue this support unhindered, there is a very bright future for British music.”
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