Latin music’s meteoric rise in the U.S. shows no signs of slowing down, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) annual report, revealed Thursday (April 9). Celebrating its tenth consecutive year of growth, 2025 marked a major milestone: $1 billion in wholesale revenue. While retail revenue had previously surpassed $1 billion in prior years, this marks the first time Latin music’s wholesale revenue alone has reached that milestone. This feat underscores the genre’s growing dominance, which now accounts for 8.8% of total U.S. recorded music revenue — the highest share in its history.
“With rising global reach and fresh pathways connecting artists and fans, this sector just keeps delivering as labels work to grow the market with innovative new partnerships and opportunities,” says Rafael Fernández Jr., RIAA’s senior vp of state public policy and Latin music, in a press release. “It’s great to see new generations discover and build on the sounds I grew up on in Miami, taking music to new places and breaking down walls between formats, services, genres and styles so more fans than ever can experience the lure of Latin music.”
Streaming remains the backbone of this expansion, delivering a staggering 98.2% of the genre’s earnings in 2025 — 0.2% higher than the previous year. Paid subscriptions alone raked in $557.5 million, making up more than half of total Latin music revenue. Easy access, diverse discovery, and an expanding menu of Latin music legends and buzzy newcomers have only strengthened Latin music’s grip on digital platforms and listener engagement.
“Latin music has been on the upswing for a decade, as artists keep breaking new ground and fostering a deeper connection with their fans,” adds Matt Bass, RIAA’s vp of research and gold & platinum operations. “Streaming remains the top driver, bringing in 98.2% of total revenue with its huge menu of traditional icons and new stars for anywhere, anytime listening. As technology advances, labels keep finding even more ways to listen, create, interact – pushing the boundaries of possibility and growth for Latin music.”
The genre’s hitmakers like Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma, Karol G, Fuerza Regida and Rosalía have been instrumental in driving the genre’s streaming success. For instance, Bad Bunny released Debí Tirar Más Fotos on January 5, 2025 and immediately impacted the charts. He entered nine titles on the year-end Global Excl. U.S. Songs chart, and eight on the Global 200 roundup. Fuerza Regida also made a huge impact with 111XPANTIA across the charts, including debuting at No. 2 of the Billboard 200.
While streaming certainly took the lion’s share, other formats are quietly making their presence known. 2025 saw continued interest in physical formats, particularly vinyl, hinting at new opportunities to tap into superfans craving collectible music. Vinyl sales accounted for a small but vital 1.5% of Latin music earnings, validating the niche but significant demand for tangible releases.
According to IFPI’s recent Global Music report Latin America was the “fastest growing region in the world due largely to broadened access to streaming,” states the press release. “These parallel trajectories also indicate more room to grow fan-to-artist engagement and label investments continue to pay off with new experiences, connections and revenue streams.”
