Music Streaming Statistics

Music streaming statistics 2026
Image credit: nan palmero

Music streaming has become the dominant model in recorded music. What used to be a fast-growing alternative to downloads is now the main way consumers pay for and listen to music across phones, smart speakers, connected cars, and subscription platforms.

Quick Answer (2026): IFPI says global recorded music revenue reached $29.6 billion in 2024, with streaming generating $20.4 billion of that total. IFPI also said the number of global subscription accounts rose to 752 million in 2024.

Music streaming key statistics

Metric Figure Year
Global recorded music revenue $29.6 billion 2024
Global streaming revenue $20.4 billion 2024
Streaming share of global recorded music revenue 69.0% 2024
Global subscription accounts 752 million 2024
U.S. streaming revenue share 84% H1 2025
U.S. paid subscription accounts 105 million H1 2025

How big is music streaming?

IFPI says global recorded music revenue reached $29.6 billion in 2024, with streaming contributing $20.4 billion. That means streaming accounted for 69.0% of global recorded music revenue in 2024.

How many people pay for music streaming?

IFPI said paid subscription accounts worldwide reached 752 million in 2024. That is one of the clearest current indicators of how large music streaming has become globally.

U.S. music streaming trends

RIAA said streaming accounted for 84% of U.S. recorded music revenue in the first half of 2025. The same report said U.S. paid subscription revenues rose to $3.2 billion and subscription accounts grew to 105 million.

Why music streaming statistics matter

Music streaming now shapes artist economics, label revenue, chart performance, discovery, and listening behavior. That makes current IFPI and RIAA data much more valuable than old 2016–2018 adoption stats.

FAQ

How much revenue did global recorded music generate in 2024?

IFPI says global recorded music revenue reached $29.6 billion in 2024.

How much of that came from streaming?

Streaming generated $20.4 billion, or 69.0% of the global total.

How many music streaming subscription accounts are there worldwide?

IFPI said there were 752 million subscription accounts in 2024.

Sources / References

DMR » Stats and Fun Facts » Music Streaming Statistics and Fun Facts