To many, 2025 might have looked like the year the music industry finally slowed its pace, but through the lens of our data at Luminate, we saw a year where the industry shifted into another gear. We are incredibly proud to share our 2025 Year-End Music Report, a project that represents far more than just a collection of statistics.
Over the past 12 months, we watched our industry undergo a fundamental shift as we moved away from the decade-long “growth at all costs” mentality that marked the early streaming era. In its place, we witnessed the rise of a more sophisticated, intentional and data-driven era in which music is defined not just by a stream but by its deep integration into the total global entertainment experience.
2025 in music was defined by a paradox: While global On-Demand Audio (ODA) streaming continued to climb, reaching a +10.3% growth rate in the first half of the year, the domestic U.S. market began to show unmistakable signs of a mature market slowdown. Early forecasts suggested the year’s metrics might struggle to match the historic peaks of Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department 2024 rollout, and then the October release of her Life of a Showgirl shattered those expectations.
The album made history by selling over 4 million equivalent units in its first week in the U.S. alone, surpassing the debut of Tortured Poets and becoming the biggest album release in music history. This achievement proved that, even in a mature market, the ceiling for engagement is still rising. Beneath these top-line numbers, we discovered a vibrant and diversifying landscape where Rock and Christian/Gospel led U.S. genre growth, and international markets including Japan and Brazil emerged as the new engines of premium streaming acceleration.
The Shift to Entertainment Intelligence The structure of this report reflects the core mission at Luminate, as we look to provide a holistic view of entertainment intelligence, keeping pace with industry shifts and evolution. We are no longer just tracking plays; we are mapping the Transmedia Landscape, evaluating the Evolving Fandom funnel and monitoring the disruptive entry of AI Artists into the mainstream charts.
Our report is organized into five core pillars:
1. Consumption Metrics & Vital Stats: A deep dive into the more than 100,000 ISRCs delivered to DSPs daily and the streaming surge of Q3 2025
2. Premium Pricing & ARPU: An analysis of how major platforms such as Spotify and Amazon Music have navigated price increases while converting ad-supported users into high-value premium subscribers
3. Transmedia Integration: How music now lives across film, TV and gaming, as exemplified by the massive global impact of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters and Ariana Grande’s role in Wicked
4. Global Fandom: A study of Import/Export power rankings, identifying how local culture in markets including Nigeria and South Korea is influencing global listening habits
5. The AI Frontier: A look at the commercial success of AI entities such as Xania Monet and the complex consumer sentiment surrounding generative music
The Transmedia Ecosystem In 2025, the streaming-only era was officially left behind. Discovery is no longer a linear path, and Luminate data shows that the most successful artists are those who inhabit multiple spaces simultaneously. We saw the Transmedia Artist emerge as a dominant force this year. Whether it was the legacy catalog of Led Zeppelin finding a sustained 16% streaming lift through a Netflix documentary or Ariana Grande bridging the gap between Broadway and the global charts in Wicked, the cross-platform surge is the new standard for success. This evolution extends into the digital frontier, where gaming platforms such as Fortnite have become as critical to a release strategy as a radio campaign once was. By analyzing the interplay between different media, we can see that a successful sync or virtual performance doesn’t just provide a momentary spike, it creates a lasting uplift in catalog consumption that can sustain an artist’s career for years. Music has become a pervasive force that powers every other form of media, making the stream just one small part of a much larger narrative. The AI Reckoning: Answering the Question Returning to those two questions I’ve asked all year, the data surrounding the AI frontier offers a glimpse into the answer. The reported $3 million advance in September for AI creation Xania Monet was a wake-up call for many. We are seeing the birth of performers who can exist in a thousand places at once, blurring the lines between technology and talent. Xania Monet didn’t just exist in a lab, she made history as the first AI-generated artist to appear on a Billboard radio airplay chart, reaching the Top 30 on the Adult R&B Airplay chart with “How Was I Supposed to Know?” However, our research at Luminate suggests that caring is exactly what the audience is doing. A significant portion of listeners are still looking for that irreplaceable human spark, as 45% expressed discomfort with AI being used for original compositions. As we move forward, the debate won’t be just about when AI artists reach the top of the Hot 100 but whether audiences will grant them the same cultural permission we give to human creators. Protecting the inherent value of human creation in a world of infinite content remains our industry’s most vital challenge. In the coming months, Luminate will continue to provide clarity on the scale and impact of AI-generated music on the industry. A Roadmap for 2026 Looking to the year ahead, the path to success is no longer about wide, shallow reach. It requires a deep understanding of how music interacts with film, gaming, regional cultures and the evolving habits of a modern audience. This report is designed to be your roadmap through that complexity. Whether you are navigating the nuances of the 19th consecutive year of U.S. vinyl growth or exploring the vast potential of the Middle Eastern and African markets, I hope these insights provide you with the same sense of excitement and clarity that they have given me, as we head into another year for the music industry. Rob Jonas CEO, Luminate
Luminate is the entertainment industry’s most trusted data partner, delivering the most essential, objective and trustworthy insights to drive businesses forward across music, film and television. Operating at the intersection of technology and creativity, Luminate manages 30 trillion data points from hundreds of verified sources and is globally recognized for its AI achievements. The company’s products and expert consultative services offer unparalleled cultural significance, consistently fueling Billboard’s authoritative music charts for over 30 years, driving Variety’s Streaming Originals charts and acting as an official data source for the Golden Globes. Luminate is an independently operated company, a subsidiary of PME TopCo., a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge.
IN THIS . REPORT
CONSUMPTION metrics & vital stats
premium pricing
transmedia landscape
evolving fandom
AI ARTISTS
Year-end Charts
01
02
03
04
05
06
consumption metrics
Global On-Demand Audio Song Streams
Global Metrics
*1/3/25 - 1/1/26 (As compared to 1/5/24 - 1/2/25) / SOURCE: LUMINATE CONSUMPTION DATA
Ex. U.S. On-Demand Audio Song Streams
*U.S. physical sales metrics include modeled independent retail numbers. See Methodology and FAQ section at the back of this report for more / **SEA (STREAM-EQUIVALENT ALBUMS): 1250 PREMIUM STREAMS = ONE ALBUM // 3750 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMS = ONE ALBUM; TEA (TRACK-EQUIVALENT ALBUMS): 10 DIGITAL TRACKS = ONE ALBUM / ***New Metric: Interactive On-Demand. See Methodology and FAQ section at the back of this report for more / *1/3/25 - 1/1/26 (As compared to 1/5/24 - 1/2/25) / SOURCE: LUMINATE CONSUMPTION DATA
U.S. Metrics
U.S. Total album consumption*
(album + tea + sea on-demand audio**
1/3/25 - 1/1/26 vs. 1/3/24 - 1/2/25
U.S. On-Demand Audio Song Streams
INTERACTIVE SONG STREAMS (H2 2025)***
U.S. Total Digital Music Consumption
(Digital Albums + TEA + SEA On-Demand Audio)**
Total Album Sales+
(Physical + Digital)
Digital Album Sales
Physical Album Sales+
(LP, CD and Cassette)
Canada Metrics
CANADA Total Album Consumption
(Album + TEA + SEA On-Demand Audio)**
CANADA Total Album Sales
(Physical + Digital)
CANADA Total PHYSICAL Album Sales
(LP, CD and Cassette)
Canada On-Demand Audio Song Streams
*1/3/25 - 1/1/26 (As compared to 1/5/24 - 1/2/25) **SEA (STREAM-EQUIVALENT ALBUMS): 1250 PREMIUM STREAMS = ONE ALBUM // 3750 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMS = ONE ALBUM; TEA (TRACK-EQUIVALENT ALBUMS): 10 DIGITAL TRACKS = ONE ALBUM / SOURCE: LUMINATE CONSUMPTION DATA
Behind the global consumption activity numbers lies a slate of vital metrics and KPIs that further define today’s global music business: the number of daily ISRCs, global track streaming pyramid, release age listening and the highest growth genres help lay the foundation for this year’s trends.
VITAL
STATS
Average Daily ISRC Delivery to DSPs
106K ISRCs** were delivered to DSPs (digital service providers like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube et al.) each day in 2025, a +7% increase over the 99K daily average in 2024. The share of major distribution is down from 8% in 2024, signaling that ISRC growth is coming from the independent distribution sector.
shaboozey
Credit: Gilbert Flores
*Major Distribution includes Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and their affiliated distribution arms (Virgin, The Orchard, ADA, et al) / *inclusive of independent distribution and dsps that cater to creator network; **isrc is the international standard recording code, Source: luminate music consumption data
SOURCE: LUMINATE data enrichment
2025 Global Audio Track Streaming Pyramid
While 86% of the net ISRC growth this year (+37.9M vs 2024) is concentrated in tracks with 100 audio streams or less…. 1.9M more tracks (ISRCs) reached 1K streams in 2025 compared to 2024. An additional 6.8K tracks reached at least 10M streams. 1K more tracks reached 50M+ streams in 2025, though there were 2 less to reach 1B. 88% of tracks (or approx. 1 in 10) had 1K streams or less.
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Volume of Global On-Demand Audio Streaming by Tier
When analyzing the streaming volume that each tier has in the pyramid, tracks between 1M-50M Global audio streams make up 49.4% of all streaming, emphasizing that these 541K tracks make up the backbone of global music consumption.
SOURCE: Luminate Music Consumption Data; Based on Top 500K U.S. On-Demand Audio Tracks
Release Age Listening
43% of U.S. On-Demand Audio Streams are from tracks released in the last five years (2021-2025); Nearly half of U.S. ODA streams are from songs released in the 2020s, which is down slightly from the 49.6% share held by the most recent five year period noted in 2024. This continues the narrative of Current streaming volume being down slightly in 2025 and top ranking songs carrying release dates from 2024 or earlier.
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (U.S.), LUMINATE Music Consumption Data
U.S.: Top Songs in 2025, by Release Decade
Short-form video platforms are a key driver in the success of many catalog songs. Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” remains in the Top 30 of all audio streaming songs in the U.S. five years after its viral trend captured the public’s attention in 2020. Meanwhile, the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” connected with global listeners this year after its inclusion in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine and the subsequent short-form video trend that formed. The song ranked #47 in the U.S. and #22 globally. Consumer research shows that 36% of U.S. rock fans (those who listen weekly) discovered music through short-form video in 2025, which is 20% higher than the rate noted last year.
the goo goo dolls
Credit: ryan pergola
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
U.S. Core Genre Trends in 2025
The Top 10 core genres remain the same as at the midyear point in 2025, with 1 in 4 streams being R&B/Hip-Hop. After dropping to 8th in rank at the midyear point, World Music moves to 7th on the strength of releases from artists such as TWICE (whose song “Strategy” was featured in the Netflix film Kpop Demon Hunters) and Stray Kids (whose album KARMA and EP DO IT both reached #1 on the Billboard 200).
SZA
Credit: Ashley Osborn
global on-demand audio streaming by tier
FY 2025
U.S. on-demand audio streams, by release year
u.s. on-demand audio streams, by decade
Top U.S. Main Genres, 2025
highest-growth genres in the u.s.
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
U.S. Core Genre Trends in 2025
Rock (+6.4% year-over-year on-demand audio volume change), Christian / Gospel (+18.5%) and Latin (+5.2%) grew their share of the U.S. audio streaming pie the most in 2025.
sombr
Credit: Christopher Polk
2025 vs. 2024 Market-level Share Point Change; Total On-Demand (Audio + Video) Streams
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Vital Stats for the Highest-Growth Genres
Key figures to know for each of the highest-growth genres in the U.S.: Rock, Christian/Gospel, Latin
Latin Billboard main genre, U.S. Total On-Demand Streams (Audio + Video)
ROCK’S LARGEST GROWTH MARKETS OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA ARE IN ASIA
The presence of Christian/Gospel songs grows at key tiers in the U.S. Ranked by U.S. On-Demand Audio streams
TOP CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL Songs
latin’s premium & ad-supported share by year
u.s. current music (18 months old or newer)
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
U.S. Current Music
In Luminate’s Midyear Music Report published after the close of Week 26, 2025, we noted that U.S. On-Demand Audio streaming of Current music (identified as tracks that are 18 months old or newer) declined 3.3% compared with the first half of 2024. While Current audio streaming is still down, it now sits at -1.6% in volume compared with 2024 (334.0B vs. 339.3B) due to a more robust second half of 2025.
Main genre On-Demand Audio, FY 2025 vs. 2024
Current (18 months old or newer)
U.S. on-demand audio streaming
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
U.S. Current Music
However, this is not the first time a decline in Current volume has occurred. In 2021, the yearly total fell below the previous year's. FY 2025 marks a two-year growth percentage of +1.8% over FY 2023.
Ranked by On-Demand Audio sharepoint change, 2025 vs. 2024
Ranked by U.S. On-Demand Audio streaming volume
year-over-year percentage growth of U.s. oda
Read as: In Q3 2025, U.S. On-Demand Audio was up +5.1% vs. YTD last year
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Streaming Surge: U.S. ODA Streams Accelerate in Q3
While the summer season is typically softer than winter or spring, U.S. On-Demand Audio (ODA) growth accelerated in Q3, rebounding from a less robust Q2. This uptick however, was not reflected internationally as ex-U.S. territories followed the normal trend.
year-over-year percentage growth of ex-U.s. oda
Read as: In Q3 2025, ex-U.S. On-Demand Audio was up +12.2% vs. YTD last year
pop Main genre: Weekly ODA
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Streaming Surge: Pop Music in Q2 ’25 Lagged Behind Q2 ’24 Success
Pop On-Demand Audio streams fell in Q2 ’25 below Q2 ’24 levels for seven weeks (weeks 17-18, 20-21 and 23-25) but staged a comeback starting in week 28. Q2 2024 was an especially strong quarter for Pop, as multiple media outlets referred to the period as “Pop Girl Spring.” Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams and more released albums in that quarter, and this impacted volume trending in 2025 through the midyear point. New Pop releases in Q3 2025 have broken through to raise the genre.
first-week chart-Eligible on-demand streams
Content type and commercial model; read as: (Metric) contributed X% to first-week on-demand streams for (Genre)
first week PHYSICAL ALBUM SALES
Read as: (Store strata) contributed X% to first-week physical album sales for (Genre)
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
What Does It Take for a First-Week Chart Hit?
Audiences consume music in different ways, and an analysis of 194 different studio albums to chart on the Billboard 200 in 2025 across select genres show how they got there. While Premium On-Demand Audio holds the edge in streaming, Direct-to-consumer (D2C) is the top channel for first-week album sales, driving 78% of Pop physical sales, over 50% in R&B/Hip-Hop and Rock, while Rock benefits from strong Independent sales and Country sees support from Mass Market and E-Commerce channels.
U.S. Physical Album Sales by Strata
FY 2025
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Share of U.S. Physical Sales, by Strata
U.S. vinyl sales increased for the 19th straight year, growing +8.6% to 47.9M. Four in 10 vinyl records were sold at indie record stores. Meanwhile, 1 in 3 CDs were purchased through e-commerce sites.
Overall, Direct-to-Consumer sales now make up 13.6% of all physical albums sold, a +2.1 Share Percentage Point increase from 2024.
billie eilish
Credit: John Nacion
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (U.S.)
The U.S. Vinyl Purchaser Is Growing More Diverse
Music’s vinyl purchasing segment is evolving as the format continues to gain mainstream attention. Among the trends emerging over the past year:
Tyler, The Creator
Credit: JC Olivera
Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited both announced subscription price increases in 2025. Since October 2022, these providers, along with Apple Music and YouTube Music, have all increased their monthly price, with Spotify making announcements each year since 2023. As the move to maximize average revenue per user (ARPU) in mature markets takes hold, understanding market tolerance to price increases, as well as for those audiences left to convert, becomes increasingly important.
PREMIUM
PRICING
2025 share of global premium streams, by markets
premium streaming volume growth
SOURCEs: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA, Japan Music 360
On the Global Stage: Top Premium Markets
Nearly half (48.9%) of all Global Premium streams are from just four territories: the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and Germany. Although India is primarily an ad-supported market (84%), its premium streams grew by +42% this year, highlighting its massive potential. India added the 4th most Premium streams to its market total this year, but if India was to convert 5% more of its Ad-Supported streams to Premium this would result in 98B total Premium streams to place 10th in the world by Premium volume. In Premium rankings, Japan ranks #5 in Premium volume, up +10.3% vs last year. Notably, the percentage of Japanese Gen Z who are Premium music streamers has risen to 42%, up from 36% in 2023. Concurrently, reports of free streaming usage have decreased slightly since 2023, indicating a successful conversion rate from free to Premium services.
Ranked by net new Premium On-Demand streams, 2025 vs. 2024
average growth of premum share, by region (2025 vs. 2024)
Read as: Market’s share of Premium streams has grown by +xx points when comparing 2025 to 2024
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Converting to Premium Streams
At a Regional level, Latin America (LATAM) is converting to Premium streams at the highest rate with Mexico setting the pace. There were +50.9B Premium On-Demand streams this year in Mexico, demonstrating its global role as a Premium market driver.
Rauw Alejandro
Credit: Kristina Bumphrey
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (U.S.)
U.S. Likelihood of Paying for a Streaming Service, by Genre Listenership
Identifying audiences likely to pay for a streaming service is critical in mature markets as the potential new subscriber pool shrinks. Genres with strong listenership on DSP streaming services, such as R&B/Hip-Hop, Latin and Electronic Dance Music (EDM) also show the highest potential for converting nonsubscribers. These genres are expected to keep performing well, but Jazz presents a niche opportunity to grow its fandom among subscribers.
likelihood OF signING up for dsp in next six months
Among non-DSP-paying monthly genre listeners
paid/premium dsp platform usage
Consumer response data among U.S. Paid DSP users
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (U.S.)
2025 Shows Signs of Paid/Premium DSP Usage Recovery
Audiences report steady Paid/Premium usage rates for Spotify over the last four years, while YouTube has gradually increased its Paid/Premium market penetration. However, Paid/Premium usage of Apple Music and Amazon Music are still lower in 2025 vs. their higher rates in 2022 and 2023.
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (U.S.)
Streaming Platform Listenership
As consumer behaviors evolve, audience clusters reveal which genres over-index on certain DSP streaming platforms. Those who listen to Rock on a monthly basis are more often found on Apple Music, while those listening to Country are doing so on Amazon Music. Meanwhile, YouTube is more oriented toward Latin and “eclectic” genres such as Jazz and Classical. Below, the platforms listed beneath each genre represent where that genre listenership over-indexes based consumer research data.
doechii
Credit: Michael Loccisano
Transmedia — the convergence and expansion of content across different media types, such as music, gaming, film and television — is critical for navigating the modern connected world. This approach, where a single intellectual property is deployed across multiple platforms, allows rights holders to maximize revenue from nontraditional streams. Crucially, established music artists act as powerful audience drivers, leveraging loyal fanbases to bring immediate, engaged viewership to the various initiatives with which they’re involved, from film and TV properties to commercial brands.
WELCOME TO
TRANSMEDIA
SOURCE: LUMINATE FILM & TV STREAMING VIEWERSHIP (M), MUSIC DOCUMENTARY MOVIES ONLY; DOES NOT INCLUDE MULTI-EPISODE TV SHOWS
Top 10 Music Documentaries of the Year
Becoming Led Zeppelin ranks #1 in minutes watched, driving the iconic rock band’s Global On-Demand Audio streams to their highest-ever weekly peak at the time: 40.4M for the week ending 2/27/25. Led Zeppelin’s streams also sustained a new baseline average of 38M per week through 1/1/26, which is +16% over the previous period.
SOURCE: LUMINATE FILM & TV / note: DATASET INCLUDES ANY TITLE in LUMINATE FILM & TV THAT CAME OUT BETWEEN 2018 AND 2025 in the ARENA OF “DOCUMENTARY” AND “MUSIC"; DOES NOT INCLUDE COMPETITION SERIES, MUSIC AWARDs SHOWS, LIVE PERFORMANCES OR REALITY SERIES
Music Documentary Premieres by Platform
Since 2018, Netflix and Paramount+ lead in the number of new music documentary premieres. These are never-before-seen titles where the platform itself is listed as the originating distributor.
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
For 2018-25
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
2018-25 premieres on SVOD platforms
SOURCE: LUMINATE FILM & TV / note: DATASET INCLUDES ANY TITLE in LUMINATE FILM & TV THAT CAME OUT BETWEEN 2018 AND 2025 in the ARENA OF “DOCUMENTARY” AND “MUSIC"; DOES NOT INCLUDE COMPETITION SERIES, MUSIC AWARDs SHOWS, LIVE PERFORMANCES OR REALITY SERIES
Music Documentary Premieres by Year
Thirty-one music documentaries premiered in 2025 across all platforms, which was -30% vs 2024. This drop after 2024’s high-water mark mirrors the film & TV production slowdown seen across the industry amidst the two screen guild strikes in 2023 that halted scripted production. Music documentaries are most often “unscripted” content, which fell outside that which was impacted by the strike. The 2025 decline in music documentary premieres signals the return of other scripted content to platforms following a full production cycle after the strikes.
SOURCE: Luminate insights music 360 (u.s.), LUMINATE FILM & Tv / *A "Multilingual Music Listener" is a music listener who reports listening to more than one language of music
Music at the Movies
Audience research shows music fans are highly intent on going to the theater, and the recent “Music at the Movies” trend continued in the latter half of 2025. Music films from Taylor Swift, Depeche Mode and David Gilmour all debuted in brick-and-mortar theaters in the second half of 2025, while KPop Demon Hunters also made a limited time jump from Netflix to the silver screen this fall.
taylor swift
Credit: Gilbert Flores
percentage who plan to visit a movie theater in the next three months
SOURCE: Luminate Music Consumption Data, Streaming Viewership (M), Music 360 (U.S.), Artist + Genre tracker
Music at the Movies
Ariana Grande reprised her role as Glinda in Wicked: For Good, which was released in theaters on Nov. 21, 2025, to a resounding $147M in gross U.S. box office revenue its first weekend. Through three weeks of release, the film grossed $445M globally. Grande is a key performer on the film’s soundtrack, and streams of her music overall, excluding either Wicked soundtrack, have grown +5.5% globally.
ariana grande
Credit: JC Olivera
ariana grande: weekly global streams
Global On-Demand Audio streams, Sept. 19, 2025 - Jan 1, 2026, by week-ending date
kpop demon hunters: u.s. streaming viewership vs. global oda streams
By daily minutes watched, June 20, 2025 - Jan. 1, 2026
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA; STREAMING VIEWERSHIP (M)
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters Drives Music Consumption Globally
The release of Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters on June 20, 2025, had a seismic impact in both the U.S. and ex-U.S. territories for music consumption. It became the first official soundtrack to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 since Encanto (2022), with three of the soundtrack’s songs ranking in the U.S. and Global Top 50 for On-Demand Audio streaming and hit single “Golden” spending eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and a record 20 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart (through charts dated Jan. 10, 2026). Overall, more than two-thirds of the soundtrack’s audio streams are coming from outside the U.S.
dorada “golden” version en espaÑol
Top Markets, Total On-Demand streams (audio + video), Aug. 15, 2025 - Jan. 1, 2026
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA, 1/15/25-1/1/26
New Versions of Hit Single “Golden” Attract New Audiences Outside of Asia-Pacific Region
As the film and soundtrack for KPop Demon Hunters began resonating globally, versions of “Golden” were released in different languages to connect with new listeners. The Spanish version attracts streams from Latin America, while the French version draws streams from neighboring European territories.
briller “GOLDEN” version franÇaise
Top Markets, Total On-Demand streams (audio + video), Aug. 15, 2025 - Jan. 1, 2026
daft punk: daily global streams
For Sept. 17-Oct. 4, 2025
DAFT PUNK Interactive streams, by country
For Sept. 23-Oct. 4, 2025
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Daft Punk x Fortnite
The Daft Punk Experience launched on Fortnite in September 2025 as an immersive in-game “experience” that brought together the electronic French duo’s music and iconic Alive 2007 stage setup. The resulting activation drove not only Interactive Streams but music consumption. Daft Punk’s catalog experienced a +47.9% jump in U.S. On-Demand Audio streaming during the 7 days following the launch and a +44.6% jump globally. Overall, the campaign generated 1.1M Global Interactive Streams in its first week.
The entertainment world has gone global, and multinational DSPs and social communities connect fans with artists anywhere in the world. Understanding import/export trends and the role fandom plays in their expansion calls for new global strategies.
EVOLVING
FANDOM
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA / note: FY 2025 (1/3/25-1/1/26)
Global Export Power Rankings
Luminate Export Power Rankings evaluate a country’s ability to export recorded music globally. This score is a combination of four data points: the rank of artists in each country based on Total On-Demand Streaming and Country of Origin; the number of countries importing music from a given export country; the streaming size of importing countries; and the number of artists per export country reaching international audiences. While the Top 10 countries in export power remain the same since 2024, Brazil moves up due to strengths in Latin music export.
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Global Export Power Rankings
Below are top exporting countries / territories from each region. While not in the Top 10, Nigeria has increased its ranking from #23 in 2024 to #19 in 2025 as artists like Burna Boy and Ayra Starr connect with global audiences.
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
Top Growth Genres Originating From Outside the Region
As global music export is emphasized, certain genres began to connect in different markets. When analyzing for Total On-Demand (Audio + Video) streaming share point change at a regional level, trends including Country’s growth in Asia-Pacific, the increasing consumption of Latin music in Europe and the growth of Rock in Latin America and Australia/New Zealand can be seen.
zach bryan
Credit: Trevor Pavlik
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA / NOTE: MENA COUNTRIES WITH MORE THAN 1B+ TOTAL ON-DEMAND (AUDIO + VIDEO) STREAMS IN 2025, LATAM COUNTRIES WITH MORE THAN 15B+ TOTAL ON-DEMAND (AUDIO + VIDEO) STREAMS IN 2025
Import/Export: Country of Origin
With the growing number of international partnerships and joint ventures, an analysis of streaming share that is local, regional and ex-regional artists helps to identify countries that are importers and exporters. This aids the understanding of how music spreads around the world and helps direct market entry. For example, if a music artist or label is interested in entering Brazil from abroad, a collaboration with a local Brazilian artist could help this process due to the country’s unusually high rate of local artist streaming.
BURNA BOY
CREDIT: Michael Loccisano/GA
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA / NOTE: APAC & EUROPE COUNTRIES WITH MORE THAN 1B+ TOTAL ON-DEMAND (AUDIO + VIDEO) STREAMS IN 2025
Import/Export: Country of Origin
Karan Aujla
courtesy photo
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC DATA ENRICHMENT
Global Songwriter Rankings
Aubrey Graham (Drake) and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (Bad Bunny) lead all songwriters, with over 100 works each across the Top 10K Global Audio songs. Overall, five countries of origin (and one territory) are represented across the Top 10 songwriters, with Taylor Swift the leading American songwriter in number of works.
MAX MARTIN
Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Variety
songwriters credited most often in top 10k global ON-DEMAND audio songs
Ranked by number of songs in top 10K, Weeks 1-45 2025
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (GLOBAL):
Superfans: Global Citizens/Critical Connectors
Much of the conversation around the superfan impact centers on this loyal group’s local impact, whether it be in music consumption or financial commitment. However, superfans also play a critical role in the import of new music from other countries. In Japan and India, where the streaming of local artists is extremely high (74.5% and 79.2%, respectively), these superfans are helping to introduce new artists in the market.
rosé
Credit: Gilbert Flores
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (GLOBAL)
Top 5 Attributes of Superfans
Superfandom can look different depending on the audience and market. For instance, in the U.S. and Japan, the purchase of physical music and merch rank in the Top 5 activities among superfans. In India, there is an emphasis on buying digital music. One constant for these markets: attending live music events.
JIMIN
Credit: Swan Gallet
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (GLOBAL)
Top 5 Sources of Music Discovery Among Superfans
Video and audio streaming platforms (DSPs) lead the way in music discovery for superfans, allowing listeners to quickly find and hear music from all over the world at the touch of a button. The sharing of tastes between friends and relatives also plays a key role in all of these regions, but so does the combination of screen and sound in finding new listeners, with each country including either movies/
movie soundtracks or television (or both) in the Top 5.
lola young
Credit: gilbert flores
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (U.S.), *ACTIVATION CHANNELS LISTED IN METHODOLOGY & FAQ SECTION AT BACK OF REPORT
U.S. Fan Engagement Funnel: Converting Music Listener to Superfan
In Luminate’s most recent audience response data, 20% of U.S. music listeners are considered superfans, meaning they engage with artists and music in 5 or more ways. However, there are different levels of fandom, and understanding where specific fan groups fit into the Fan Engagement Funnel helps marketers tailor activations and devise strategies to move fans closer to superfan status.
SOURCE: LUMINATE INSIGHTS MUSIC 360 (U.S.), *Superfan ACTIVATION CHANNELS LISTED IN METHODOLOGY & FAQ SECTION AT BACK OF REPORT
U.S. Genre-Level Fan Funnel
Focusing on the U.S. at genre level, conversion rates (e.g., the rate between each level) have marketing and fan engagement implications. Pop music is slightly better at converting engaged fans to superfans than Country. K-pop, where more than 1 in 3 listeners are categorized as a superfan, does very well at facilitating conversions throughout the entire journey. These insights can help marketers develop strategies to move fans from one stage to another. For instance, for those that want to move a casual fan to an active one, consider a limited time value-priced merch item to initiate the financial relationship.
The second half of 2025 was marked by the emergence of several high-profile AI artists. The Velvet Sundown, Breaking Rust and Cain Walker all made headlines, but Xania Monet made news for not only streaming numbers and chart rankings but the reported $3M advance the Mississippi poet creator, Telisha “Nikki” Jones, received. The arguments for paying this price? Proponents argue that AI artists can appear in different places at once, never get tired and can perform in multiple projects simultaneously. Once there's an audience, the brand commitments are limitless.
AI
ARTISTS
select AI artists: on-demand audio streams
FY 2025
SELECT AI ARTISTS: U.s. SONG SALES
FY 2025
SOURCE: LUMINATE MUSIC CONSUMPTION DATA
AI Artists
Media attention around AI artists picked up momentum this year as The Velvet Sundown, Aventhis and others generated headlines over the summer. With outlets that include Billboard reporting upwards of a $3M advance to Mississippi poet Telisha “Nikki” Jones for her artist creation, Xania Monet, and subsequent news of AI country genre artists Breaking Rust and Cain Walker reaching the top of the Billboard U.S. Country Digital Song Sales charts, additional headlines developed. It’s worth noting that only Xania Monet hit the Top 97th percentile of U.S. artists, and the decline of U.S. digital song sales means it doesn’t take as many to reach the height of those charts than it used to. For reference, Breaking Rust topped the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart in week 44 2025 (week ending 11/6/25) with 2.5K sales of “Walk My Walk.” One year earlier in week 44 2024, Morgan Wallen topped it with 5.2K sales of “Love Somebody” (week ending 10/31/24), and five years prior in week 44 2020, Luke Combs achieved 11.1K sales of “Forever After All” (week ending 11/5/20) to rank first.
comfort levels with ai music
Among music listeners
SOURCE: Luminate Insights Entertainment 365 (U.S.)
Generative AI & Music Creation
While roughly a quarter to a third of U.S. music listeners are comfortable with various song elements being created with AI, a much larger share are either uncomfortable or indifferent.
percent either “very” or “somewhat” comfortable with AI-generated lyrics
Among music listeners, by age group
SOURCE: Luminate Insights Entertainment 365 (U.S.)
AI Music Perspectives Among Generations
Millennials are the most comfortable with generative AI’s use in music, with 36% expressing comfortability with AI’s use in song lyrics. Another group, 13-17-year-olds, are also relatively comfortable with its use (37%). However, it is important to remember that the remaining 63% are either indifferent or uncomfortable.
YEAR-END
CHARTS
Source: luminate music consumption data
Global Top 10 Countries
Ranked by overall streaming volume (Total On-Demand Audio + Video)
Global Top 10 Songs
On-Demand Audio streams
Source: luminate music consumption data
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Global Top 10 Songs
On-Demand Video streams
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 Albums
Album sales + TEA + SEA On-Demand (Audio + Video)
Top 10 Albums (Album Sales + TEA + on-demand SEA): Ranked by equivalent album units comprising album sales, track-equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming-equivalent albums (SEA); Each unit=one album sale, 10 tracks sold from an album or 1,250 PREMIUM ON-DEMAND OFFICIAL STREAMS, 3,750 AD-SUPPORTED ON-DEMAND OFFICIAL STREAMS BY SONGS FROM AN ALBUM (UGC ON-DEMAND STREAMS NOT INCLUDED)
U.S. Top 10 Albums
Total sales
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 CD Albums
Total sales
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 Vinyl Albums
Total sales
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 Cassette Albums
Total sales
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 Digital Song Consumption
Songs Sales + On-Demand SES*
Source: luminate music consumption data * Top 10 Digital Song Consumption: Ranked by traditional digital song sales + SES units, where 125 premium streams=one song; 375 ad-supported streams=one song; ON-DEMAND VIDEO SONG STREAMING INCLUDES OFFICIAL, SONG UGC AND NON-SONG UGC
U.S. Top 10 Songs
On-Demand Audio + Video streams
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 Songs
On-Demand Audio streams
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 Songs
On-Demand Video streams
Source: luminate music consumption data
U.S. Top 10 Songs
Programmed Audio streams
Source: luminate music consumption data / note: PROGRAMMED STREAMS ARE THOSE FROM DMCA-COMPLIANT SERVICES.
U.S. Top Radio Songs
Based on audience impressions
source: MEDIABASE, LUMINATE METRO RADIO STREAMING
U.S. Share of Total Volume, by Format & Genre
Selected top genres
source: MEDIABASE, LUMINATE METRO RADIO STREAMING
U.S. Share of Total Album-Equivalent Consumption, by Format
source: MEDIABASE, LUMINATE METRO RADIO STREAMING
Canada Top 10 Albums
Album Sales + TEA + SEA On-Demand (Audio & Video)
Source: luminate music consumption data note: Top 10 Albums (Album Sales + TEA + on-demand SEA): Ranked by equivalent album units, comprising album sales, track-equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming-equivalent albums (SEA); Each unit=one album sale, or 10 tracks sold from an album or 1,250 PREMIUM ON-DEMAND OFFICIAL STREAMS; 3,750 AD-SUPPORTED ON-DEMAND OFFICIAL STREAMS BY SONGS FROM AN ALBUM (UGC ON-DEMAND STREAMS NOT INCLUDEd)
Canada Top 10 Songs
On-Demand Audio streams
Source: luminate music consumption data
