Scene
UK listeners spent £2.045 billion on music streaming subscriptions in 2025, the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) reports. Streaming passed the £2 billion mark for the first time, though growth slowed to 3.2% last year compared with 7.8% in 2024.
Spending on physical music formats rose more strongly, up 11.5% to £368.1 million. Vinyl sales grew by 18.5% and “other” physical formats, including cassette tapes, jumped by 95%, while CD sales declined by 1%. Paid downloads also fell, dropping 3.5% to £39.9 million.
Overall, recorded music revenues in the UK have climbed about 120% since 2016, well above the UK economy’s roughly 12% growth over the same period. ERA CEO Kim Bayley says streaming platforms and retailers are increasingly supporting new UK artists and capturing a larger share of consumer spending, reinforcing their role in the country’s creative economy amid wider economic challenges.
The figures suggest a maturing streaming market alongside renewed consumer interest in physical formats.
