UK audiences spent over £2 billion on music streaming subscriptions in 2025

UK listeners spent £2.045 billion on subscriptions for music streaming services last year, new data from the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) has revealed.

While streaming reached record highs in 2025, surging above £2 billion for the first time, streaming growth slowed slightly from 7.8% in 2024 to 3.2% last year. 

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Physical music sales saw higher growth in the ERA's figures, with audiences spending £368.1 million in 2025, an increase of 11.5% from £330.1 million in 2024. Downloads on services such as Bandcamp saw a decline of 3.5% to £39.9 million.

Much of this is due to a 18.5% surge in vinyl purchases, and a 95% increase in other physical music, including cassette tapes — though CD purchases have declined by 1%, the report notes.

Overall, music sales in the UK have grown by 120% since 2016, which is around 10 times higher than the average growth seen across the UK economy at 12%.

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"Streaming services and retailers are committed to supporting new UK music, and the emergence of a new wave of UK artists is vindicating their approach," says ERA CEO Kim Bayley.

"While conditions may be tough in the wider economy, streaming services and retailers are winning a greater share of consumer spending and proving their central role in the UK’s creative economy," she continues.

[Via: Music Week]

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter