1 in 10 songs streamed globally are by British artists with the UK share four times its GDP share according the BPI. The analysis is based on the music charts of 14 major markets which represents around three quarters of global recorded music consumption. The 10.1% share of global streaming is four times greater than its share of global GDP (2.2.%) underlining the UK’s exceptional performance in music.
The 1 in 10 result highlights the extraordinary global influence of British music. The ease of accessing UK music via streaming services and worldwide promotion by labels means that more British artists are now connecting with more fans to build international careers. Music markets previously out of reach, notably in Asia, South America and Africa, are much more accessible thanks to streaming’s global reach and record labels’ digital marketing. Newly-signed artists can now also expect to have a more immediate international impact than previous generations.
The success of British artists around the world demonstrates how the UK continues to punch well above its weight as the world’s second-leading exporter of music (after the US), and third-largest recorded music market.
A key component of this success is labels’ signing and development of artists and marketing them successfully around the world. The major labels alone signed 153 artists in the UK in 2019 (up 38% on 2010), contributing to a total roster of 640 acts signed to majors in the UK – up 68% on 2010. Record labels are the leading investors in artists’ development. In 2019, investment in A&R (artists & repertoire) by independent and major labels rose to above £250 million. Labels also market their artists in the highly competitive 24/7 global streaming market – with over £150 million spent by UK record labels on international marketing and promotion in 2019.
