Four fifths of music sales in Germany are digital having grown 5.5% in the first six months of 2022 according to the BVMI, Germany’s recorded music industry association. Total sales were Euros 967 million. The strongest format remains audio streaming, which, after further growth (+9.1%), now accounts for 73.3% of total sales. This means that 80.2% of revenues from music sales in Germany are now generated digitally, with downloads contributing only 2.4% of the total market, following a further decline in sales.
In the physical sector, revenue generated by CDs continues to decrease (-6.5%). The decline, however, has slowed significantly compared to the same period last year (Mid-year 2021: -16.4%). Meanwhile, sales for vinyl records continues to climb upwards (+12.3%). With a market share of 6.2%, it remains the third-strongest market segment, generating almost half as much revenue as CDs (12.8%). Overall, physical products still generate just under a fifth of total sales (19.8%).
Dr. Florian Drücke, Chairman & CEO of BVMI said, “Further growth in the first half of 2022 is very good news, considering the current situation. At 5.5%, the curve is not pointing quite as steeply upwards as it did at the end of 2021 with a truly outstanding industry increase of 10% – however, the growing segments of audio streaming and vinyl continue to develop positively and the general trend towards digital music use, alongside the continued importance of the physical segment, remains unbroken. The consistent advancement of the entire format spectrum, digital and analogue, as well as the ever-new additional sources of revenue that our member companies develop for and with their artists, ensure stable dynamics, even in economically challenging times.”
