The UK music industry is reporting record revenues. The reality is much gloomier | Eamonn Forde

The recorded music business reached a milestone in 2024, achieving a 20-year high in revenues, exceeding the peak of the CD era without accounting for inflation.

ERA reveals that 2,389 million subscriptions and purchases were recorded in 2024, surpassing 2001's high of 2,221 million, but this number fails to reflect inflation.

Streaming now constitutes about 85% of the total recorded music market, raising concerns over how the industry merges streams with traditional sales figures.

While the industry celebrates statistics like the vinyl revival, the disparity in how sales are measured in the streaming era complicates the overall picture.

Read at www.theguardian.com