Photo Credit: Adrian Korte
BPI has revealed data about the UK recorded music market showcasing a 9.7% rise to 201 million albums. Streaming also hit a new record high of just under 200 billion audio streams across the year.
According to data provided by The Official Charts Company, women topped the Official Singles Chart for the majority (34) of weeks in 2024. They also claimed half of the year’s Top 20 albums for the first time. Physical music purchases saw positive year-on-year growth for the first time in 20 years, led by the 17th consecutive annual rise in vinyl album sales and CD purchases nearly level with 2023.
The UK recorded music industry growth was driven by an 11% rise in the streaming market, with 199.6 billion audio streams accumulated in 2024. Streaming now accounts for 88.8% of music consumption, up from 87.7% in 2023. In May, the Official Charts Company recorded over 4 billion audio streams in a single week for the first time ever.
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Equivalent Albums (SEA) | 143.1 M | 160.3 M | 178.0 M | +11.0% |
| Track Equivalent Albums (TEA) | 2.0 M | 1.8 M | 1.8 M | +0.0% |
| Digital Albums | 3.7 M | 3.5 M | 3.3 M | -5.9% |
| Physical Albums (Total) | 17.3 M | 17.1 M | 17.4 M | +1.4% |
| CDs | 11.6 M | 10.8 M | 10.5 M | -2.9% |
| Vinyl LPs | 5.5 M | 6.1 M | 6.7 M | +9.1% |
| Other (including Cassettes) | 0.228 M | 0.190 M | 0.182 M | -4.1% |
| Total (Album Equivalent Sales) | 166.1 M | 182.8 M | 200.5 M | +9.7% |
More than 20 British groups and solo acts topped the Official Album Chart during the year. These included The Last Dinner Party, D-Block Europe, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, singer-songwriter James Arthur, Beadadoobee and Lewis Capaldi, rock bands Blossoms, Elbow, Idles, James, Kasabian, The Libertines, Shed Seven, and Snow Patrol, Rod Steward & Jools Holland, Michael Ball & Alfie Boe, Liam Gallagher & John Squire, David Gilmour, Oasis, Coldplay and The Cure.
While UK artists and music companies remain at the vanguard of talent and creativity, 2024 also highlighted the intensifying global competition provided by both by traditional leading players, such as the US, as well as from emerging, fast-growing markets like South Korea and Latin America. Both South Korea and Latin America are achieving international success with their artists in part because their governments are backing their industries.
Official Charts Artist Albums Chart 2024
- Taylor Swift — The Tortured Poets Department
- The Weeknd — The Highlights
- Sabrina Carpenter — Short N’ Sweet
- Noah Kahan — Stick Season
- Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard And Soft
- Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
- Fleetwood Mac — 50 Years – Don’t Stop
- Charli XCX — Brat
- Coldplay — Moon Music
- Olivia Rodrigo — Guts
Official Charts Most-Streamed Audio Tracks 2024
- Noah Kahan — “Stick Season”
- Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
- Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”
- Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”
- Hozier — “Too Sweet”
- Shaboozey “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
- Billie Eilish — “Birds Of A Feather”
- Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
- Sabrina Carpenter — “Please Please Please”
- Dasha — “Austin”