That\u2019s four times as much as Brits spent on streaming music just five years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Streaming sales crossed \u00a31 billion ($1.3 billion) in the U.K. in 2019, helping drive a 7.1% rise in overall music spending, according to year-end figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ERA\u2019s findings follow on the heels of the BPI\u2019s annual report, which found that a record 114 billion tracks were streamed in the U.K. last year and the equivalent of 154 million albums were purchased across all formats, up 7.5% on 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where ERA\u2019s preliminary figures differ from BPI\u2019s is that they focus on retail spending in the U.K., whereas BPI’s measure music consumption levels. Both organizations use Official Charts Company data as the basis for their reporting, although ERA\u2019s streaming numbers are estimates based on information provided by digital services and label trade income reported to BPI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key takeaways from ERA\u2019s analysis of the British entertainment market include a 17% fall in physical sales, which totaled \u00a3318 million ($418 million). Around a third of those sales were vinyl purchases, which grew 6.4% year-on-year to \u00a397 million ($127 million). Meanwhile, download purchases tumbled 27% to just under \u00a390 million ($118 million).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Offsetting the decline was a 23% rise in streaming subscription sales, which broke through the \u00a31 billion ($1.3 billion) barrier for the first time. That\u2019s four times as much as Brits spent on streaming music just five years ago and a mammoth 31 times the level in 2010 when streaming sales totaled just \u00a331 million ($41 million at current market rates). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Total recorded music spending in the U.K. across all formats was \u00a31.4 billion last year, a 7.1% rise on 2018.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key takeaways from ERA\u2019s analysis of the British entertainment market include a 17% fall in physical sales, which totaled \u00a3318 million ($418 million). Around a third of those sales were vinyl purchases, which grew 6.4% year-on-year to \u00a397 million ($127 million). Meanwhile, download purchases tumbled 27% to just under \u00a390 million ($118 million).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Offsetting the decline was a 23% rise in streaming subscription sales, which broke through the \u00a31 billion ($1.3 billion) barrier for the first time. That\u2019s four times as much as Brits spent on streaming music just five years ago and a mammoth 31 times the level in 2010 when streaming sales totaled just \u00a331 million ($41 million at current market rates). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Total recorded music spending in the U.K. across all formats was \u00a31.4 billion last year, a 7.1% rise on 2018.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back then, physical made up the bulk of all music sales with \u00a3872 million ($1.1 billion at current rates) passing through cash registers on CD and vinyl purchases. Today\u2019s total of \u00a3318 million represents a 63% drop. Download sales have fallen 68% over the same 10-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n