UK music streaming jumps 80% in the first half of 2015
UK music streaming rose by a full 80 per cent in the first six months of 2015, showing the platform’s prominence as Apple enters the digital marketplace with its Apple Music subscription service.
Comparing UK listening habits in the first 26 weeks of 2015 against the same period in 2014, the Official Charts Company and BPI noted that album sales were up four per cent, streams up 80 per cent and vinyl hit a 20 year high in physical sales.
On the state of the industry, Geoff Taylor, chief executive of BPI and BRIT Awards, said: “The launch of Apple Music will give further impetus to the revolution of music streaming. Millions of households are experiencing the joy of instantly playing any song they want, all around their house and on any device, and exploring a universe of new music and classic albums.
“At the same time, many fans are rediscovering the slower pleasure of collecting and owning music on CD and vinyl.”
“The precise impact of Apple Music in 2015 is hard to predict, but UK labels have reinvented their businesses for a multi-channel world, are investing heavily in talent and are offering fans greater choice and value than ever before. With British music on a high around the world, we look to the future with real confidence."
In 2014, 14.8bn tracks were streamed, almost double the level recorded in 2013. Dwarfing these figures, the first six months of 2015 saw the tally hit 11.5bn listens.