Dyme Squad Music Reference
Independent Music Statistics, 2026
A sourced snapshot of the recorded-music market, streaming, and artist opportunity for independent musicians, writers, and music researchers.
Last updated September 23, 2026. Figures are shown with their original reporting year.
At a glance
Music is growing, but the path is not one-size-fits-all.
The numbers below show the scale of the recorded-music economy and where momentum is building. They do not predict an individual artist's income or guarantee a result. An artist's earnings depend on rights ownership, royalty splits, distribution terms, audience, and the work behind the release.
Worldwide
The recorded-music market in 2025
Global figures are reported by IFPI from data supplied by record companies and national industry groups.
$31.7B
Global recorded-music revenue
Worldwide recorded-music revenue grew 6.4% in 2025, marking the eleventh consecutive year of growth.
Source: IFPI Global Music Report 2026, March 18, 2026 ↗$22B+
Global streaming revenue
Streaming passed $22 billion and represented 69.6% of global recorded-music income in 2025.
Source: IFPI Global Music Report 2026, March 18, 2026 ↗837M
Paid streaming accounts
Paid streaming subscriptions reached 837 million accounts worldwide in 2025.
Source: IFPI Global Music Report 2026, March 18, 2026 ↗+17.1%
Latin America growth
Latin America was the fastest-growing recorded-music region in 2025. Streaming made up 88.1% of the region's recorded-music revenue.
Source: IFPI Global Music Report 2026, March 18, 2026 ↗+10.9%
Asia growth
Recorded-music revenue in Asia grew 10.9% in 2025, while the region accounted for 45.1% of global physical-format revenue.
Source: IFPI Global Music Report 2026, March 18, 2026 ↗+13.7%
Global vinyl growth
Vinyl revenue grew 13.7% in 2025, its nineteenth consecutive year of growth.
Source: IFPI Global Music Report 2026, March 18, 2026 ↗United States
A large market still moving toward paid streaming
The latest full-year U.S. figures below are reported by the RIAA at wholesale value, its current reporting standard.
$11.5B
U.S. recorded-music revenue
U.S. recorded-music revenue reached $11.5 billion at wholesale value in 2025, up 3.1% from 2024. RIAA now reports on a wholesale basis to align with global reporting standards.
Source: RIAA 2025 Year-End Recorded Music Revenue Report, March 2026 ↗106.5M
U.S. paid subscriptions
Paid streaming subscriptions reached 106.5 million accounts in the U.S. in 2025, while premium subscription revenue grew 6.8% to $6.4 billion.
Source: RIAA 2025 Year-End Recorded Music Revenue Report, March 2026 ↗$1.0B
U.S. vinyl revenue
Vinyl generated $1.04 billion in U.S. wholesale revenue in 2025, up 9.3% from the prior year.
Source: RIAA 2025 Year-End Recorded Music Revenue Report, March 2026 ↗Spotify reported figures
A platform view of royalty generation
These figures are Spotify's own reporting. Spotify says the money is paid to music rightsholders, so it is not the same as an artist's personal take-home income.
$11B+
Spotify payouts to music rightsholders
Spotify reports that it paid the music industry more than $11 billion in 2025.
Source: Spotify Loud & Clear, 2026 takeaways, March 2026 ↗13,800+
Artists at $100,000 or more
Spotify reports that more than 13,800 artists generated at least $100,000 in annual royalties from Spotify alone in 2025.
Source: Spotify Loud & Clear, 2026 takeaways, March 2026 ↗1,500+
Artists above $1 million
Spotify reports that more than 1,500 artists generated over $1 million in annual royalties from Spotify alone in 2025.
Source: Spotify Loud & Clear, 2026 takeaways, March 2026 ↗$7,300+
The 100,000th highest-earning artist
Spotify reports that the artist at its 100,000th highest-earning position generated more than $7,300 in royalties in 2025.
Source: Spotify Loud & Clear, 2026 takeaways, March 2026 ↗Creator royalties
Non-interactive streaming in the U.S.
SoundExchange reports on the royalties it distributes for qualifying non-interactive digital services. These figures are separate from a creator's total income across all music uses.
$991.5M
SoundExchange distributions in 2025
SoundExchange reported $991.5 million in unaudited 2025 distributions for non-interactive digital performance royalties.
Source: SoundExchange tops $13B distribution milestone, March 18, 2026 ↗$13B+
Lifetime SoundExchange distributions
SoundExchange reported more than $13 billion distributed to recording artists and rights owners since 2003.
Source: SoundExchange tops $13B distribution milestone, March 18, 2026 ↗Sources and methodology
Built for accurate citation.
Every figure on this page links to the original publisher. Market figures are kept separate from platform-reported royalty figures, and each stat keeps a stable link so writers can cite the exact number they use.
- IFPI Global Music Report 2026 Published March 18, 2026
- RIAA 2025 Year-End Recorded Music Revenue Report Published March 2026
- Spotify Loud & Clear, 2026 takeaways Published March 2026
- SoundExchange tops $13B distribution milestone Published March 18, 2026
Dyme Squad Music, “Independent Music Statistics, 2026,” updated September 23, 2026, https://dymesquadmusic.com/independent-music-statistics.