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UK Recorded Music Hits New Peak as Streaming Tops 200 Billion and Vinyl Extends Revival

Labels urge stronger copyright protections to secure the sector’s 2025 gains.

Overview

  • UK recorded-music consumption reached 210.3 million album-equivalent units in 2025, a 4.9% annual increase, according to BPI and Official Charts data.
  • Audio streaming grew 5.5% to a record 89.3% share of consumption, with annual streams surpassing 200 billion for the first time.
  • Vinyl sales rose for an 18th consecutive year and overall physical album purchases edged up about 1.4% to 17.6 million units, led by Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl with more than 147,000 LPs.
  • Breakthrough British women powered chart results, with Olivia Dean becoming the first solo female since Adele to hold No 1 on the singles and albums charts simultaneously and Lola Young delivering the year’s second most-streamed track.
  • Women accounted for 44% of tracks reaching the weekly UK top 10, as the BPI spotlighted rising female impact and pressed for a supportive licensing and copyright framework.