BTS Is the World’s Top Artist as Global Recorded-Music Revenues Soar to $25.9 Billion

variety.com:

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe global recorded music market grew by 18.5% in 2021, driven by growth in paid subscription streaming, according to IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide.

Figures released Tuesday in IFPI’s Global Music Report show total revenues for 2021 were $25.9 billion.While the free version of the report does not attach numbers to all of the rankings, they’re pretty fascinating anyway:The top 10 global artists, based on “consumption across all formats and all countries, weighted based on the value of each method of consumption,” are:The top 10 global digital singles were: The top 10 all-format albums were:And, for good measure, the top-selling vinyl titles across the world were:Digging into the data, the report notes that paid subscription streaming revenues increased by 21.9% to $12.3 billion, with 523 million users of paid subscription accounts at the end of 2021. (See the full report here.)Total streaming (including both paid subscription and advertising-supported) grew by 24.3% to reach $16.9 billion, or 65% of total global recorded music revenues.

In addition to streaming revenues, growth was supported by gains in other areas, including physical formats (up 16.1%) and performance rights (up 4%).Growth in the world’s other regions:Recorded music revenues grew in every region around the world in 2021:Opening a press conference in London to announce the report, IFPI CEO Frances Moore expressed concern regarding events in Ukraine and the resulting humanitarian crisis, saying: “IFPI stands with our colleagues across the music community in our support for urgent humanitarian relief for refugees and our call.