More artists benefit from streaming than ever before
New analysis has revealed that a record number of tracks are now hitting eight-figure UK streaming totals, despite calls from some artists that the system is rigged against them.
According to data from the music trade body BPI, nearly 1,800 tracks were streamed more than 10 million times on streaming services in the UK last year – more than five times higher than the number of tracks that reached the same threshold five years earlier.
Based on Official Charts Company data, BPI analysis shows that a new high of 1,776 tracks accumulated at least 10 million audio streams in the UK in 2021. This was up by a tenth on the year before, while in 2016 just 348 tracks achieved this level of popularity.
This is exciting news considering the fact that around 1.5 million streams is needed to break into the weekly Official Singles Chart Top 40.
Looking at the big hitters, more than 280 artists had multiple tracks achieving 10 million plus audio streams domestically last year, helping the UK’s streaming market grow by five per cent overall to reach 147.2 billion audio streams.
While Ed Sheeran’s Bad Habits was the year’s biggest hit, with more than 166 million audio streams, the BPI data highlights that artists such as Glass Animals (Heat Waves) and Tion Wayne & Russ Millions (Body) scored career firsts by having tracks accumulating more than 100 million UK streams in a single year.
Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 artists produced music that collectively generated over 10 million audio streams in the UK last year – up from around 1,800 the year before.
BPI has suggested that, on average, 80 per cent of streams by the most successful UK artists occur overseas. In some cases, this can be as high as 90 per cent.
As these figures highlight, more artists than ever are experiencing streaming success – achievements underpinned by the continuous support given to artists by record labels and their deep investment in the creation and global marketing of new music.
Commenting on the findings, Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI, BRIT Awards & Mercury Prize, said: “As each year passes, the streaming totals being achieved by even a modest hit are getting higher and higher”.
“The fact that nearly 1,800 tracks generated more than 10 million streams in the UK alone shows that an ever-widening constituency of artists are achieving meaningful success in this market – and this figure can only rise.”
The news comes as the UK competition watchdog continues its study into the music streaming market, examining how well the market is working for audiences, as well as whether any record label or streamer holds excessive power.