UK-recorded music consumption up practically 10 per cent in 2024, bodily gross sales see enhance for the primary time in 20 years

The consumption of UK-recorded music has seen a considerable enhance in 2024, per the British Phonographic Business (BPI).

• READ MORE: It’s Charli XCX’s world and we’re simply dwelling in it: a timeline of ‘Brat’ summer season

Right now (December 31), the BPI has shared its music market evaluation for the yr, which incorporates optimistic figures regarding the consumption of UK-recorded music and bodily gross sales for the primary time in twenty years.

Per the BPI, UK-recorded music noticed a rise in gross sales and streams by 9.7 per cent previously yr to 200.5million albums (or their equal), marking a decade of uninterrupted progress. A part of the success of UK music in 2024 is attributed to an unrivalled rise and assist for girls within the business, led by the likes of Charli XCX amongst others.

But regardless of a gradual enhance in consumption of UK-recorded music, British music remains to be at risk of being upended not solely by intensifying international competitors, however by the specter of AI, which might see copyrighted music be altered or utilized in ways in which don’t incentivise artists.

BPI Chief Govt Dr. Jo Twist mentioned in an announcement: “The UK’s inventive output and human creativity is being positioned in danger by proposed adjustments to British copyright regulation, which might enable worldwide tech giants to coach AI fashions on artists’ work with out cost or permission, and could be the mistaken approach to realise the thrilling potential of AI. In the meantime, streaming fraud can also be a rising concern.

“By assembly the rising international problem head-on, tackling challenges round AI, copyright and streaming fraud, and inspiring shoppers in direction of viable fashions, like paid streaming subscriptions, we might help to make sure that the worth of British music is protected and that our business can proceed to develop and flourish at residence and all over the world.

“The UK stays a world music energy, however this standing can’t be taken as a right: we want a supportive coverage atmosphere that places the deal with human artistry and allows continued funding within the subsequent technology of British expertise.”

For the primary time since 1994, gross sales of bodily albums have seen a year-on-year enhance by 1.4 per cent, marking the seventeenth consecutive rise in vinyl purchases – this was forecast in July, when it was reported that gross sales would see a rise for the primary time in 20 years. This takes the vinyl market to a three-decade excessive, with gross sales up 9.1 per cent to six.7million items. Nevertheless, the sale of bodily CDs have frequently declined 2.9 per cent, although that is offset by vinyl’s enhance.

Whereas basic releases stay a fixture within the revival of vinyl tradition, eight of 2024’s High 10 vinyl report gross sales are new releases from the likes of Taylor Swift, Fontaines D.C., Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Coldplay, The Remedy and extra. The 2 evergreen information remaining within the prime 10 are Oasis‘ ‘Undoubtedly Perhaps’ and Fleetwood Mac‘s ‘Rumours’.

2024 additionally marked a landmark yr for girls on the UK charts, with ladies main the highest 10 albums listing with six entries, and a complete of 10 albums within the prime 20 listing. On the singles charts, ladies broke one more report, shattering 2023’s 31 weeks at No 1 with 2024’s 34-week streak. This was boosted by Sabrina Carpenter, who spent 21 weeks on the prime of the charts along with her trio of hits ‘Espresso’, ‘Please Please Please’ and ‘Style’.

The BPI and Official Charts Firm have additionally shared the High 10 rankings for albums, singles, vinyl and streaming in 2024. You possibly can examine them out under.

Official Album Charts, 2024:
1. Taylor Swift – ‘The Tortured Poets Division’
2. The Weeknd – ‘The Highlights’
3. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Quick N’ Swet’
4. Noah Kahan – ‘Stick Season’
5. Billie Eilish – ‘Hit Me Laborious And Mushy’
6. Chappell Roan – ‘The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess’
7. Fleetwood Mac – ’50 Years – Don’t Cease’
8. Charli XCX – ‘Brat’
9. Coldplay – ‘Moon Music’
10. Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Guts’

Official Singles Charts, 2024:
1. Noah Kahan – ‘Stick Season’
2. Benson Boone – ‘Stunning Issues’
3. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Espresso’
4. Teddy Swims – ‘Lose Management’
5. Hozier – ‘Too Candy’
6. Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Music (Tipsy)’
7. Billie Eilish – ‘Birds Of A Feather’
8. Chappell Roan – ‘Good Luck, Babe!’
9. Dasha – ‘Austin’
10. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Please Please Please’

Official Vinyl Charts, 2024:
1. Taylor Swift – ‘The Tortured Poets Division’
2. Oasis – ‘Undoubtedly Perhaps’
3. Chappell Roan – ‘The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess’
4. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Quick N’ Candy’
5. Fontaines D.C. – ‘Romance’
6. Billie Eilish – ‘Hit Me Laborious And Mushy’
7. Fleetwood Mac – ‘Rumours’
8. The Remedy – ‘Songs Of A Misplaced World’
9. Coldplay – ‘Moon Music’
10. Charli XCX – ‘Brat’

Official Streaming Charts, 2024:
1. Noah Kahan – ‘Stick Season’
2. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Espresso’
3. Benson Boone – ‘Stunning Issues’
4. Teddy Swims – ‘Lose Management’
5. Hozier – ‘Too Candy’
6. Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Music (Tipsy)’
7. Billie Eilish – ‘Birds Of A Feather’
8. Chappell Roan – ‘Good Luck, Babe!’
9. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Please Please Please’
10. Dasha – ‘Austin’

Charli XCX’s culture-dominating sixth report ‘Brat’ was launched in June and has been named because the Album of the Yr by NME. “‘Brat’ as cultural sensation was a sight to behold, to make certain. However ‘Brat’ as an album – the report on the core of the rollout, the music beneath the advertising – is sort of merely distinctive,” NME famous.

‘Brat’ summer season appears set for spherical two in 2025. Charli has been confirmed as the primary headliner for subsequent yr’s Parklife and the ‘360’ artist has additionally curated a day at London’s LIDO Competition, the place she’ll ship a bill-topping efficiency.

Moreover, she’s going to play two out of doors exhibits in Belfast and Dublin, carry out at Coachella 2025 and prime the invoice at Primavera Sound in Barcelona and Porto. On prime of that, she’s additionally introduced a US area tour for April and Might.