The streaming numbers have gone up to 5.1 trillion from 2024’s 4.7 trillion plays, with a 9.6% increase in 2025.
The leading entertainment and music analytics company Luminate has shared the 2025 year-end music report, which reveals listenership details. As per the data, the US is the largest exporter of music, also accounting for 31% of paid streams worldwide. The US, Mexico, Brazil, and Germany added almost half, 48.9%, of the total streams from users having a premium subscription. India saw a 43% boost in its premium streams last year, bringing in 23.3 billion plays to the record-breaking year in music.
According to the findings from Luminate, Spotify and YouTube were the preferred streaming platforms for electronic/dance music fans. Meanwhile, hip-hop and R&B listeners were drawn to YouTube and Apple Music. “Gaming platforms are now critical to artist marketing strategies,” Luminate stated, as per Music Business Worldwide.
“As we look to the year ahead, the path to success is no longer about wide, shallow reach. It requires a deep understanding of how music interacts with film, gaming, regional cultures and the evolving habits of a modern audience,” said Luminate CEO Rob Jonas. This is well noted following the debut of The Daft Punk Experience on the popular video game Fortnite, as Daft Punk’s music streaming witnessed a 47.9% growth in a single week.
Music from AI artists and AI-generated tracks too racked up 125 million streams globally. The report also found that listeners didn’t welcome the idea of AI songs or music made from generative AI, with 44% saying their interest would decline if they knew the track was created using AI.
Pop music was the biggest genre in the US in 2025, and Rock was the major sound of the UK last year. The UK came in second, after the US, as the biggest streaming market.
Out of the global streams, 62.6 million tracks had garnered 10-100 plays, while a whopping 120 million received just about ten listens.
For more music updates and new releases, keep up with TFword on Instagram | Facebook | X
You May Also Like:
Bandcamp Announces Ban on AI-Generated Music
Fortnite Unveils In-Game Interactive Experience With Daft Punk
Drum & Bass Forecast: 2026 and the Road Ahead
