Vinyl's Long Comeback and Streaming's Reign: Inside the 2026 Global Music Report
The 2026 IFPI Global Music Report shows recorded music revenues rising 6.4% to 31.7 billion dollars, with streaming dominant and vinyl in its 19th year of growth. A calm look at the numbers.
As someone who loves music both as an art form and as an industry to follow, I always look forward to the annual snapshot of where things stand. The 2026 Global Music Report from the IFPI offers exactly that, and this year's picture is genuinely encouraging. Behind the headline numbers is a story about how we listen, what we value, and why old formats and new technology can thrive side by side.
Eleven years of growth
The headline is striking: global recorded music revenues grew by 6.4% in 2025, reaching 31.7 billion US dollars. That marks the eleventh consecutive year of growth for the industry, a remarkable run after the difficult years when many wondered whether recorded music could ever recover. For those of us who remember the lean times, this kind of steady expansion feels almost surreal.
Streaming still reigns
Streaming remains the engine of the business. Revenue from paid streaming subscriptions rose 8.8% and accounted for 52.4% of global revenues, while total streaming income surpassed 22 billion dollars, making up 69.6% of all recorded music revenue. The number of people paying for subscription accounts reached 837 million worldwide. It is a reminder of how completely on-demand listening has reshaped our daily habits.
The vinyl revival continues
Yet the most charming detail is the enduring love for physical formats. Physical revenues grew 8.0%, led by a 13.7% rise in vinyl, its nineteenth consecutive year of growth. Remarkably, physical growth outpaced digital for only the second time on record. There is something touching about a format many declared dead now enjoying such a long, patient renaissance among listeners who crave something they can hold.
Japan and a global mosaic
The physical rebound was not driven by nostalgia alone. It was helped by a return to growth in Japan, the world's largest physical music market, alongside strong performances in several other regions. This reminds me that the global music map is a mosaic: streaming dominates almost everywhere, but local tastes and traditions still shape how people buy and cherish their music in very different ways.
My measured take
For all the good news, I try to stay grounded. Growth in revenue does not automatically mean every artist earns a fair living, and the balance between platforms, labels, and creators remains a live debate. Still, I find this report quietly hopeful. It shows an industry that has learned to embrace both the digital and the tangible. The real challenge ahead will be making sure that prosperity is shared more widely.
