Music Streams Near 5 Trillion in 2024 as U.S. Female Pop Stars Lead the Charge

In 2024, the global music industry reached a record 4.8 trillion streams—up 14% from the previous year—with U.S. on-demand audio streams hitting 1.4 trillion. Contemporary music (released since 2010) accounted for nearly 80% of U.S. streams, and pop music surged to become the fastest-growing genre by year’s end. This growth was driven by a wave of female pop solo artists, including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Sabrina Carpenter. Notably, Taylor Swift emerged as the most-streamed songwriter worldwide, with 12.8 billion streams, and she led the Spotify Wrapped charts with over 26.6 billion streams in 2024.

Additional industry reports highlighted strong subscription growth and notable shifts in regional markets. For example, Reuters reported a 4.8% revenue increase to $29.6 billion driven by streaming subscriptions, while markets like Mexico and the UK saw impressive gains and record-breaking performances by local artists. The industry’s diverse musical landscape in 2024 underscores the rising impact of digital platforms and creative innovation in driving global music consumption.