The USA’ recorded music trade noticed income development of simply 0.9% YoY within the frst half of 2025.
That’s based on the brand new information revealed by the RIAA at present (September 9), which reveals the US generated USD $5.59 billion in wholesale recorded music income within the six months to finish of June.
(In contrast to earlier years, the RIAA has shifted to reporting trade revenues on a wholesale, quite than retail, foundation. This represents precise income flowing to music firms quite than complete client (retail) spending, however makes comparisons with earlier years extra sophisticated.)
One optimistic stat: There have been 105.3 million complete paid premium music subscriptions within the interval, up 6.3 million YoY.
That +6.3 million YoY internet development was considerably larger than the equal development seen in H1 2024 (+2.5m, see under).
Premium paid subscription revenues grew 6.3% YoY within the US in H1 2025 to $2.89 billion.
Nonetheless, this subscription development vivid spot was offset by declines throughout different streaming income fields:
- ‘Free streaming income – which incorporates ad-supported audio and music video providers not working below statutory licenses, in addition to social media and health apps – fell 2.9% YoY to $875.1 million;
- ‘Non-premium‘ paid subscriptions – overlaying “subscriptions with restricted catalogs or gadget restrictions” – noticed income decline 0.4% YoY to $262.7 million;
- “Different streaming” income, a class combining funds for digital and customised radio providers below statutory licenses, together with SoundExchange distributions, dropped 5.3% YoY to $652.9 million.
On account of these declines, Complete streaming income reached $4.68 billion, up 2.3% YoY.
There was additionally a reversal in bodily format gross sales, which had offered an important development engine in recent times.
Complete bodily income declined 5.9% to $576.4 million in the US within the first half of 2025. Inside this determine:
- Vinyl gross sales, which have been a uncommon vivid spot for the trade over the previous decade, fell 1% YoY in each models (22.1m bought in H1 2025 versus 22.3m in H1 final 12 months), and in greenback worth phrases, to $456.9 million.
- CD gross sales continued their decline, dropping 22% YoY in each models (to 11.7m, from 15m in H1 2024) and income (to $108.1 million).
Regardless of the decline, vinyl continued to dominate bodily codecs, accounting for greater than three-quarters of bodily income and outselling CDs for the fifth consecutive 12 months.
Elsewhere, synchronization licensing – sometimes a high-value income supply for labels – declined 7.9% to $196 million.
The RIAA‘s H1 report additionally emphasised the US music trade’s continued international dominance, noting that one in three streams globally characteristic American artists.
American music exports now exceed these of the subsequent six greatest exporting international locations mixed, based on the RIAA, whereas the US stays considered one of solely three international locations worldwide with a commerce surplus in music.
“These numbers present a steady and sustainable basis as music continues to be considered one of America’s strongest exports,” stated RIAA VP of Analysis Matt Bass. “Aligning our reporting to worldwide requirements permits us to inform that story extra clearly than ever.”
Music Enterprise Worldwide
