HIP-HOP CLAIMS RECORD SHARE OF U.K. ALBUM MARKET 

Hip-hop claimed a record share of the U.K. album market in 2022, according to analysis by the BPI. The genre was responsible for 12.4% of all album consumption.

Covering sales and streams, the figure is hip-hop's biggest annual share to date, up 4.2% from 2021’s total of 11.9%. It's also more than triple the level achieved in 2015, one of the study's benchmark years. Rock and pop were the only genres to claim a larger share of the market in 2022.

Chart-topping albums by acts like Central Cee, Digga D and Stormzy (pictured) helped boost the numbers, which also took into account big-selling releases by such international acts as Drake and 21 Savage, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar.

Back in 2015, hip-hop claimed 4% of the U.K.’s annual album consumption, a smaller share than that of R&B, dance music and so-called "easy listening." However, in each of the last four years it's commanded 10% of the market or more.

Rock was the biggest album genre overall for a fifth consecutive year, increasing its share from 36.7% to 37.4%. In second place, pop saw a drop from 28.4% to 27.2%.

Hip-hop also consolidated its position as the third-biggest genre in the singles market, enjoying nearly one-fifth (18.9%) of consumption in sales and streams. This was a slight drop from the year before but still more than 70% higher than what the genre achieved in 2015.