Recorded music consumption in the U.K. rose for a sixth consecutive year, up 8.2% in 2020 thanks to a 22% rise in streaming, according to record label association BPI. Streaming now counts for an 80.6% share of music consumption.
In 2020, Official Charts Company data shows that 155m albums or their equivalent were streamed or purchased, with audio streams reaching 139b. The top 10 streaming artists in 2020 each achieved more than 500m streams in the U.K. alone and nearly 200 artists were streamed over 100m times.
The increase in consumption was achieved despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While demand initially dipped around the start of the first lockdown, listening rebounded across streaming and physical formats, and grew throughout the year.
