2025
9
UK Music and Podcasts Market Report 2025
2025-12-04T20:01:33+00:00
REP6EA60CE9_CEBB_4384_BD5C_7E6986202ED7
2195
189385
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Report
en_GB
Consumers who value discovering new music are widely concerned about the influence streaming algorithms have on their music tastes over time. Music listeners feel algorithms keep them in styles of…
UK
Media
simple

UK Music and Podcasts Market Report 2025

"Consumers want their subscription fees to support real artists, rather than AI. Platforms will need to champion real artists in their algorithms and ensure AI does not further hinder new artists from breaking through."

Nikita Shergill, Technology and Media Analyst

Nikita Shergill, Technology and Media Analyst

UK Streaming Audio Market – Trends and Insights

  • Consumers who value discovering new music are widely concerned about the influence streaming algorithms have on their music tastes over time. Music listeners feel algorithms keep them in styles of familiarity, narrowing musical horizons.
  • Social media continues to grow as a new discovery platform, with viral trends shaping the music charts. Streaming platforms will need to innovate discovery features to satisfy users’ needs, such as a ‘random discovery’ button.
  • AI-generated music may further marginalise independent artists and hinder music discovery, pushing them to explore alternative platforms. Consumers value supporting artists, not AI, as the primary beneficiaries of their subscriptions. Platforms will need to maintain consumers’ trust and position themselves as champions of fair compensation in the music industry.
  • Podcasts are exploring new distribution opportunities, providing more spaces for brand sponsorship. By expanding into cinemas, or TV/video platforms, podcasts can tap into untapped markets and expand their reach, ensuring continued growth opportunities.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Market size and forecast for the music industry in the UK
  • Satisfaction with streaming platform features including ease of discovering new music, subscription costs, exclusive content playlist recommendations and more
  • Attitudes towards listening to music written and performed by AI, including how the value of the human behind the AI will drive acceptance
  • Benefits of listening to podcasts, including the impact on men’s and women’s wellbeing
  • Podcast advertising, including the impact of host-read advertisements vs adverts inserted by streaming platforms

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know about podcasts
    • Outlook for music
    • Opportunities
    • Introduce random music discovery features
    • Create a ‘for men’ podcast category
    • Make adverts on podcasts entertaining
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Market size and forecast
    • Streaming remains dominant as the physical market continues to see small growth
    • Graph 1: music industry income by segment, 2014-24
    • Graph 2: CD and LP industry income, 2014-24
    • Spotify still dominates paid-for music streaming, but Apple and YouTube make the biggest gains
    • Graph 3: used a paid-for streaming service when listening to music in the last three months, 2025
    • Market size and forecast for the UK music industry
    • Graph 4: market size and forecast for music industry income, 2019-30
    • Market segmentaion
    • Modest growth expected for streaming revenue
    • Graph 5: market value forecast for UK music streaming market, 2019-30
    • Physical revenue will remain dependent on high profile releases
    • Graph 6: market value forecast for UK physical music market, 2019-30
    • Digital downloads see slower, single-digit decline
    • Graph 7: value forecast for digital music purchase market, 2019-30
    • Market drivers
    • Algorithms trap listeners into musical styles
    • Music listeners will become frustrated with algorithms that limit music discovery
    • Graph 8: proportion concerned about the influence of algorithms on their music taste, by platform used, 2025
    • Independent artists may turn to alternative platforms, as AI-generated music and AI bots manipulate streams
    • YouTube is the go-to podcast platform
    • Graph 9: streaming services used to listen to podcasts, 2024-25
    • More podcast listeners are paying for exclusive content
    • Graph 10: number of Patreon customers among Snoop users, 2023-25
    • AI voice cloning will become more common in podcasting
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Importance of music discovery
    • Young listeners value music discovery the most
    • Introduce new discovery tools that allow listeners more control over their recommendations
    • YouTube needs to improve music discovery
    • Graph 11: proportion deeming music disovery very important, by users of paid-for streaming platforms, 2025
    • Satisfaction of music streaming platforms
    • Spotify needs to justify subscription costs with exclusive offerings
    • Exclusive content currently struggling to satisfy older generations
    • Graph 12: any satisfaction with exclusive content, by generation, 2025
    • Provide exclusive content for listeners with nostalgic music tastes
    • Invest in indie music to boost playlist satisfaction
    • Transparency in artist pay will be a key differentiator
    • Music and AI
    • Young music listeners express more enthusiasm for music written by AI
    • AI is a collaborative tool for song writing, but also a threat to originality
    • Interest in AI music performers is limited
    • The human connection will still remain vital in music created with AI
    • Support music co-creation between artists and fans with AI tools
    • Podcasts and wellbeing
    • Men look to feel connected without the vulnerability of direct interaction
    • Support men to find podcasts where they feel validated
    • Podcasts are a key resource for women’s health needs
    • Graph 13: proportion listening to podcasts for health and wellness, by gender, 2025
    • Podcasts and advertising
    • Prioritise podcast advertising over streaming platform ads
    • Podcasts need to entertain and so do their adverts
    • Adverts in podcasts need to have an entertainment first mindset
    • Podcasts are influencing young listeners’ behaviour
    • Brands can leverage the art of podcast conversation to maximise influence
    • Turn listening data into personalised discounts
    • Graph 14: agreement with ‘receiving offers related to podcast content I listen to would encourage me to share my listening data with brands’ by age, 2025
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • AI-generated artist reaches billboard chart
    • VR concerts offer new music revenue streams as Apple and Meta compete for exclusive content
    • Spotify and Netflix deal signals shift in diversifying podcast distribution
    • TikTok enters the podcasting market
    • Apple Podcast AI-generated chapters align with listeners’ desire to easily find what they want within an episode
  5. APPENDIX

    • Report scope
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (value) for the music industry
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (value) for music streaming
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (value) for physical sales
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (value) for digital downloads of music
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • UK generation groups
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Snoop SpendMapper methodology
    • Abbreviations

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