UK Music Market Report 2026
Nearly a third of 16-34 year olds currently pay for membership of a music artist's fan club, with many such schemes offering presale ticket access for tours, exclusive events and limited edition merch.
Nearly a third of 16-34 year olds currently pay for membership of a music artist's fan club, with many such schemes offering presale ticket access for tours, exclusive events and limited edition merch.
"Growth in the streaming market will continue to slow, with greater reliance on price rises and advertising revenue. Physical music has rebounded, largely as a supplementary market, with strong demand for collectible products from favourite artists."
Adrian Reynolds, Associate Director
Nearly a third of 16-34 year olds currently pay for membership of a music artist’s fan club, with many such schemes offering presale ticket access for tours, exclusive events and limited edition merch. Particularly for bigger artists, this could lead to the introduction of additional fee super-fan tiers on streaming platforms.
There is no doubt that AI is having a massive impact on the music industry, with a high volume of AI songs uploaded to streaming platforms daily. Over half of paying subscribers say they would welcome the option to exclude AI music from the platform. This could become a key feature of paid subscriptions, encouraging more to upgrade from free, ad-supported tiers.
When it comes to music discovery, there is desire for more human connection and real world events. Over half of people are interested in playlists selected by their favourite artists, highlighting the desire for guidance from those in the industry that people already respect. There is also scope for streaming brand-led concerts and festivals that showcase new artists to a larger audience.