Sony Music Group reports Q2 results with growth across all segments
Sony Music just posted strong Q2 results. See the full breakdown and what it means for the music industry.
Sony Music Group has released its earnings for the quarter ending June 30, 2025, and the results reflect a solid period of growth across recorded music, publishing, and physical sales. Driven by continued momentum in streaming and gains in physical formats, the company posted an 8.8% year-on-year increase in overall music rights revenue, surpassing USD 2.76 billion.
Sony’s recorded music segment generated approximately USD 2.09 billion, up 8.4% compared to the same period last year. Streaming revenue brought in around USD 1.36 billion, a 7.3% year-on-year increase. This reflects the ongoing global demand across platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.
However, there was an unexpected growth in physical music sales, which grew by a striking 19% year-over-year, reaching around USD 180 million. This uptick suggests continued demand for formats like vinyl and deluxe box sets, particularly among dedicated fan bases and collectors.
Additional revenue sources such as merchandise, licensing, live performance income, and synchronization (music used in film, television, or ads) added a further USD 481 million, growing 3.1% compared to Q2 2024.
Sony’s music publishing division also delivered strong performance. Publishing revenue reached USD 683 million, a 9.9% year-over-year increase. Streaming accounted for the majority of this figure, with an estimated USD 392 million generated from digital platforms, up 8% compared to the prior year.
This comes as Sony continues to expand its publishing catalog and secure sync deals across film, TV, advertising, and video games, improving its long-term earnings potential.
Operating income for Sony’s overall music segment (which includes both recorded music and visual media/platform initiatives) reached JPY 92.8 billion, or roughly USD 642 million. This represents an operating margin of 19.9%.
Sony also reported an adjusted OIBDA (Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization) of JPY 117.1 billion (approximately USD 810 million), giving the division a robust adjusted OIBDA margin of 25.2%.
The Q2 results show that Sony Music Group is maintaining steady growth amid an evolving music landscape. Streaming remains the engine of the business, but the rising demand in physical sales is noteworthy, demonstrating that fan engagement continues to thrive in both digital and analog formats.
Additionally, publishing continues to offer reliable recurring revenue, particularly as Sony expands its global licensing reach and monetizes its deep catalog.