UK music exports hit record high as BPI warns of slowing growth
UK music exports are nearing £800 million, but growth is slowing. Find out what the latest figures mean for British music.
The UK’s recorded music exports reached a record £794.2 million in 2024, putting the industry within touching distance of the £800 million milestone. However, new figures from the BPI reveal that growth is slowing as British artists face increasingly fierce competition from emerging music markets around the world.
The latest figures represent the highest annual level of UK recorded music exports since the BPI began tracking overseas label income in 2000. They also mark more than a threefold increase compared with 2013, when exports stood at £243 million.
Despite the record total, the rate of growth has fallen significantly. Overseas sales and streaming income increased by just 1.9% in 2024, compared with 7.6% growth in 2023. The BPI also noted that, for the first time in recent years, no British artists appeared among the world’s 20 most-streamed artists, compared with three in the previous year.
The figures highlight both the continuing global strength of British music and the challenges facing the industry. The UK remains the world’s second-largest music exporter, with British artists estimated to account for around 8–9% of global audio streams, a significant achievement for a country representing roughly 1% of the world’s population. However, the BPI says the UK is now competing not only with established markets such as the US, Canada and European territories, but also with rapidly growing music scenes across Latin America, Asia and Africa.
While established global stars continue to play an important role in the UK’s international success, the BPI points to a growing wave of newer artists helping to carry British music into overseas markets.
Artists including Charli XCX, Central Cee, Sam Fender, Myles Smith, Lola Young, Jade and The Last Dinner Party are among the names highlighted by the organisation as part of a new generation making an impact internationally.
The scale of success also extends well beyond the biggest names. Around 600 British artists each generated more than 100 million audio streams globally in 2024, demonstrating the breadth of the UK’s international music footprint.
Independent artists are also benefiting from targeted support. The BPI’s Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) has helped UK independent music companies promote artists internationally, with supported acts including The Japanese House, Nothing But Thieves, IDLES and Shygirl. Across all artists supported by the scheme, 15.9 billion global streams were recorded in 2024, an 11% increase on the previous year.
The latest figures keep the UK on course towards the BPI’s long-term ambition of generating £1 billion in annual recorded music exports by 2030. Reaching that target, however, could become more challenging if the current slowdown continues.
The organisation argues that continued investment in new talent, international marketing and export support will be crucial if British artists are to maintain their position in an increasingly competitive global market.
BPI Chief Executive Dr Jo Twist OBE has also called for a supportive environment for the music industry, highlighting the importance of creative arts education, investment in emerging talent, the Music Export Growth Scheme and strong copyright protections that reward human creativity.
The wider UK recorded music market remains in a period of sustained growth. In 2025, domestic recorded music revenue rose for an 11th consecutive year, reaching a new nominal high of £1.57 billion, while streaming revenue passed £1 billion and vinyl sales continued to grow.
For the UK’s music industry, the export figures therefore present a mixed picture. British music continues to have enormous cultural and commercial influence around the world, but the slowing rate of international growth is a reminder that global dominance cannot be taken for granted.
With new music markets expanding rapidly and competition for listeners becoming increasingly intense, the next generation of UK artists, and the investment and support behind them—could prove crucial in determining whether British music can turn today’s record-breaking export figures into sustained growth towards the £1 billion target.