Excitement as recorded music revenues grow15.2% in Sub-Saharan Africa
…. Engagement with music on paid streaming services continues to drive industry growth,
….AI innovation and industry response to streaming fraud will shape music’s next era.
Sub-Saharan Africa saw recorded music revenue growth of 15.2% and these revenues reached US$120 million. South Africa remained the largest market in the region and accounted for 78.1% of the region’s revenues, following growth of 12.9% in 2025.
This comes as global recorded music revenues grew 6.4% and reached US$31.7 billion in 2025, the eleventh year of consecutive growth, according to the IFPI, the organisation representing the recording industry worldwide.
The strong performance underscores the growing global influence of African artists, expanding digital access, and increasing consumer uptake of licensed streaming services across key markets.
Figures released today in IFPI’s Global Music Report 2026 demonstrate how the continued work and investment from record companies and their partnerships with artists around the world is driving positive market developments – with every region seeing growth.
Engagement with paid streaming services is once again the key driver with revenue from the format growing by 8.8% and accounting for 52.4% of global revenues. There are now 837m users of paid streaming subscription accounts.
Record companies show the way forward with AI
Record companies are at the forefront of the next generation of AI innovation. The report details their active engagement in the development of music licensing models to generate revenue opportunities for artists – aiming to build an ecosystem where AI and human artistry thrive together.
A strong, industry wide, response on streaming fraud.
The music industry faces an increasing threat from streaming fraud. By artificially generating plays for manipulated or fake content, bad actors are siphoning vital revenues away from the artists and others who power the music economy. While record companies are taking robust action, they are calling for organisations at every stage of the streaming value chain to take proactive steps to prevent, detect and act on fraudulent activity.
Angela Ndambuki, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at IFPI said: “Sub-Saharan Africa’s 15.2% growth to US$120 million reflects a sustained and powerful upward trajectory for the region’s recorded music industry. It builds on several years of strong performance and highlights the combined impact of record company investment, the growing global influence of African artists, and increasing adoption of licensed streaming services across our markets. This is not just growth; it is the steady development of a more structured and sustainable music economy.
“As we look ahead, innovation will shape the next phase of this journey. AI presents exciting opportunities to expand creativity and unlock new revenue streams, but it must be anchored in strong copyright frameworks that protect artists and ensure fair remuneration. At the same time, addressing challenges such as streaming fraud and gaps in monetisation will be critical to safeguarding the value of music and ensuring that this growth translates into lasting benefits for creators across the region.”
Commenting on the release of the Global Music Report, Victoria Oakley, CEO, IFPI said:“Great music from incredible artists, aided by record company partnerships and investment, is driving global growth – with more people than ever before paying to engage with it on paid streaming services worldwide.“Importantly, this growth means even greater financial returns for artists and reinvestment into an increasingly broad range of music communities worldwide.
“Music is embracing the future, demonstrated by record company partnerships with generative AI developers who respect the rights of creators. They are partners that explore how technology can be harnessed to support and enhance creativity, not replace it. We are asking policymakers to support this work by upholding the copyright laws that are the bedrock for this progress.
“The entire music community must take action to tackle the threats facing our industry. Streaming fraud is theft, plain and simple. The organisations with the data, scale and leverage to prevent this fraudulent activity, including streaming services, content aggregators and distributors, must take decisive action.”
Recorded music revenue formats (global):
Total streaming revenues surpassed US$22 billion and accounted for 69.6% of global recorded music income,
Paid subscription streaming grew 8.8% and accounted for 52.4% of total revenues.
Physical formats returned to growth, with revenues increasing 8.0%, driven by enduring fan demand for tangible music experiences and a 13.7% rise in vinyl, its 19th consecutive year of growth
Performance rights revenues reached US$2.9 billion in 2025 and grew by 0.3% – the fifth successive year of revenue growth.
About the Global Music Report 2026
The IFPI Global Music Report 2026: Premium Edition is the definitive source of data for the global recorded music industry. It includes the most complete and reliable picture of global recorded music revenues sourced directly from our record company members worldwide and verified using our global network of country level national group members. Detailed consumption data is leveraged from charts provider partners to enable IFPI to provide the most accurate and granular view of the global recorded music market.
Local currency values are stated at independently sourced 2025 exchange rates. IFPI restates all historic local currency values on an annual basis. Market values can therefore vary retrospectively because of foreign currency movements.
