BPI: over 500m tracks streamed each week in the UK, total could exceed 25 billion in 2015

The BPI and the Official Charts Company highlighted the progress of streaming in the UK by revealing that for the first time over 500 million tracks had been streamed in just one week. 

This figure has almost doubled since the same period in 2014, when the tally of weekly streams reached 275 million. 

In the first half of 2015 the UK has reached 11.5 billion streams, which is an 80% increase over the same period in 2014. The BPI predicts that if streams continue to grow at this rate by the end of 2015 the UK should have reached the 25 billion mark. 

In the UK, YouTube streams are not counted as part of the Official Charts Company data, and would double the total bringing the number of streams per year to over 50 billion. 

When it comes to hit songs, there were 59 tracks that reached over 10 million streams in the first half of 2015, however Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk was the most streamed track with over 25 million plays, whilst Ed Sheeran was the most streamed artist with over 170 million plays. 

The BPI’s Chief Executive Geoff Taylor commented: “As more consumers explore the enhanced experience offered by premium quality subscriptions such as Apple Music and Spotify Premium, it will help our world-leading record labels invest even more into unearthing the next generation of British talent for fans here and around the world.”  

It is too early to judge the effect of Apple Music on the overall recorded music market, but the second half of 2015 will be pivotal as the new Apple service could lead to a faster decline in download sales.

 

(Andrea Leonelli)