Category:British music industry

The music industry in the United Kingdom.

The British music industry is composed of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, hosting a population of 56 million. []The music market ranks fourth globally, following the U.S., Japan, and Germany. Most of the revenue comes from digital sales and streaming services. 2015 saw an income of nearly 690 million pounds in the business, and it was reported that British people spend around 2 hours daily listening to music. CDs and radio are still used as the main source of music play. Concerts and music festivals have been growing in popularity in the U.K., and a third of college kids attend shows on a regular basis. Live concerts have topped an attendance of 27.7 million in 2015, a drastic increase compared to just 11 million four years back. Tourists are a significant factor in supporting British festivals, making up 38% of the audience, and jointly contributing 3.7 million pounds yearly, and, as a result, sustaining nearly 40 thousand full-time jobs. When it comes to album sales, pop music takes the podium, followed by rock and dance. []

In 2016, the music industry of the U.K. grossed £4.4 billion, a 6% increase from the previous year. In the last two years, there have been more music industry job positions filled than in any other employment market in the U.K. Widely known, successful British acts contributing to this success include Ed Sheeran, Adele, Coldplay, Skepta, and the Rolling Stones. The artists on their own generated £2.5 billion in 2016. Tickets for live performances, as well as merchandise sales are among the most important revenue inputs for these acts.

A question to ask for the future of music is: What impact will the U.K. leaving the European Union have on the industry, its artists and employers? According to a UK music survey, 50% of people believe it will have a negative impact, while just 2% believe it will have a positive impact. 19.5% answered it would have no impact, and 28% responded that they did not know. []