Breakthrough Brits lead UK music industry to 11th year of consecutive growth

Homegrown UK artists Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and Skye Newman have helped the UK recorded music industry across the line to an 11th consecutive year of growth in 2025. The BPI, which represents the voice of record companies and labels in the United Kingdom, has revealed the statistics for the year, showing that official recorded music consumption across sales and streams increased by 4.9% annually over the past 12 months to reach a new high of 210.3 million albums consumed.

The UK music industry surged not only at home in 2025, but globally, also. Thanks to significant investment and support from UK labels, the growth was driven by some key breakthrough acts. Lola Young, who graduated from the prestigious BRIT School, gave the figures a very healthy boost with the year’s second biggest single, Messy. Olivia Dean landed an impressive milestone by becoming UK chart history’s first woman to have a number one single and album in the same week, with The Art of Loving and Man I Need, respectively. She achieved top 10 success in the US Billboard single and album charts, also.

On the alternative side of the UK music scene, London metal act Sleep Token hit the number one album spot in both the UK and the US. Indie acts Wet Leg and The Last Dinner Party consolidated their debut album successes with their sophomore albums in 2025, both expanding their global reach.

The UK audio streaming market surpassed 210 billion annual streams for the first time in 2025, according to new analysis from the BPI. Data from the Official Charts reveals that streaming now accounts for a record 89.3% of music consumption, following a 5.5% year-on-year increase. Physical formats also saw growth, rising 1.4% overall as vinyl LP sales increased for the 18th consecutive year, reaching 7.6 million units.

“2025 saw UK talent break through domestically and globally, an impressive feat given that more acts than ever are vying for audience attention,” Dr. Jo Twist OBE, BPI CEO, said. “From Olivia Dean and Lola Young to Sleep Token and Sam Fender, new British talent are now chart-topping sensations at home and are making their presence felt in key markets around the world, while the likes of Ed Sheeran continue to reinforce their icon status. This is a testament to the diverse, exceptional talent that exists throughout the UK, and to the vital role labels play in supporting artists to long-term success.

“This impact should be a powerful reminder that British music is a global headline act, and one of the crown jewels of the UK’s creative industries. Ensuring its success should be high on the Government’s agenda in 2026. We need the commitment of policymakers, the continued protection of the UK’s gold-standard copyright framework, and a business environment that supports direct licensing between music and tech companies in order for labels to continue to discover, nurture, and promote the global stars of tomorrow.

Female acts leading the charge

While US singer-songwriter Alex Warren claimed the year’s biggest single with Ordinary, women dominated the year-end Top 10, occupying eight of the top spots. High-performing tracks included Lola Young’s Messy at No. 2, alongside hits from Chappell Roan, Olivia Dean, and Gracie Abrams. In total, women were responsible for 44% of the tracks that reached the weekly Official Singles Chart Top 10.

Domestic female artists were central to the year's chart performance. JADE recorded the biggest opening week for a debut album in 2025 with THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!, and Skye Newman became the first UK female solo artist in over a decade to reach the Top 20 with her first two singles. Lily Allen also returned to the Top 10 for the first time in a decade with her fifth album, West End Girl.

British rap continued to expand its international footprint as Central Cee’s album Can’t Rush Greatness became the first release by a contemporary UK rap artist to reach the Top 10 of the US Billboard 200. Meanwhile, Dave made UK chart history as the first rapper to debut three albums at No. 1 with The Boy Who Played The Harp. Other notable successes included No. 1 debuts for Wet Leg’s sophomore album Moisturizer and high chart placements for Wolf Alice, RAYE, and The Last Dinner Party.

Image: Raph_PH, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>;, via Wikimedia Commons