Music streaming has reached a record high in 2015.
14.8 billion tracks were streamed in 2014, with 11.5 billion happening between January and June of 2015 already, reports the British Phonographic Industry.
Geoff Taylor, the BPI’s Chief Executive, said:
“The launch of Apple Music will give further impetus to the revolution of music streaming. Millions of households are experiencing the joy of instantly playing any song they want, all around their house and on any device, and exploring a universe of new music and classic albums. At the same time, many fans are rediscovering the slower pleasure of collecting and owning music on CD and vinyl.
“With Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, George Ezra and Paloma Faith appealing to ever growing fan-bases and great new albums from James Bay, Florence and the Machine, Muse, Mark Ronson, Meghan Trainor and Mumford & Sons, 2015 has got off to a strong start, and the second half of the year looks promising, with more big albums to come. The precise impact of Apple Music in 2015 is hard to predict, but UK labels have reinvented their businesses for a multi-channel world, are investing heavily in talent and are offering fans greater choice and value than ever before. With British music on a high around the world, we look to the future with real confidence.”
Recent months have seen an influx of new streaming services surfacing, including Tidal and now Apple Music. These will join the likes of Spotify, Rdio, Deezer in the battle to stay above board.