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Music market subscriber shares 2021 Growth is not letting up yet

Report by Mark Mulligan
Cover image for Music market subscriber shares 2021
Synopsis PDF PowerPoint Excel

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The 20,000 foot view:  This report presents key figures from MIDiA’s global music subscriber market shares model. The full dataset is published alongside this report, with quarterly data (from            2015 to            2021) and annual label trade revenue (from FY 2015 to FY 2020) for more than            streaming services across            different markets. The Excel dataset also includes an extensive consumer survey dataset.

Key insights

  • At the            of            2021 there were            million            subscribers globally – up            million            one year earlier, and faster            than the prior year
  • Spotify continues            have the largest music subscriber            with its            million            2021 subscribers                       of the global total
  • Though Apple            still had the second largest            base in            2021            million), it            the slowest growing of the            five DSPs
  • Amazon Music’s            base grew by            in the            up to            2021, reaching            million            a            market share
  • Despite being            to China, Tencent Music Entertainment            the fourth largest subscriber base            globally in            2021
  • YouTube Music            was the fastest growing top            DSP in the            months leading            to            2021, increasing            to reach            subscribers
  • Spotify commands            highest levels of weekly active            (WAUs), daily active users (DAUs),            paid users across the pure-play            DSPs
  • Spotify leads                       million strong US subscription market,                       market share, followed by Apple            Amazon           
  • Spotify’s            million            subscribers gives it one of            highest market shares anywhere in            world            and Apple being a            second with            million           
  • UK subscribers            from                       2019 –            2020) to                      2021), with revenue growth            a similar trajectory
  • Germany’s            million            make it the third largest            globally            of total), while it            the fourth largest subscriber base                       million 
  • Melon dominated            Korea with a            market share,            YouTube quadrupled subscribers between            2019                       2021 to become a strong            placed player
  • Japan is            only major music market globally            Amazon is the leading DSP,            its            million subscribers in            2021                       market share

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Amazon Music, Anghami, Apple Music, AWA, Deezer, Gaana, Genie Music, YouTube Music, Hungama, Jio Saavn, Line Music, Melon, Napster, NetEase, Pandora, SoundCloud, Spotify, Tencent Music, Tidal, VKontakte, Wynk, Xiami, Yandex 

Notes: 

  •   All            refer to label trade revenues            royalties paid for master recordings). 
  • Subscriber additions            to net additions and do            reflect churned subscribers.
  • For ease            reading, digital service providers (DSPs)            typically shortened. Importantly, this means            all references to YouTube refer            YouTube Music Premium, rather than            main YouTube app, unless otherwise           

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