How the Music Industry’s Cultural and Financial Impact Define Its Success in 2025

Spotify has just unveiled this year’s Loud & Clear report, a transparent look at how the streaming economy continues to support artists and fuel the music industry’s explosive growth. Loud & Clear is an annual initiative to demystify how artists earn money through streaming, clarify royalty distribution, and highlight the growing and evolving global music landscape. The latest report underscores record-breaking revenues, increased artist diversity, and a more borderless music industry than ever before.

A booming industry

Music streaming services now boast more than 500 million paying subscribers worldwide (IFPI), and a future with one billion paying listeners is within reach. In 2024, Spotify alone paid out $10 billion to the music industry —more than any single company has ever contributed in one year. The best news? This surge in payouts is increasing payouts for artists at all levels.

Breaking borders and expanding representation

The music industry’s growth isn’t just financial—it’s cultural. More artists are succeeding across borders, with more languages and diverse voices breaking into the mainstream. In 2024, the artists who generated at least $100K in royalties were recording music in over 50 languages, while the artists who generated at least $1 million on Spotify recorded music in 17 different languages, both more than double the languages at those thresholds in 2017.

Women are also making historic gains on Spotify. Female artists generating more than $1 million annually have quadrupled since 2017. Markets like Canada, South Korea, Sweden, and Argentina see particularly strong female representation amongst their top artists.

The export factor: global fandom fuels artist success

Artists today are no longer bound by their home markets. Over 50% of the artists who generated at least $1K in royalties on Spotify in 2024 made the majority of their earnings from listeners outside their home country. This demonstrates the pivotal role that export plays in the success and sustainability of an artist’s career. Around one-third of them saw more than 75% of their royalties come from outside their home countries, showing the power of global streaming in driving artist income. And at the $100,000 level, the connections run even deeper—over 80% of these artists have teamed up with musicians from abroad.

More artists, more success

Spotify has helped level the playing field for artists at every stage of their careers. Since 2017, the number of artists generating between $1,000 and $10 million annually has tripled. Notably, nearly a quarter of the 12,500 artists generating over $100,000 in 2024 weren’t even releasing music professionally five years ago. 

Success in the streaming era doesn’t require a decade-spanning catalog nor a chart-topping hit. 

More than 80% of Spotify’s top-royalty generating artists weren’t even featured in its Global Daily Top 50, proving that independent musicians and niche genres can thrive in the new streaming economy. Meanwhile, in 2024, independent artists and labels collectively generated more than $5 billion from Spotify — representing about half of total Spotify royalties for another year.

Record-breaking royalties and industry impact

Spotify continues to lead the music industry in payouts, with more than $10 billion distributed in music royalties in 2024 alone—increasing payouts tenfold over the past ten years. The company has now paid out around $60 billion since its inception. Music publishing payouts have also hit new peaks, surpassing $4.5 billion to songwriters and publishing rights holders in just the past two years  – with double-digit percentage growth from 2023 to 2024 alone.

What’s next: fans driving the future of music

The future of music is being shaped by its most passionate force: fans. New opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and creative expression will emerge as they continue to embrace and support artists across streaming platforms. With global access to diverse sounds and cultures stronger than ever, artists will keep pushing boundaries, and fans will play an even more significant role in shaping the next era of music. The industry is not just growing, it’s evolving into an ecosystem where listeners and creators thrive together.

Visit Loud & Clear by Spotify for a closer look at the economics of music streaming.