IFPI publishes Digital Music Report 2015

The recorded music sector's international trade body, the IFPI, has  published its Digital Music Report 2015, detailing key trends in the recorded music sector over the last year - with the headline news that digital music revenues are now on a par with physical globally, that global industry revenues are marginally down 0.4 per cent to US$14.97 billion in 2014, and that subscription services at the heart of the recorded music portfolio business

Digital revenues rose 6.9 per cent to US$6.9 billion, representing 46% of all global music sales and underlining the deep transformation of the global music industry over recent years. Total revenues in  2014 were US$14.97 billion although it should be noted that there has been a reclassification of SoundExchange revenues in the US from “performance rights” to “digital”.  This has resulted in an upward adjustment in digital revenues and growth, and an equivalent downward adjustment in performance rights revenues and growth.

The new report shows the industry in continuing transition, with consumers embracing the music access models of streaming and subscription.  Another steep increase in subscription revenues (+39.0%) offset declining global download sales (-8.0%) to drive overall digital revenues, while the number of paying users of subscription services rose 46.4 per cent to an estimated 41 million. Subscription services are now at the heart of the music industry’s portfolio of businesses, representing 23 per cent of the digital market and generating US$1.6 billion in trade revenues.  The industry sees substantial further growth potential in the subscription sector, with new services advancing in 2015 led by three major global players: YouTube’s Music Key, Jay Z’s TIDAL and Apple’s expected subscription service.

To download the full report go to http://www.ifpi.org/digital-music-report.php

The IFPI also released the 2014 Global Charts, with the soundtrack to the motion picture Frozen, Pharrell Willians and Taylor Swift topping the year If you're intersted - here they are:

Global top 10 albums 2014

Rank	Artist	Album	Total units (m)
1	Various Artists	Frozen	10.0
2	Taylor Swift	1989	6.0
3	Ed Sheeran	x	4.4
4	Coldplay	Ghost Stories	3.7
5	Sam Smith	In The Lonely Hour	3.5
6	One Direction	FOUR	3.2
7	AC/DC	Rock or Bust	2.7
8	Various Artists	Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1	2.5
9	Pink Floyd	The Endless River	2.5
10	Lorde	Pure Heroine	2.0

Source: IFPI. Physical and digital albums included. Streams excluded

Global top 10 digital singles 2014

Rank	Artist	Single	Total sales (m)
1	Pharrell Williams	Happy	13.9
2	Katy Perry feat. Juicy J	Dark Horse	13.2
3	John Legend	All of Me	12.3
4	Meghan Trainor	All About That Bass	11.0
5	Idina Menzel	Let It Go	10.9
6	Pitbull feat. Ke$ha	Timber	9.6
7	Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX	Fancy	9.1
8	Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea	Problem	9.0
9	MAGIC!	Rude	8.6
10	Enrique Iglesias feat. Sean Paul, Descemer Bruno, Gente De Zona	Bailando	8.0

Source: IFPI. Units include single-track downloads and track-equivalent streams.

Global Recording Artist Chart 2014

Rank	Artist
1	Taylor Swift
2	One Direction
3	Ed Sheeran
4	Coldplay
5	AC/DC
6	Michael Jackson
7	Pink Floyd
8	Sam Smith
9	Katy Perry
10	Beyoncé