In 2024, there was an average of 99,000 new songs delivered to digital service providers like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube each day in 2024, which is down 4.4% from 2023 when there was an average of 103.5k delivered each day according to the Luminate 2024 Year-End Report.
The Luminate 2024 Year-End Report released on Wednesday January 15, 2025, offers a detailed view of global music trends, blending hard data with cultural insights.
91.8% of the music distributed in 2024 was from independent entities while major record labels such as Sony, Warner and Universal released 8.2% of the music.
“World Music” (which includes reggae, Afrobeat, and other regional genres), maintained its cultural foothold in 2024. “World Music” collectively contributed 2.4% of total U.S. on-demand audio streams, showcasing steady performance despite its niche appeal.
The genre continues to find new audiences internationally, with younger listeners discovering reggae through live festivals and cross-genre collaborations. Interestingly, reggae tracks released in the past 18 months outpaced older catalog music, indicating a thriving creative pipeline.
R&B/Hip Hop remains the dominate genre in the U.S. with overall ODA streaming volume with more than 1 in every 4 U.S. streams being from the genre. The genre is facing increased competition as its overall ODA share is down 2.3 points since 2023 according to Luminate.
Rihanna: The Queen Without a Throne
Even without new material in 2024, Rihanna’s back catalog remained a dominant force in global music consumption. Her music frequently topped international export charts, especially in markets like the UK, Canada, and France. In addition, her brand collaborations amplified her cultural reach, solidifying her place as a global icon whose influence extends beyond music.
Pop’s Chart Domination: A New Era of Stardom
Pop surged to become 2024’s fastest-growing genre in the U.S., overtaking Latin music with a 0.48 percentage point increase in streaming share. Taylor Swift led the charge with The Tortured Poets Department, the year’s most-consumed album in the U.S., with 533,000 album-equivalent units. Sabrina Carpenter’s single “Espresso” achieved 2.459 billion global streams, reflecting Pop’s widening appeal.
Newcomer Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” claimed the top spot as 2024’s most-streamed song, while established artists like Billie Eilish and Hozier continued to deliver chart-topping hits.
Latin Music: A Juggernaut Goes Global
Latin music expanded its share of U.S. music consumption to 7.5% in 2024, with Regional Mexican music driving much of its growth. Peso Pluma emerged as a defining voice within this movement. Latin music’s rapid adoption in non-traditional markets like Brazil and Indonesia highlights the genre’s global resonance, propelled by the ubiquity of streaming platforms.
The report also highlighted that Latin music has the highest proportion of “current” streams (tracks released within 18 months) among major genres, underscoring its fresh and dynamic presence.
Turkey is growing their premium streams the most while Europe as a region is leading in premium stream share growth.
France: A Premium Market with Room to Grow
France ranked 10th globally for total on-demand streaming volume, affirming its importance as a music market. However, its share of premium (paid) streaming was notably lower than its overall streaming activity, reflecting untapped potential for subscription-based growth. The country streams reggae music more than anywhere else in Europe.
Global and Emerging Genre Trends
- Country: Country music continued its domestic and international expansion, achieving a 7.71 percentage point increase in streaming share outside the U.S. since 2020.
- Christian/Gospel: Gen Z listeners are spending 19% more time engaging with Christian/Gospel music compared to 2022, driving a demographic shift within the genre.
- Electronic/Dance: The return of live music events bolstered this genre, particularly among festival-going Gen Z audiences.
Industry Takeaways and Future Outlook
With 91.3% of U.S. music consumption now driven by streaming, the report underscores the importance of premium subscriptions, particularly in emerging markets. The sustained rise of “superfans”—dedicated listeners engaging across multiple touchpoints—offers valuable opportunities for direct-to-consumer strategies.
As genres like reggae and Latin music continue to thrive on the global stage, the industry’s cultural exchange will remain critical in shaping its future. The Luminate 2024 Year-End Report underscores how music, while universal, reflects an ever-evolving mosaic of cultural voices.
