2015 was a milestone year for streaming music in the United States. For the first time, streaming was the largest component of industry revenues, comprising 34,3% of the market, just slightly higher than digital downloads, according to RIAA.
All parts of the streaming music market grew in 2015, and total streaming revenue exceeded $2 billion for the first time ever. Combining all categories of streaming music like subscription, ad-supported on-demand, and SoundExchange distributions, revenue grew 29% to $2,4 billion.
The number of paid subscriptions grew 40% to an average of 10,8 million for the full year.
Apple Inc launched its Apple Music last summer and I think that helped the streaming category a lot. Subscription and streaming went straight up. The streaming category includes revenue from subscription services such as paid versions of Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music to name a few.
It also comes from streaming radio services that are distributed by SoundExchange like Pandora, SiriusXM, and other internet radios. On top of that you have YouTube, Vevo and ad-supported Spotify.
This is all good for the artists and music industry, but for the distributors it can be different because they are all selling the same $9,99 product. They all have the same 30 million tracks and their target is the same group of consumers.
The rise of music streaming is clear. Streaming accounts for $2,4 million in 2015. Up from $1,9 in 2014. Downloads is down from $2,5 to $2,3 million in 2015, while physical is down from $2,2 to $2,0 million in 2015.
This data tells us that the music industry had the most balanced revenue mix in recent history were 1/3 of revenue coming from each of the major platform categories; streaming, permanent downloads and physical sales.
Streaming continue to increase its market share, but it is a big surprise for someone to see that Vinyl LPs were up 32% by value versus the prior year, and at $416 million Vinyl LPs were at their highest level since 1988.
Phonogram is a patent by Ritter P Winne. A citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the country of Kings and State of New York. The patent is from 4 December 1906 which means that the phonogram is celebrating 100 year on December 4, 2016.
Some people still print their news on dead paper. Some people still print their music on dead vinyl, and some people still use horses. But the majority prefer cars.
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Ket Garden
Shiny bull 