Global Music Streams Soar to 4.8 Trillion in 2024, Led by Pop and Female Artists

The music industry shattered records in 2024, with a staggering 4.8 trillion streams worldwide, according to Luminate’s Year-End Report. This marks a 14% increase from 2023, driven by the popularity of contemporary music and a surge in streams of pop and Latin genres, particularly by female solo artists.

Pop Dominates, Women Lead the Charge

In the United States, on-demand audio streams grew by 6.4%, totaling 1.4 trillion streams. Notably, 79.5% of U.S. streams came from songs released in 2010 or later, with nearly half originating from tracks released between 2020 and 2024.

Pop emerged as the year’s leading genre, overtaking Latin music, which had initially been the fastest-growing genre in the first half of 2024. Female artists played a pivotal role in this shift, accounting for two-thirds of streams among the top 100 pop artists.

The top six female pop artists dominating U.S. streams in 2024 are:

1. Taylor Swift – 12.8 billion streams
2. Billie Eilish – 4.46 billion
3. Sabrina Carpenter – 3.71 billion
4. Ariana Grande – 3.12 billion
5. Olivia Rodrigo – 2.76 billion
6. Chappell Roan – 2.49 billion

Top Global Tracks of 2024

The global charts reflected the year’s trends, with notable contributions from pop artists. The most-streamed songs worldwide include:

1. Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things”
2. Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso”
3. Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Father”
4. Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control”
5. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die with a Smile”

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” also secured spots in the top 10.

Latin Music’s Resilient Growth

While pop took the crown for fastest-growing genre in the U.S., Latin music remains a powerhouse globally. Regional Mexican music, a subgenre encompassing mariachi, banda, corridos, and more, grew substantially, surpassing Latin pop in U.S. streams.

Regional Mexican music achieved 28.57 billion streams in 2024, compared to Latin pop’s 24.09 billion, solidifying its status as a global phenomenon.

Rap and R&B Remain U.S. Favorites

Despite pop’s global rise, R&B and hip-hop continued to dominate U.S. streaming, accounting for over 25% of all streams. The genre recorded 341.63 billion streams, followed by rock (234.22 billion), pop (165.49 billion), country (117.58 billion), and Latin (113.02 billion).

A Record-Breaking Year for Music

With streaming numbers at an all-time high and genres evolving to meet global tastes, 2024 underscored the music industry’s adaptability and growth. From Taylor Swift’s global dominance to the resurgence of Regional Mexican music, the year highlighted the power of diverse voices and contemporary sounds in shaping the world’s playlists.