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The UK music industry contributed a record-breaking £8billion to the economy in 2024, with employment rising to an all-time high of 220,000.
The figures were published in this year’s annual economic report by UK Music – the collective voice of the music industry. Titled This Is Music 2025, the document also stated that music exports revenue from the UK had reached a new high of £4.8billion.
Major live tours in the UK last year helped drive the economic figures, with the report citing shows by the likes of Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Liam Gallagher, Take That and Girls Aloud.
Exports received a further boost from British artists, including Charli XCX and her hugely successful album ‘Brat’. Lola Young also scored a global hit with her viral single ‘Messy’.
The £8billion the UK music industry contributed to the economy in 2024 is up five per cent from £7.6billion in 2023, in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA). The UK music exports revenue figure of £4.8billion is up five per cent from £4.6billion the previous year.
The total UK music industry employment in 2024 hit a record 220,000 (full-time equivalent posts), rising two per cent from 216,000 in 2023.
Tom Kiehl, UK Music’s Chief Executive, welcomed the figures, while the report was also praised by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. The latter described the UK music industry as “one of our greatest international success stories”.
Despite highlighting the huge contribution the UK music industry made to the economy, Kiehl and Cooper warned of some of the “real challenges” the sector is currently facing, per the new report.
These include the impact of AI, the ongoing threat to grassroots music venues, the issues with touring as a UK act post-Brexit, and a slowing rate of economic growth in the industry. Additionally, there are concerns over the development of UK artists, and how it is taking longer for artists to break through.
UK Music surveyed music creators about AI for the report. In response, 90 per cent of these agreed that protections should be in place to stop their work being used without permission or payment.
Outlining the problems within the grassroots ecosystem, the report found that many emerging artists were finding it increasingly difficult to play live at this level, with income from touring not keeping pace with costs.
The UK music industry contributed a record £8bn to the economy in 2024 and saw export revenues hit £4.8bn, our new This Is Music report reveals. The report also explores the impact of AI, EU touring and highlights the big challenges facing the sector. https://t.co/kiHUlnlfIh pic.twitter.com/4qCHEFYIuW
— UK Music (@UK_Music) November 12, 2025
It cited the many grassroots venues that had closed in recent years, after it was revealed in January that one such gig space had closed every two weeks in 2024. At the time, it was said that nearly half of grassroots venues were making a loss, while 200 remained in a state of emergency due to the UK’s “collapse in touring”.
The new UK Music report stated that recording studios were under pressure too, saying that the cost of recording and touring for grassroots music creators was especially tough.
As for touring in Europe, UK Music surveyed British-based music creators about their experiences of Brexit for a third year. This group included touring artists and musicians, DJs, vocalists, composers, songwriters, lyricists and producers.
- READ MORE: UK grassroots venues suffering from “the complete collapse of touring” – here’s how you can help
The results indicated that the situation is “still challenging” and “getting worse”, after industry figures told NME in 2022 that Brexit was “strangling the next generation of UK talent in the cradle”.
Thirty-two per cent were affected by the UK leaving the EU in 2024 (up four per cent from 28 per cent in 2023). Of those affected, 95 per cent experienced a decrease in earnings last year (up eight per cent from 87 per cent in 2023).
In the summer of 2023, a report found that almost 50 per cent of UK musicians were working less in Europe since Brexit.
Elsewhere, the rate of economic growth in the music industry slowed, with Gross Value Added and exports both up by five per cent in 2024. This is lower than the double-digit growth seen over the past few years as the industry recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The document cited a weaker touring schedule and a lack of big-selling releases by British artists in 2024 as contributing factors to the slowdown.
It was also reported that the development of UK artists and music creators was a rising issue, as it is taking longer for musicians to reach a breakthrough moment. This is part of a global trend that has impacted artists from other major markets, including the US.
Foreign Secretary @YvetteCooperMP has hailed the economic power of music in UK Music’s This Is Music report. The report highlights the huge contribution music makes to the economy, as well as the big challenges facing the sector. Find out more here. https://t.co/kiHUlnlfIh pic.twitter.com/ygBxDICLq6
— UK Music (@UK_Music) November 12, 2025
After publishing its latest findings, UK Music has urged the government to take “urgent action” in the key areas addressed in a bid to boost growth, exports and jobs in the music industry.
It highlighted two overarching factors that threaten the continued success of the UK’s world-leading sector: the impact of unregulated AI and barriers to global exports.
UK Music is seeking action to implement the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Curriculum Review and the National Centre for Arts and Music Education, as well as the roll-out of the Music Growth Package, music at the heart of the BBC Charter Renewal, business rate reviews, and swift legislation for price caps on ticket resales.
Kiehl said: “In recent years UK Music has reported that the music industry has enjoyed double-digit annual growth. That growth has now halved indicates a levelling off of the immediate post-pandemic boost that we experienced, as well as other underlying issues set out in this report.
“This points to the need for urgent action. If problems are not addressed, then future growth cannot be guaranteed.”
He continued: “The Government has committed to a £30million Music Growth Package and it is vital that these much-needed funds are channelled to boost this cycle, as well as targeting other key issues. But while it is brilliant news that the Government now acknowledges music as a high-growth sub-sector, ultimately the Government needs to be judged in terms of the progress it makes in regulating artificial intelligence and unlocking EU touring.”
Kiehl went on: “The status quo on these two big issues is currently tilted against music’s interests, with This Is Music 2025 revealing new survey data on both AI and EU touring evidencing why we need the balance to swing back in our favour.
“This is a pivotal moment for the UK music industry, let’s come together to make sure we realise our full potential.”
Cooper explained: “Every year, we see more new artists from Britain becoming global stars, and our existing world-famous musicians reaching new heights, all of them adding to the incredible heritage of creativity, talent and genius that has defined UK music throughout our history.
“As Foreign Secretary, I am deeply grateful for the role that the UK music industry plays in promoting British culture around the world, opening doors across continents, and acting as one of the most powerful expressions of our soft power in action.”
She added: “We have therefore ensured music is a key part of the Government’s new Soft Power Council, which brings together leaders ranging from culture and sport to tourism and education to discuss how the UK projects itself globally.
“At a time of continuing economic challenges around the world, the UK music industry also makes an important contribution to the overall strength of our economy, and the figures in this annual report show that the industry is continuing to grow in gross value added, exports and employment. Yet despite UK music’s successes, we are aware that the industry faces real challenges.”
Cooper continued: “The grassroots music sector, which nurtures the talent that goes on to achieve global success, is facing pressures that risk holding back the next generation of artists, while touring barriers make it harder for those artists who have enjoyed success at home to go to the next level and reach an international audience.
“We are committed to working with our European partners to make it is as easy as possible for British artists to perform their music on the continent.Competition is also intensifying as other nations seek to grow their own cultural exports and take a greater share of the global market for new music. In this fiercely competitive environment, it is more vital than ever that we support British creativity.
“The Government’s Music Growth Package – announced this year – will provide up to £10 million annually over three years to support touring, performance, mentoring and export opportunities for emerging talent to help them break through at home and abroad. The funding will support the whole music ecosystem from the grassroots upwards, helping UK music to maintain its global impact.”
She concluded: “With the Government’s support, the UK music industry can continue growing from strength-to-strength, delivering economic growth, nurturing new talent, and exemplifying to the world our nation’s creativity and global influence. Together, we can ensure that Britain is where our country always belongs – a leader on the global stage.”
The UK Music report listed the “specific steps” it hoped the government would take in the key areas. These are as follows:
AI
- Reject any copyright exception that undermines the basic principle for how music is used and compensated for.
- Introduce legal obligations on AI developers to disclose copyright works used in training.
- Establish a legal requirement for clear labelling of AI-generated music.
- Ensure that companies accessing UK markets comply with UK laws on AI and copyright.
- Explore personality rights to provide individuals with legal protection over the use of their image, likeness, voice, and personal identity.
Global exports
- Secure an agreement with the EU to remove barriers to cultural exchange such as visa and work permit requirements.
- Negotiate a reciprocal agreement with the USA on visa fees for performing artists and crews and ensure the interests of UK music industry are protected in any trade deals and tariff negotiations.
- Remove UK-specific barriers to global exports by cutting costs and red tape around ATA Carnet (often referred to as a passport for goods) and Musical Instrument Certificates.
- Establish a Taskforce to develop an international strategy for music in the face of increased global competition.
Speaking to NME over the summer, Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed some of the areas raised in today’s report. He discussed “the need to protect creativity in the United Kingdom” amid the rise of AI, adding: “We’re very, very good at it, and we should be proud of it and protect it.”
The PM explained: “We need to get the balance right. That’s why we did a long and important consultation, and we’re going through the responses of that consultation now. So it is a question of getting the balance right.”
Starmer also said he was “very supportive” of the £1 ticket levy to help support the survival of grassroots music venues – which has been implemented on major live tours by the likes of Coldplay, Katy Perry, Sam Fender and Mumford & Sons.
He acknowledged that smaller, independent establishments were “where a lot of people access their music”, adding: “It’s obviously where a lot of musicians start off, and therefore I’m hugely supportive of it. I’d like to see it expanded even more, but I want to support it in any way we can.”
The PM added: “I’ll be looking at what we can do in order to give them the chance not just to survive, but to thrive.”
In other news, last week saw Ed Sheeran speak out after the UK government took action on his call to improve music education in schools.
Meanwhile, Cardiff rock group Holding Absence recently hit out at an AI ‘band’ that cited them as an inspiration, after they overtook their streaming figures on Spotify. The platform had previously confirmed that it was cracking down on AI by removing 75million “spammy tracks” and targeting impersonators.
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