UK recorded music exports reached a record £800.3 million ($1.05 billion) in 2025, according to figures from the BPI, but annual growth slowed sharply to just 0.8%. This matters because it signals that British artists are facing increasingly stiff international competition, both from established markets and from faster-growing regions such as South Korea, Asia and Latin America, complicating the BPI's ambition to hit £1 billion in exports by 2030.

The figure marks the first time annual exports have topped £800 million and represents a 50% rise since tracking began in 2020, when the total stood at £533 million. The US remained the largest export market, accounting for around 40% of the total, followed by Germany, France, Australia and Canada; Coldplay were the most-streamed UK act worldwide, ahead of Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Arctic Monkeys and Calvin Harris. The BPI said newer stars such as Olivia Dean, Lola Young, YUNGBLUD, PinkPantheress and Sleep Token are expected to boost 2026's figures, and it linked continued growth to government-backed initiatives following the UK's recent "Turn It Up" music strategy and a £15 million top-up to its Music Growth Package.