The world's largest recorded music markets are listed annually by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). The ranking is based on the retail value (rather than units) each market generates per year; retail value generated by each market varies from year to year. As all financial data is given in US dollars, annual rates of change for all countries other than the United States are heavily influenced by exchange rate fluctuations, as well as by actual changes in revenue in local currency terms.
The information presented on this page only accounts for revenue generated from the recorded music industry (recorded music and auxiliary revenues generated by these recordings), and is not reflective of the entirety of the music industry, including sectors such as publishing, live music, etc.
The United States has remained the biggest market for recorded music in IFPI history, except in 2010 when Japan topped the list. Japan has always stayed within the top two, while the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada have consistently appeared among the top ten music markets throughout IFPI history. Other countries historically having appeared in the top ten include Australia, Italy, Brazil, South Korea, Spain, the Netherlands, China, Mexico, and Russia.
IFPI annual data
[edit]2020–2024
[edit]| Country | 2020[1] | 2021[2] | 2022[3] | 2023[4] | 2024[5] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) | |
| United States | 1 |
n/a | 1 |
n/a | 1 |
n/a | 1 |
n/a | 1 |
n/a |
| Japan | 2 |
n/a | 2 |
n/a | 2 |
n/a | 2 |
n/a | 2 |
n/a |
| United Kingdom | 3 |
n/a | 3 |
n/a | 3 |
n/a | 3 |
n/a | 3 |
n/a |
| Germany | 4 |
n/a | 4 |
n/a | 4 |
n/a | 4 |
n/a | 4 |
n/a |
| France | 5 |
n/a | 5 |
n/a | 6 |
n/a | 6 |
n/a | 6 |
n/a |
| South Korea | 6 |
n/a | 7 |
n/a | 7 |
n/a | 7 |
n/a | 7 |
n/a |
| China | 7 |
n/a | 6 |
n/a | 5 |
n/a | 5 |
n/a | 5 |
n/a |
| Canada | 8 |
n/a | 8 |
n/a | 8 |
n/a | 8 |
n/a | 8 |
n/a |
| Australia | 9 |
n/a | 9 |
n/a | 10 |
n/a | 10 |
n/a | Out | |
| Netherlands | 10 |
n/a | Out | Out | Out | Out | ||||
| Italy | Out | 10 |
n/a | Out | Out | Out | ||||
| Brazil | Out | Out | 9 |
n/a | 9 |
n/a | 9 |
n/a | ||
| Mexico | Out | Out | Out | Out | 10 |
n/a | ||||
2015–2019
[edit]| Country | 2015[6] | 2016[7] | 2017[8] | 2018[9] | 2019[10][11] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) | |
| United States | 1 |
4,997.3 | 1 |
5,318.2 | 1 |
5,916.1 | 1 |
n/a | 1 |
n/a |
| Japan | 2 |
2,446.7 | 2 |
2,745.9 | 2 |
2,727.5 | 2 |
n/a | 2 |
n/a |
| United Kingdom | 3 |
1,354.0 | 3 |
1,251.1 | 4 |
1,310.7 | 3 |
n/a | 3 |
n/a |
| Germany | 4 |
1,309.9 | 4 |
1,212.0 | 3 |
1,323.1 | 4 |
n/a | 4 |
n/a |
| France | 5 |
809.1 | 5 |
849.5 | 5 |
925.1 | 5 |
n/a | 5 |
n/a |
| Australia | 6 |
342.8 | 7 |
357.2 | 8 |
412.9 | 8 |
n/a | 9 |
n/a |
| Canada | 7 |
335.8 | 6 |
367.9 | 7 |
437.2 | 9 |
n/a | 8 |
n/a |
| South Korea | 8 |
281.3 | 8 |
330.1 | 6 |
494.4 | 6 |
n/a | 6 |
n/a |
| Italy | 9 |
265.5 | 9 |
263.7 | Out | Out | Out | |||
| Brazil | 10 |
247.0 | Out | 9 |
295.8 | 10 |
n/a | 10 |
n/a | |
| Netherlands | Out | 10 |
243.3 | Out | Out | Out | ||||
| China | Out | Out | 10 |
292.3 | 7 |
n/a | 7 |
n/a | ||
2010–2014
[edit]| Country | 2010[12] | 2011[13] | 2012[13] | 2013[14] | 2014[15] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) | |
| Japan | 1 |
4,096.9 | 2 |
4,087.7 | 2 |
4,422.0 | 2 |
3,012.0 | 2 |
2,627.9 |
| United States | 2 |
3,635.2 | 1 |
4,372.9 | 1 |
4,481.8 | 1 |
4,473.5 | 1 |
4,898.3 |
| Germany | 3 |
1,713.6 | 3 |
1,473.7 | 4 |
1,297.9 | 3 |
1,365.1 | 3 |
1,404.8 |
| United Kingdom | 4 |
1,388.1 | 4 |
1,433.7 | 3 |
1,325.8 | 4 |
1,303.5 | 4 |
1,334.6 |
| France | 5 |
999.6 | 5 |
1,002.2 | 5 |
907.6 | 5 |
956.2 | 5 |
842.8 |
| Australia | 6 |
408 | 6 |
475.2 | 6 |
507.4 | 6 |
430.8 | 6 |
376.1 |
| Canada | 7 |
343.2 | 7 |
434.0 | 7 |
453.5 | 7 |
424.1 | 7 |
342.5 |
| Italy | 8 |
275.4 | 9 |
239.9 | 9 |
217.5 | 8 |
238.8 | 10 |
235.2 |
| Netherlands | 9 |
270.2 | 8 |
240.2 | 10 |
216.3 | Out | Out | ||
| Brazil | 10 |
258.7 | 10 |
262.6 | 8 |
257.2 | 9 |
227.9 | 9 |
246.5 |
| South Korea | Out | Out | Out | 10 |
211.3 | 8 |
265.8 | |||
2005–2009
[edit]In 2006, Russia entered the top ten for the first time, staying for three years, with the highest rank at number 9 in both 2007 and 2008.
| Country | 2005[16] | 2006[17] | 2007[18] | 2008[19] | 2009[20] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) | |
| United States | 1 |
11,195 | 1 |
9,651.4 | 1 |
7,985.6 | 1 |
5,977.4 | 1 |
4,562 |
| Japan | 2 |
4,883.5 | 2 |
4,495.2 | 2 |
4,174.5 | 2 |
5,171.1 | 2 |
4,244.5 |
| United Kingdom | 3 |
3,330.4 | 3 |
3,051.1 | 3 |
2,696.4 | 4 |
2,274.9 | 4 |
1,730.5 |
| Germany | 4 |
2,146.4 | 4 |
2,029.1 | 4 |
2,142.2 | 3 |
2,370 | 3 |
1,945.8 |
| France | 5 |
1,940.3 | 5 |
1,661.7 | 5 |
1,471 | 5 |
1,342.5 | 5 |
1,157.5 |
| Canada | 6 |
708.3 | 6 |
667.8 | 7 |
561.8 | 7 |
530 | 7 |
401.6 |
| Italy | 7 |
639.8 | 8 |
556.9 | 8 |
493.3 | 8 |
427 | 9 |
293.8 |
| Australia | 8 |
637.7 | 7 |
583.6 | 6 |
564.8 | 6 |
555.3 | 6 |
456.2 |
| Spain | 9 |
547.1 | 9 |
464.8 | Out | 10 |
374.3 | 10 |
266.8 | |
| Netherlands | 10 |
423.1 | Out | 10 |
385 | Out | 8 |
340.6 | ||
| Russia | Out | 10 |
405 | 9 |
418.8 | 9 |
395.2 | Out | ||
2000–2004
[edit]| Country | 2000[21] | 2001[22] | 2002[23] | 2003[24] | 2004[25] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) | |
| United States | 1 |
14,042.0 | 1 |
13,411 | 1 |
12,325.7 | 1 |
11,847.9 | 1 |
12,153.4 |
| Japan | 2 |
6,496.9 | 2 |
5,253 | 2 |
4,593.3 | 2 |
4,909.7 | 2 |
5,167.8 |
| United Kingdom | 3 |
2,828.7 | 3 |
2,808 | 3 |
2,859.4 | 3 |
3,215.7 | 3 |
3,508.7 |
| Germany | 4 |
2,420.6 | 4 |
2,128 | 5 |
1,988.0 | 5 |
2,022.1 | 4 |
2,149 |
| France | 5 |
1,694.7 | 5 |
1,828 | 4 |
1,989.7 | 4 |
2,114.7 | 5 |
1,979.3 |
| Canada | 6 |
819.3 | 6 |
659 | 6 |
587.9 | 6 |
676 | 7 |
693.8 |
| Brazil | 7 |
724.7 | Out | Out | Out | Out | ||||
| Mexico | 8 |
665.9 | 8 |
565 | 10 |
445.5 | Out | Out | ||
| Spain | 9 |
562.9 | 7 |
613 | 8 |
542.3 | 9 |
595.9 | 9 |
572.8 |
| Australia | 10 |
561.3 | 10 |
522 | 9 |
499.9 | 7 |
673.8 | 6 |
716.7 |
| Italy | Out | 9 |
524 | 7 |
554.7 | 8 |
644.6 | 8 |
652.5 | |
| Netherlands | Out | Out | Out | 10 |
498.8 | 10 |
507.7 | |||
1995–1999
[edit]This period saw an all-time peak of Brazil's music industry, reaching retail sales of $1.4 billion in 1996 (equivalent to $2.81 billion in 2024). In 1998, the UK surpassed Germany for the first time as the world's third largest music market.
| Country | 1995[26] | 1996[27] | 1997[28] | 1998[29] | 1999[30][31] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) | |
| United States | 1 |
12,100 | 1 |
12,300 | 1 |
11,906.0 | 1 |
13,193.4 | 1 |
n/a |
| Japan | 2 |
7,500 | 2 |
6,800 | 2 |
6,261.7 | 2 |
6,521.0 | 2 |
n/a |
| Germany | 3 |
3,200 | 3 |
3,200 | 3 |
2,836.8 | 4 |
2,832.5 | 4 |
n/a |
| United Kingdom | 4 |
2,500 | 4 |
2,700 | 4 |
2,729.7 | 3 |
2,855.6 | 3 |
n/a |
| France | 5 |
2,300 | 5 |
2,300 | 5 |
2,199.5 | 5 |
2,134.8 | 5 |
n/a |
| Brazil | Unavailable | 6 | 1,400 | 6 |
1,199.1 | 6 |
1,055.7 | 7 |
n/a | |
| Canada | 7 | 912 | 7 |
977.5 | 7 |
969.3 | 6 |
n/a | ||
| Australia | 8 | 815 | 8 |
739.1 | 9 |
606.7 | 8 |
n/a | ||
| Netherlands | n/a | 716.5 | 9 | 660 | 9 |
600.1 | Out | Out | ||
| Italy | n/a | 582.7 | 10 | 637 | Out | 10 |
597.7 | Out | ||
| Spain | n/a | 557.3 | Out | 10 |
599.9 | 8 |
680.8 | 9 |
n/a | |
| Mexico | Unavailable | Out | Out | Out | 10 |
n/a | ||||
1990–1994
[edit]| Country | 1990[32] | 1991 | 1992[33] | 1993[34] | 1994[35] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) |
Rank | Value ($ million) | |
| United States | 1 | 7,541.1 | Unavailable | 1 | 8,866.6 | 1 |
9,833.1 | 1 |
11,836.9 | |
| Japan | 2 | 2,981.8 | 2 | 4,328.5 | 2 |
5,082.4 | 2 |
5,933.4 | ||
| Germany | 3 | 2,273.9 | 3 | 2,636.9 | 3 |
2,690.7 | 3 |
2,876.5 | ||
| United Kingdom | 4 | 2,117.5 | 4 | 1,998.2 | 4 |
1,976.0 | 4 |
2,366.4 | ||
| France | 5 | 1,665.8 | 5 | 1,935.4 | 5 |
1,848.6 | 5 |
1,923.4 | ||
| Canada | Unavailable | 6 | 861.7 | 6 |
896.8 | 6 |
975.0 | |||
| Italy | 7 | 653.8 | Out | Out | ||||||
| Netherlands | 8 | 647.4 | 7 |
618.8 | 9 |
629.4 | ||||
| Spain | 9 | 586.7 | 10 |
493.7 | Out | |||||
| Australia | 10 | 492.4 | 9 |
545.6 | 10 |
598.4 | ||||
| Mexico | Out | 8 |
572.8 | 8 |
673.1 | |||||
| Brazil | Out | Out | 7 |
782.5 | ||||||
Statistics
[edit]| Country | Geographical region |
Top 10 appearances (number of years) |
Latest year in the top 10 |
Highest rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | North America | 34 | 2024 | 1 |
| Japan | Asia | 34 | 2024 | 1 |
| United Kingdom | Europe | 34 | 2024 | 3 |
| Germany | Europe | 34 | 2024 | 3 |
| France | Europe | 34 | 2024 | 4 |
| Canada | North America | 32 | 2024 | 6 |
| Australia | Oceania | 31 | 2023 | 6 |
| Italy | Europe | 20 | 2021 | 7 |
| Brazil | South America | 18 | 2024 | 6 |
| Netherlands | Europe | 15 | 2020 | 7 |
| Spain | Europe | 14 | 2009 | 7 |
| South Korea | Asia | 12 | 2024 | 6 |
| China | Asia | 8 | 2024 | 5 |
| Mexico | North America | 7 | 2024 | 8 |
| Russia | Europe / Asia | 3 | 2008 | 9 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2021" (PDF). www.ifpi.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2022" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2022.
- ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2023" (PDF). p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
- ^ IFPI Global Music Report 2024 (PDF) (Report). London: International Federation of Phonographic Industry.
- ^ IFPI Global Music Report 2025 (PDF) (Report). London: International Federation of Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "RIAJ Yearbook 2016: IFPI Global Music Report 2016 (Page 5)". Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ "RIAJ Yearbook 2017: IFPI Global Music Report 2017 (Page 5)". Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ "RIAJ Yearbook 2018: IFPI Global Music Report 2018 (Page 4)". Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2019 - State Of The Industry" (PDF). Retrieved 29 August 2025.
- ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2020 - The Industry In 2019" (PDF). Retrieved 29 August 2025.
- ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2020: Music Revenues Rise for Fifth Straight Year to $20 Billion". Billboard.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2012, IFPI 2010 Report: 31. Global Sales of Recorded Music by Country in 2010 (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ a b "RIAJ Yearbook 2013: IFPI 2011, 2012 Report: 29. Global Sales of Recorded Music (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "RIAJ Yearbook 2014: IFPI 2012, 2013 Report: 28. Global Sales of Recorded Music (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "RIAJ Yearbook 2015: IFPI 2013, 2014. Global Sales of Recorded Music (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2007, IFPI 2005 Report (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2008, IFPI 2006 Report (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2009, IFPI 2007 Report (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2010, IFPI 2008 Report (Page 24)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2011, IFPI 2009 Report: 33. Global Sales of Recorded Music by Country in 2009 (Page 23)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "Billboard". 5 May 2001.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20250220174336/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2002/MM-2002-04-27.pdf#page=9
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2004, IFPI 2002 Report (Page 23)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2005, IFPI 2003 Report (Page 22)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "RIAJ: Yearbook 2006, IFPI 2004 Report (Page 23)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20250226191300/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-05-11.pdf#page=4
- ^ White, Adam (10 May 1997). "IFPI Stats Show Top 10 Markets Were Flat in '96". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 19. pp. 1, 74 – via Google Books.
- ^ Clark-Meads, Jeff (9 May 1998). "Domestic Push Seen as a Cure for '97's Flat Global Sales". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 19. pp. 1, 87 – via Google Books.
- ^ Legrand, Emmanuel; White, Adam; LeBlanc, Larry; Lannert, John (8 May 1999). "U.S., U.K. shine in '98 IFPI stats". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 19. pp. 1, 72 – via Google Books.
- ^ "U.S. Still Buys the Most Music".
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20250708043939/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2000/BB-2000-04-29.pdf#page=10
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20250706083353/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-10-12.pdf#page=4
- ^ The Global Jukebox: The International Music Industry. Routledge. 4 January 2002. ISBN 978-1-134-87209-1.
- ^ "Billboard". 14 May 1994.
- ^ "Report: Global music sales soaring - UPI Archives".