Washington, DC (March 17, 2026)—Record industry revenue hit a new high of $11.5 billion last year, with vinyl sales topping $1 billion, according to a new RIAA report.
In the newly released 2025 Year-End Recorded Music Revenue Report, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) also reveals that streaming revenues grew to $9.5 billion. The U.S. remains the world’s largest paid subscription market with 106.5 million accounts generating $6.4 billion in revenue, according to the report
U.S. vinyl sales grew for a 19th consecutive year, up 9.3% in 2025, and represents nearly half of the format’s global value. It has been more than four decades since vinyl revenue last topped $1 billion. Vinyl remains the top-selling physical format, accounting for three times the sales of CDs (46.8M units versus 29.5M).
Streaming represented 82% of total U.S. revenue for the fifth straight year. The U.S. remains the world’s largest paid subscription market with 106.5 million accounts generating $6.4 billion in revenue, or one-third of the global value. Premium paid subscription revenues grew by 6.8% to $5.88 billion, the report states.
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“Fans are consuming music from the artists they love in more ways than ever,” said Matt Bass, RIAA VP research and Gold and Platinum operations, “and that passion is reflected in today’s report. 2025 reveals a strong and stable music economy resulting from committed label investment and identification of new spaces to expand artists’ creativity.”
The report also points to a recent poll that shows that voters oppose allowing AI companies to replace human creativity by using copyrighted works without permission or compensation by 67% to 23%. The findings also reveal two-thirds believe AI companies should enter licensing agreements, just as streaming platforms do.
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According to RIAA chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier, “The last 20 years have been marked by unprecedented transformation for recorded music—from the steady rise to dominance of anytime, anywhere streaming options as listeners enjoy tunes from their favorite artists to a resurgence of vinyl as both a listening experience and collectable art. And now, our industry is advancing free-market licensing, building responsible AI partnerships that enhance discovery, deepen fan engagement and unlock new creative possibilities for how music is made and experienced. Through it all, music remains a cornerstone of culture and a growing economic powerhouse for the U.S., contributing $212 billion to our GDP and supporting more than 2.5 million American jobs.”