Image credit: Austin Neill

While the explosive growth of streaming is beginning to cool down, a closer look at the data reveals powerful new opportunities for artists.

Luminate’s 2025 Midyear Music Report is here, and it paints a fascinating picture of a music industry at a crossroads. From global genre shifts to the undeniable impact of AI, here are the key takeaways you need to know.

Streaming growth cools, but genre trends heat up

The headline news is that streaming growth is decelerating. Global on-demand audio streaming grew by 10% in the first half of 2025, down from 15% in the same period last year. In the U.S., growth slowed from 8% to 5%.

However, digging into genre trends reveals a more dynamic story. Christian/Gospel has surged into the top 7 genres in the U.S., driven by artistic evolution and a younger, streaming-savvy audience. Other high-growth areas include:

  • Rock: Leading in overall growth, with 69% of its streams coming from catalogue music older than five years.
  • Top Growing Subgenres: Alt Rock saw the biggest volume change, followed by Regional Mexican, R&B, and Hard Rock.
  • Recession Pop: Tracks from the 2007-2012 era are seeing a major resurgence, with Pop songs from that period growing 6.4% in streaming volume, outpacing the industry average.

For independent artists, this signals that there’s a strong audience for diverse genres and catalogue music, not just the latest chart-toppers.

The World is Your Stage: Global and transmedia opportunities

Your next big break could come from anywhere in the world—or from a completely different medium. Luminate’s data highlights huge opportunities beyond traditional music promotion.

Global Reach: Music is more global than ever. While some markets like Nigeria (61%) and Brazil (75%) heavily favor local artists, others are huge importers of music. In the UAE, 92% of streams are from artists outside the region, and in Peru, it’s 36%. This data is crucial for artists looking to market their music internationally.

Transmedia Impact: The synergy between music, film, and TV is a powerful stream-driver.

  • The Netflix documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin pushed the band’s weekly streams up by a sustained 23%.
  • BLACKPINK’s LISA starring in HBO’s The White Lotus coincided with her album launch, creating a massive cross-platform event that introduced her music to new audiences.
  • Gaming is another huge frontier, with Luminate now tracking in-game music consumption from platforms like Epic Games, unlocking a key discovery channel for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

The takeaway for artists is clear: look for sync opportunities in film, TV, and gaming. They can be more effective than a traditional marketing campaign.

The AI Elephant in the Room: Threat or tool?

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s here, and it’s generating streams. The report shows a divided listener base:

  • 1 in 3 U.S. music listeners are comfortable with AI creating song instrumentals.
  • However, 44% are uncomfortable with AI creating entirely new songs with an AI voice.
  • Fans of EDM and K-Pop are notably more open to AI-generated music.
The Velvet Sundown, an AI-generated band or clever streaming experiment?

The debate is heating up with the emergence of artists like The Velvet Sundown and Aventhis, who appear to be fundamentally AI-generated and are already earning millions of streams. This challenges the very definition of artistry and raises critical questions about ownership, compensation, and the future of human creativity.

While previous technology amplified human artists, AI is emerging as a direct competitor, forcing the industry to confront profound economic and legal questions. Whilst it presents an unprecedented threat, AI also presents opportunities to liberate artists from certain limitations in the same way that home production tools and music distribution has.

Could AI actually be good for musicians?

Key takeaways for artists

The music landscape of 2025 is complex but full of potential. While overall streaming growth may be slowing, targeted strategies can lead to major success. Focus on:

  • Niche Genres: Don’t be afraid to create in genres like Rock, R&B, or Christian/Gospel, which are showing strong growth.
  • Global Audiences: Research which territories are most receptive to international music and target your marketing efforts there.
  • Transmedia Syncs: Pursue placements in documentaries, TV shows, and video games to reach new fans organically.
  • AI Awareness: Understand the ongoing debate around AI. While it presents challenges, it also offers new tools for creation that are gaining acceptance, particularly for instrumentals.

Find Luminate’s full mid-year music industry report for 2025 here.