Music streaming market to top $77B by 2030

The Business Research Company says the global music streaming market is on track to surpass $77 billion by 2030, with North America and the United States expected to remain the biggest demand centers. The forecast points to continued growth from smartphone adoption, faster internet, AI-driven personalization and subscription models.

Why it matters: - The music streaming market is moving deeper into the broader digital economy, with estimated revenue set to top $77 billion by 2030. - The forecast signals continued room for platforms that can win subscribers, improve recommendations and expand into podcasts, video and other digital audio products. - North America and the United States are expected to remain the biggest regional and national markets, making them critical battlegrounds for platform growth.

What happened: - The Business Research Company released a 2030 forecast for the global music streaming market on Oct. 14, 2026. - The report projects the market will grow at a 16% compound annual growth rate through 2030. - Spotify AB led global sales in 2025 with a 13% market share. - Tencent Music Entertainment Group, Apple Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. followed among the leading players.

The details: - Music streaming is expected to account for about 2% of the forecast $4,811 billion Digital Technology market in 2030. - Within the broader Information Technology industry, music streaming is projected to represent nearly 1% of the $13,788 billion market. - North America is projected to reach $27 billion in music streaming revenue by 2030, up from $14 billion in 2025. - The North America market is forecast to grow at a 15% CAGR. - The United States is expected to be the largest country market by 2030 at $25 billion, up from $12 billion in 2025. - On-demand streaming is set to dominate the market, representing 86% of revenue, or $66 billion, by 2030. - Live streaming is also expected to add $5 billion in market value from 2025 to 2030. - The market is split across audio and video content, application-based and web-based platforms, subscription and non-subscription revenue models, and individual and commercial end users. - The top 10 companies accounted for 38% of total revenue in 2025, showing a moderately concentrated market. - Key barriers to entry include licensing agreements, large subscription bases, exclusive content rights and ongoing product innovation. - The report lists Spotify AB at 13%, Tencent Music Entertainment Group at 8%, Apple Inc. at 6%, Amazon.com Inc. at 5%, NetEase Cloud Music at 2%, Google LLC at 2%, iHeartMedia Inc. at 2%, SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG at 0.3%, Jio Saavn Media Pvt Ltd. at 0.2% and Gaana.com at 0.2%. - Growth drivers include smartphone adoption, faster 4G, 5G and fiber connectivity, demand for personalized listening and the expansion of subscription and digital content ecosystems. - The report estimates smartphone and connectivity gains will contribute about 2.5% annual growth. - Personalized and on-demand listening trends are forecast to add about 2.3% to annual growth. - Subscription models and broader digital content are estimated to contribute about 2.0% annual growth. - In February 2026, SVCV Global said it planned to launch GOGOPAPA, a global music and video streaming platform slated for 2027. - The planned GOGOPAPA platform will support original and licensed content and is intended to work with production labels and rights holders. - The report says integrated digital platforms are reshaping music distribution and user engagement. - The report also highlights advanced streaming technology, flexible pricing, larger music libraries and AI tools as strategies gaining traction.

Between the lines: - The market’s growth story is less about basic access and more about personalization, exclusivity and device integration. - Platform leaders appear to be defending share with scale advantages in licensing, data, recommendation systems and content partnerships. - The move toward on-demand and premium services suggests consumers are paying for convenience, offline access and better audio quality, not just catalog size.

What's next: - Competition is likely to intensify around AI recommendations, localized content, bundled subscriptions and partnerships with telecom, automotive and smart-device companies. - North American growth will remain a key indicator for the health of the global market. - The report expects on-demand and live streaming to deliver more than $39 billion in additional market value by 2030. - The Business Research Company says its 2026 reports now include market attractiveness scoring, TAM analysis, company scoring matrix graphics, Excel dashboards and updated trend visuals.

The bottom line: - Music streaming is shifting from a fast-growing digital category into a large, competitive platform market where scale, personalization and ecosystem reach are becoming the main advantages.