The report found that live music revenues have risen to double their pre-COVID level, despite widespread venue closures
The global electronic music industry grew by 6% last year to $12.9 billion, according to the IMS Business Report 2025.
The annual report was published today, April 23, at the International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza and features findings on revenues, genre trends, audience habits and artists from across the electronic music industry.
The report found that the electronic music business had grown in worth from $12.5 billion in 2023 to $12.9 billion in 2024 — a 6% rise, with „festivals and clubs“ making up the lion’s share of revenues.
The live music industry rose to „more than double“ its pre-COVID revenues in 2024, with major players such as Live Nation, Eventim, HYBE and more reporting around $27 billion in income.
However, the IMS Business Report indicates this increase is not due to an increase in tickets sold, but rather a surge in ticket prices — with small-scale and grassroots music venues still facing closures and other financial pressures.
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Streaming, publishing and recorded music demonstrated slower growth overall in 2024 according to research from the IMS Business Report’s co-author MIDiA Research.
Recorded music had grown in revenue by 10% in 2023, but slowed down to 6% in 2024 – with the industry now worth around $36.2 billion; independent labels grew their market share to 30% though, according to the report, self-releasing artists lost part of their share due to the lowering of streaming royalty thresholds.
Publishing has also slowed slightly – from 10.2% in 2023 to 9% in 2024 – and is now estimated to be worth $11.1 billion. Streaming revenues increased 6% this year to $83.5 billion, following a 16% growth in 2023. However, streaming services gained around 818 million new customers last year – the same as 2023, with around 80% of new subscriptions coming from the Global South.
Germany, the US, the UK and Australia still listen to electronic music the most, though the number of Spotify listeners in Mexico grew significantly by 60% last year.
Tech-house and house continue to rule supreme as the most listened-to electronic sub-genres on Beatport, though drum ‚n‘ bass and Afro house showcased significant growth on the platform in 2024.
Drum ‚n‘ bass rose from sixth to the third most popular genre on Beatport in 2024, while Afro house saw the most dramatic increase – shooting up from 23rd to fourth in the Beatport Chart.
Read this next: Industry Insider: An interview with IMS co-founder Ben Turner
Electronic music gained 566 million fans last year across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Spotify and YouTube — with TikTok reporting a 45% increase in posts tagged with electronic music.
House music and trance were among the most popular on the platform, though speed garage is one of the fastest-growing genres on TikTok with a 183% increase in video views in 2024.
Electronic music is similarly seeing growth in the festival world, with DJs and other electronic acts making up 18% of line-ups on the world’s top 100 festivals — a 2% growth from 16% in 2023.
You can read the full IMS Business Report 2025 here.
Megan Townsend is Mixmag’s Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter
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