Streaming Is Booming, but Local Music Scenes Pay the Price | Opinion
Summary
The global music industry is growing quickly because of streaming services, which allow songs to reach people worldwide in seconds. However, this growth focuses more on numbers like streams and clicks than supporting local music cultures, which historically helped unique music styles develop in communities.Key Facts
- In 2025, the recorded music industry earned $31.7 billion globally, with streaming making up over 69% of that revenue.
- Music styles like jazz, Motown, hip-hop, grunge, and house music all began in specific local communities before becoming popular worldwide.
- Streaming services had 837 million paid subscribers globally in 2025, with strong growth in Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Algorithms on streaming platforms favor music similar to what listeners already like, which can limit discovery of new local sounds.
- This focus on scale may harm local venues and emerging musicians who need spaces to try new things and build community support.
- Artificial intelligence can help musicians create music, but it is not the main cause of shrinking local music culture.
- The music industry needs to use technology in ways that support and spread local music cultures, not just chase the biggest numbers.
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