More British artists achieved streaming success in 2022 than ever before

A new report has revealed that in 2022, more British artists achieved streaming success than ever before.

In 2022, 200 UK artists achieved over 200 million global streams according to the report from the BPI. The report drew on data from Luminate and the Official Charts Company.

The list featured artists including Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, Sam Fender and Dua Lipa.

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Sophie Jones, BPI Chief Strategy Officer and Interim Chief Executive said of the data: “Streaming has changed the face of music – enabling artists to connect with fans at home and around the world in ways never possible before, and with consumers also able to enjoy unprecedented choice and affordability.

“It is heartening to see this new research showing so many artists achieving such huge success in streaming, encompassing many less well-known names as well as global superstars.

“With record labels delivering improvements in areas such as transparency and deal terms, as the market continues to adapt and evolve, their biggest contribution remains essential investment to develop and support artists.”

You can see the top 20 artists below:

1. Ed Sheeran
2. Harry Styles
3. D-Block Europe
4. Arctic Monkeys
5. Dave
6. Adele
7. Coldplay
8. Elton John 
9. Dua Lipa
10. Queen 
11. The Beatles
12. George Ezra
13. Oasis 
14. Sam Fender 
15. Fleetwood Mac
16. Little Mix
17. Central Cee
18. Calvin Harris 
19. Sam Smith 
20. Becky Hill 

Last year, the UK government’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) formally launched a new study to examine the music streaming market.

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The announcement followed on from the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s ‘Economics Of Music Streaming’ report, which was published in 2021 and led to the government calling on the CMA to start an investigation into the matter.

They announced that the CMA “will examine the music streaming market, from creator to consumer, paying particular attention to the roles played by record labels and music streaming services”.

The CMA’s assessment will consider “whether innovation is being stifled and if any firms hold excessive power”, and aims to “build a deeper understanding of how firms in the market influence listeners’ choices and experiences”.

“While focussing on potential harm to consumers, the CMA will also assess whether any lack of competition between music companies could affect the musicians, singers and songwriters whose interests are intertwined with those of music lovers,” a statement said at the time.

In 2021, Kevin Brennan MP’s bill on reforming musicians’ remuneration – dubbed the ‘Brennan Bill’ – failed to make it through the House of Commons.