Streaming music users now top 100m
January 10, 2017
A report from Midia Research founder and music industry expert Mark Mulligan states in his blog that music streaming subscriptions have reached the 100 million mark in December 2016. This compares to 66 million at the end of 2015 and 41 million at the end of 2014.
Equity analysts at investment bank Exane/BNP-Paribas say their forecast has 91 million in our current Global Music industry model.
The bank’s view is that, if confirmed, the uplifted number is “good news” for the music industry generally as it means that the about 50 per cent will likely drive a roughly similar growth in subscription streaming revenues for the following 12 months ie for 2017 – and with a commensurate +41 pe rcent benefit for Vivendi’s UMG in 2017.
Exane’s Global Music streaming model says that North American subscribers have grown from 8 million in 2014, to an estimated 20 million in 2016, and likely to grow to 24 million this year. Western European demand was stronger, at 12 million subs in 2014, and an estimated 25 million for 2016. This year the number could rise to 31 million.
Exane’s overall global total streaming subs for 2016 are some 91 million. If Midia Research is right, and growth is stronger, then the 2017 end result could be extremely beneficial for the music industry.