According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide, has just reported that the total revenue for 2021 was $25.9 billion.
“Today’s music market is the most competitive in memory,” IFPI CEO Frances Moore said during a press conference held to announce the report. “Fans are enjoying more music than ever and in so many different and new ways. This creates enormous opportunities for artists. Those who choose to partner with a record company, do so to benefit from the support of agile, highly responsive global teams of experts dedicated to helping them achieve creative and commercial success and build their long-term careers.”
Based on “consumption across all formats and all countries, weighted based on the value of each method of consumption,” the top names, singles, and albums of 2021 are as follows:
Top 10 Global Artists
- BTS
- Taylor Swift
- Adele
- Drake
- Ed Sheeran
- The Weeknd
- Billie Eilish
- Justin Bieber
- Seventeen
- Olivia Rodrigo
Top 10 Global Digital Singles
- The Weeknd “Save Your Tears” (2.15 billion streams)
- The Kid Lario, Justin Bieber “Stay” (2.07 bn)
- Dua Lipa “Levitating (1.88 bn)
- BTS “Butter” (1.76 bn)
- Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” (1.73 bn)
- Justin Bieber (ft. Daniel Caesar and Giveon) “Peaches” (1.72 bn)
- The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (1.61 bn)
- Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U” (1.61. bn)
- Lil Nas X “Montero” (1.6 bn)
- Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” (1.57 bn)
Top 10 All-Format Albums
- Adele “30”
- Olivia Rodrigo “Sour”
- Justin Bieber “Justice”
- Ed Sheeran “=”
- The Weeknd “After Hours”
- Dua Lipa “Future Nostalgia”
- The Kid Laroi “F— Love” (mixtape)
- ABBA “Voyage”
- Morgan Wallen “Dangerous: The Double Album”
- Doja Cat “Planet Her”
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