The base of music buyers continues to grow in the US, according to MusicWatch’s 2025 Annual Music Study, the most comprehensive survey of music activities in the United States. A total of 148 million fans paid for recorded music in 2025, which MusicWatch counts as paid subscriptions and sales of CDs, Vinyl, and Downloads.This represents the fourth consecutive year of buyer growth, and a 61% increase in the recorded music buyer base compared with 10 years ago. Paid on-demand subscriptions have been the primary driver behind the growth, with an estimated 130 million paying for on-demand and non-interactive subscriptions in 2025, up 10% from 2024. More than half, 55%, of the population 13-70 paid for recorded music in 2025.
Per capita spend on music increased by 8% in 2025, to $421. This includes recorded music, and expenditures on live, satellite radio subscriptions, and music related merchandise. Year over year growth in spend was fueled by streaming subscriptions, merch, and live. Despite the so-called backlash against digital overload, per capita spend on both CDs and downloads fell by double digits.