Music streaming is booming:

Spotify, Amazon Music & Co. are pushing CD to the sidelines

US pop star Taylor Swift managed to place five albums in the top 10 at the same time in 2024.

(Bild: AP)

The music industry in Austria is celebrating a mega comeback! While CDs are slowly but surely disappearing into oblivion, streaming is rocking the market like never before. With a total turnover of 254 million euros (+7%), the domestic music market shows that it cannot be beaten despite the economic crisis and inflation.

The real highlight of the 2024 music market balance sheet: streaming providers shot through the roof with a 10.9% increase in sales to 185.8 million euros - and make it clear: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music & Co. are the future of the music industry.

Streaming hype: 20 billion songs in our ears
The figures speak for themselves: Austrians listened to over 20 billion songs via streaming platforms last year - a new record. In comparison: in 2023, the figure was 18.2 billion. Franz Pleterski, President of the Association of the Austrian Music Industry (ifpi), puts it in a nutshell: "Streaming remains the growth engine of the music market and now also plays a decisive role in the international success of Austrian artists."

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

35% of all Austrian households now have a music streaming subscription. However, compared to the USA or Scandinavia, where the rate is 80 percent, there is still room for improvement in this country. Franz Medwenitsch, Managing Director of the association, is optimistic: "The streaming market in Austria still has plenty of growth potential."

The end of the CD? Vinyl strikes back!
While streaming is booming, the CD is struggling to survive. With sales of just 14.5 million euros (-18.5 percent), it is just ahead of its retro competitor: the vinyl record. Vinyl is experiencing a real revival and grew by 6.5% to 13.1 million euros in 2024. Who would have thought it? The good old record is back - and with a vengeance!

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Downloads and music DVDs, on the other hand, hardly play a role anymore. With 3.4 million euros in downloads and 1.1 million euros in DVDs, they are only marginal notes in music history.

Austrian acts are rocking the world
Thanks to streaming, Austrian artists now have the chance to take off internationally. Singers and bands such as RAF Camora, Wanda and the Nockis show how it's done. Their hits dominate the Austria Top 40 charts and are also finding fans beyond the borders.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

And then there's US pop star Taylor Swift, who took the Austrian album charts by storm in 2024. With "The Tortured Poets Department", she had the most successful new release of the year - and even managed to place five albums in the top 10 at the same time.

The most successful singles
The most popular song in Austria in 2024 was "Beautiful Things" by Benson Boone, with Artemas' "I Like The Way You Kiss Me" and Cyril's "Stumblin' In" taking the other top spots. The most listened to single by local artists was "Liebe Grüße" by RAF Camora and Ski Aggu, followed by "Fix net normal" by the band "AUT of ORDA" and "Bei niemand anders" by Wanda.

In any case, the message is clear: streaming is the new king of the music industry. While CDs are slowly disappearing and vinyl is celebrating a niche comeback, playlists and algorithms are setting the pace. One thing is certain: the Austrian music market is far from finished streaming!