France’s Recorded Music Revenues Hit $1.21B in 2025, up 3.9% YoY; Subscription Streaming Revenues Grew 5.9% YoY

Why It Matters

The modest slowdown underscores France’s dependence on streaming and the challenge of engaging younger listeners, while growth in vinyl and online sales offers diversification paths for labels and rights owners.

Key Takeaways

• Recorded music revenues reached $1.21B, 3.9% growth.
• Paid‑subscription streaming up 5.9% to $625M.
• Vinyl revenues surpassed €100M, 14.8% increase.
• Streaming penetration 27.1%, still below UK/US levels.
• TikTok impact noted, but omitted from latest SNEP report.

Pulse Analysis

France’s recorded‑music sector continues to outpace many global markets, delivering €1.071 billion (about $1.21 billion) in 2025. The ten‑year growth streak reflects a resilient ecosystem, yet the 3.9% rise signals a deceleration after a 7% surge in 2024, a year buoyed by the Paris Olympics. This slowdown forces industry stakeholders to reassess revenue drivers beyond the traditional streaming boom and to explore ancillary streams such as sync, neighboring rights, and export markets, which together still contribute a sizable share of total earnings.

Streaming remains the engine of the French market, with combined paid and ad‑supported revenues topping €702 million ($794 million). Paid‑subscription services grew 5.9% to €553 million ($625 million), while ad‑supported audio jumped 12% to €84 million ($95 million). Despite a 27.1% penetration rate, France lags behind the UK and US, partly due to competition from short‑form platforms like TikTok that divert younger audiences. Although SNEP’s latest report downplays TikTok, the shift toward AI‑focused licensing indicates a strategic pivot to protect and monetize music in an increasingly algorithm‑driven environment.

Physical formats show a nuanced picture: vinyl broke the €100 million barrier with a 14.8% increase, driven largely by under‑35 consumers, whereas CD sales slipped 2.4% but still dominate unit volumes. E‑commerce now represents 32% of physical‑format revenue, with artist‑run online stores contributing €13.5 million—a 29% jump year‑over‑year. Neighboring‑rights and sync revenues contracted modestly, reflecting a normalization after an Olympic‑inflated 2024. Export earnings fell 8.6% yet remain 11% higher than two years prior, underscoring the growing international appeal of French creators. Together, these trends suggest that while streaming is paramount, diversification across formats, digital sales channels, and global licensing will be critical for sustained growth.