Luminate’s mid-year report reveals the top streaming genres thus far in 2023 and preferred consumption habits — with a few surprising reveals. Country music continues to increase in popularity among younger generations, becoming the fifth-most streamed music genre this year.
The top streaming genres thus far in 2023 have been announced per themid-year reportfrom Billboard’s data affiliate Luminate, with a few surprising reveals. Country music comes in at a solid fifth place, behind the industry chart-toppers R&B/Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop, and Latin.
Earlier this year, the company’s report revealed that the global music industry had surpassed one trillion streams at its fastest pace in only three months. In 2022, it took four months to reach the same levels — but country music is becoming an increasingly hotter commodity on digital service providers, primarily attributed to the younger generations’ love of the genre.
Top Streaming Genres of 2023 So Far
- R&B/Hip-Hop – 27.3%
- Rock – 16.5%
- Pop – 12.8%
- Latin – 8.1%
- Country – 7.9%
- Dance/Electronic – 3.7%
- World Music – 2.5%
- Christian/Gospel – 1.7%
- Classical – 0.8%
- Jazz – 0.7%
Notably, children’s music also falls within the top ten parameters, aligning neck-and-neck alongside Christian/Gospel — but the increased availability of children’s music on streaming platforms accounts for this rather than the overall popularity of the genre compared to other music genres.
The popularity of these genres in terms of streaming numbers correlates to the genres commanding the most physical sales, with Rock accounting for 44.6% of physical music sales as they continue to rise in 2023. Pop took 12.8% of that pie, followed by R&B/Hip-Hop with 10.9%.
More than 60% ofdirect-to-consumer product salesare current releases due to the prevalence of fans preferring older music on vinyl. Excluding vinyl, the combined CD and cassette sales increase that number to 75% being current releases rather than catalog sales. K-pop helps drive sales of physical media like CDs, cassettes, and vinyl—though other genres hold their own in that category.