Streaming drives Australia’s H1 music growth

ARIA, a music industry body for labels in Australia, reported that total music sales in the country rose 6% to A$195.6 million ($140 million) in the first half of 2018. Digital platforms contributed positive growth, with a 14.2% spike to A$162.5 million ($116 million) during the period. Subscription streaming revenue grew 35.1%, reaching A$105 million ($75 million), while ad-free streaming revenue increased 31.9% to A$12.7 million ($9.1 million).

“If we compare our penetration with markets around the world where streaming is more mature, for example Sweden, there is still considerable room for growth in the Australian market,” ARIA CEO Dan Rosen said of the results. “It is also expected that new devices such as smart home speakers will drive the next phase of growth.”

Physical formats mostly reported declines in revenue. Dollar value for CD albums dropped 30.1%, while singles plummeted 72.9%. Vinyl albums did see growth, rising 22.9% to contribute A$9.08 million.