Ask Onix
Taylor Swift's album tops 2025 UK music sales
Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl emerged as the UK's best-selling album of 2025, with 642,000 chart sales since its October release, according to figures from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The record marked another milestone for the global superstar, whose influence extended across streaming, vinyl, and physical sales.
Women lead record-breaking year for UK music
Female artists drove a 5% increase in overall music consumption, pushing total album sales and streams to 201 million in 2025. Breakout stars Olivia Dean and Lola Young were among the standout performers, with Dean making history as the first woman to simultaneously top the UK singles and albums charts in the same week. Her debut album, The Art of Loving, and single Man I Need both reached number one.
"I wanted it to feel just like a hug-comforting. I just said everything needs to feel warm and intimate."
Olivia Dean, speaking to the BBC's Sidetracked podcast
Dean's success was part of a broader trend, with women accounting for two-thirds of the year's number-one singles. Other rising talents included Skye Newman, Sienna Spiro, Raye, PinkPantheress, and Wet Leg, all of whom solidified their positions in the industry.
Oasis reunion and nostalgia fuel chart resurgence
Oasis experienced a major comeback in 2025, with their reunion tour propelling album sales past one million. Their greatest hits compilation, Time Flies, ranked fourth for the year, while (What's the Story) Morning Glory? secured seventh place. The trend of older hits dominating the charts continued, with six of the top 10 best-selling tracks originally released in 2024. Chappell Roan's 2020 single Pink Pony Club also re-entered the top 10.
Streaming dominates, but vinyl sales surge
Streaming now represents 89% of the UK music market, with 210.3 billion songs streamed in 2025. The Official Charts Company equates 1,000 streams to one album sale. Despite the dominance of digital consumption, vinyl sales rose for the 18th consecutive year, increasing 13% to 7.6 million units. Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl led vinyl sales, while her limited-edition Lover (Live From Paris) became the first album in eight years to top the charts based solely on physical sales, with 47,000 copies sold in 72 hours.
Vinyl is now on track to surpass CD sales for the first time since the 1990s, with just 2 million fewer units sold in 2025. CDs accounted for 9.7 million sales, down from 47.3 million a decade ago. Cassette sales also grew, rising 53.8% to 164,491 units, with Robbie Williams' Better Man soundtrack topping the format's chart.
UK artists achieve global success
The BPI highlighted the international breakthroughs of British acts in 2025, with Olivia Dean and Lola Young earning Grammy nominations for best new artist. Rock bands like Yungblud, Sleep Token, and Florence + The Machine gained traction abroad, while Ed Sheeran became the first non-Indian artist since 2021 to top India's Spotify charts with his single Sapphire.
"The UK is still the second largest exporter of music globally, which is amazing, but we can't be complacent because streaming has opened the floodgates to every bit of recorded music that's ever been made."
Dr. Jo Twist, BPI CEO
Twist emphasized the need for continued government support to maintain the UK's competitive edge in the global music industry.
What's next for UK music?
Olivia Dean will close out her landmark year with an appearance on Jools Holland's Hootenanny, while new talent continues to emerge. With vinyl sales accelerating and streaming showing no signs of slowing, 2026 could see further shifts in how fans consume music.
