Snep unveils its 2025 results: with 1.07 billion euros in turnover, the French recorded music market completes a decade of uninterrupted growth. Vinyl on fire, streaming king and ultra-dominant local artists: state of play of an industry in great shape.
It's been going on for ten years. Since 2015, the French recorded music market has not experienced a single year of decline. The 2025 report published by Snep (National Union of Phonographic Publishing) confirms this trajectory with a total turnover of 1,071 million euros, an increase of 3.9%. A pace certainly less sustained than the world average (+6.4%), but sufficient to keep France in sixth place in the world market and in second place in Europe, behind Germany.
Alexander Laschgeneral director of Snep, welcomed this decade of positive results by emphasizing the central role of labels and a favorable regulatory environment — tax credits, private copying, radio quotas, support from the CNM. But he also pointed out a major challenge for the future: “We now need public authorities to encourage the emergence of a voluntary licensing market with AI players”he declared, referring to Laure Darcos’ proposed law on intellectual property.
Vinyl crosses the 100 million euro mark
This is the figure that jumps out at you: the physical market is growing by 5% and once again crossing the 200 million euro mark (€205 million), its best performance in 25 years (excluding the post-Covid rebound). Vinyl is the undisputed driving force. With a surge of almost 15%, it reached 113 million euros in turnover and widened the gap with the CD by 23 million euros in value. However, the good old compact disc resists in volume with more than 8 million units sold compared to around 6 million for the 33 rpm record.
Notable fact: it is those under 35 who drive this physical consumption. 41% of vinyl buyers belong to the 15-34 age group, according to Kantar Media. The format is no longer about nostalgia: it is part of a relationship with the object and the collection which goes beyond simple listening.
Streaming exceeds 700 million euros
Digital, which represents 78% of revenues excluding neighboring rights and synchronization, increased by 5.4%. Streaming now represents 702 million euros (+5.7%), including 553 million for paid subscription alone (+5.9%). This segment alone generated 31 million euros of growth, or three quarters of the total increase in the market.
In 2025, France had 18.7 million users of music subscription offers, for a penetration rate of 27.1% – an increase of 1.2 points, but still lower than that of other major global markets. The challenge remains winning over the over 50s and less connected geographic areas.
The market totaled 165 billion streams (audio and video combined), up 10% compared to 2024, including 122 billion from premium subscriptions alone.
French artists are crushing the rankings
This is undoubtedly the most notable point of pride in the results: 16 of the 20 best-selling albums in 2025 are French productions. Gims, Jul, Werenoi, Theodora, Keblack, Damso… the list is long. Artists produced in France occupy three quarters of the top 200 albums and 53% of the top 100,000 streaming charts. Better: they take 64% of listening to new releases (titles less than three years old).
On the emerging side, five French artists have placed a first album in the top 20 – Theodora, Helena, Bouss, Santa and Pierre Garnier – an unrivaled performance in Europe. In the UK, Germany and Spain, only one local debut album has reached this milestone. In Italy, none. Furthermore, 28 artists from the French scene have obtained a first album certification, i.e. 47% more than in 2024.
Rap and pop are now equal
Rap cultures continue to dominate the top of the charts, driven by Caribbean, Latin and African influences. But pop has caught up on the platforms: for the first time, the two repertoires each represent a third of total streaming consumption. Pop gains 2.7 points, rap 1.8 points.
On the classical side, a structural change is underway. Supported by young artists with a hybrid aesthetic like Sofiane Pamart (three albums in the classic top 5), this aesthetic is seeing its digital revenues exceed those of physical revenues for the first time (52% versus 46%).
Women are gaining ground
Female representation is progressing in the rankings: 44 albums of women fare in the top 200 (compared to 35 in 2024), including five in the top 20. Including mixed projects with a female lead, the total reaches 57 albums, or 28% of the ranking. Still far from parity, but the trend is accelerating. At the Victoires de la Musique 2026, seven out of ten awards were awarded to women – a historic record.
Direct-to-fan explodes, export resists
E-commerce now represents 32% of physical revenues (€66 million), and artist boutiques managed by labels represent 13.5 million euros, up 29%. Pop-up stores, in-concert sales, multiple editions: labels are multiplying strategies to transform fan engagement into purchasing actions.
Internationally, the export turnover of French productions reached 148 million euros, down slightly compared to 2024 (year boosted by the Olympics) but up 11% over two years. From Zaho de Sagazan to the Berliner Philharmonie, via Polo & Pan at Coachella, Lacrim in the Italian charts or KOBZX2Z who went viral in 23 countries via TikTok, the French Touch version 2025 takes very varied forms.
The billion, yes, but…
If the sector has returned to 80% of its historic peak of 2002 in current euros, the reality is more nuanced in constant euros: the 2025 turnover still represents only 56% of the record before the record crisis. The market lost two thirds of its value between 2002 and 2015. The reconstruction is real, but it is far from complete.
