Pop, rock, and hip-hop are just a few of the most popular music genres worldwide.
Find out:
- How music genre tastes change based on age, country, and race
- Which music genres are the best for working out and which for setting personal records
- Which rap artist has the most album sales, and which K-pop groups have the most views on YouTube
Did you know there are 29 types of rock genres? Find more interesting facts and stats below:
Most Popular Music Genre Statistics
- There are over 300 music genres worldwide.
- Pop is the most popular music genre worldwide, whereas hip-hop/R&B dominates the US market.
- Pop is also the favorite music genre for gym-goers, but most personal records are broken while listening to hip-hop/rap music.
- Hip-hop is the most popular music genre among listeners aged 12-35.
- With 27 million sales, “The Eminem Show” by Eminem is the best-selling rap album of all time.
CONTENTS (click to show more)
What’s the most popular music genre?
Pop is the most popular music genre in the world.
Here’s a table of the 10 most popular music genres:
| Popularity ranking | Music genre |
| 1. | Pop |
| 2. | Rock |
| 3. | The 90s |
| 4. | The 80s |
| 5. | Soundtracks |
| 6. | Hip-hop/Rap/Trap |
| 7. | R&B |
| 8. | Dance/Electronic/House |
| 9. | The 70s |
| 10. | Soul/Blues |
What are the unique music genres people listen to in different countries?
Interesting music genres enjoyed, based on the country.
| Country | Interesting niche genre |
| Canada | Video game soundtracks |
| US | Zydeco |
| UK | Northern soul |
| Brazil | Axé |
| Argentina | Latin |
| Sweden | Black metal |
| Poland | Disco polo |
| Italy | Space disco |
| South Africa | Gqom |
| Russia | Shisha rap |
| China | Hokkien song |
| South India | Carnatic |
| South Korea | K Trot |
| Japan | Vocaloid |
| New Zealend | Te Reo Mãori |
EDM/Electronic is the most common music genre on music festivals worldwide.
The numbers and percentages of bigger music festivals that have more than 10,000 visitors:
| Music genre | Number of festivals | Percentage |
| EDM/Electronic | 318 | 38% |
| Rock/Indie | 237 | 28% |
| Hip-Hop | 72 | 9% |
| Pop | 65 | 8% |
| Folk | 58 | 7% |
| Metal | 42 | 5% |
| Country music | 33 | 4% |
| Jazz | 17 | 1% |
Read more about music:
- Music statistics (industry revenue, growth)
- Fascinating music streaming statistics
- Time spent listening to music statistics
- Benefits of music according to research
How Does the Popularity of Music Genres Change Over Time?
Trends in music genres are heavily influenced by historical events and popular musicians.
Huge events, such as political, social, or economic, can hugely affect the popularity of specific music genres. Most notably, punk rock, grunge, and rap were first played in the underground but then popularized by likable artists.
However, music genres that quickly gain mass appeal tend to fade away fast.
Rock peaked in 1983, occupying 60.9% of all spots on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. That makes it the most consumed genre in history.
| Music genre | The year when genre peaked | Percentage of songs on Billboard Charts that year |
| Rock | 1983 | 60.9% |
| Pop Standards | 1958 | 41.7% |
| Pop | 2011 | 40.9% |
| Soul | 1974 | 37.1% |
| R&B | 1997 | 31.9% |
| Rock & Roll | 1963 | 31.4% |
| Rap/Hip-Hop | 2016 | 30% |
| Country | 2011 | 24.6% |
| Folk | 1971 | 9.7% |
| Metal | 2003 | 9.3% |
| Blues | 1959 | 7.2% |
| House Electronic Trance | 1992 | 6.7% |
| Punk | 2006 | 5.7% |
| Ska Reggae Dancehall | 1993 | 3.9% |
What is the Most Popular Genre in the US?
R&B/Hip-Hop is the most popular music genre in the US.
It has been this way since 2017 when it overtook pop and rock music genres.
(Billboard)
Here’s a more detailed view of the music genres’ popularity in the US from 2017 to 2021.
| Music Genre | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| R&B Hip-Hop | 27.7% | 28.2% | 27.7% | 31.2% | 25.1% |
| Rock | 20% | 19.5% | 19.8% | 23.1% | 23% |
| Pop | 13% | 12.9% | 14% | 15.1% | 13.4% |
| Country | 8.1% | 7.9% | 7.4% | 8.4% | 8.0% |
| Latin | 5.4% | 4.7% | 5.3% | 7.7% | 5.7% |
| Dance Electronic | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 4.0% |
| Christian Gospel | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| World Music | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.5% | / | / |
| Children | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| Classical Music | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Jazz | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Holiday Seasonal | / | / | 1.4% | / | / |
Top 5 music genres in the UK.
The data is based on the TikTok reports from 2020-2021.
| Rank | 2020 | 2021 |
| 1. | Pop | Hip-Hop/ Rap |
| 2. | Hip-Hop/Rap | Pop |
| 3. | Electronic | Dance/ Electronic |
| 4. | Alternative | Indie/ Alternative |
| 5. | New Age | R&B/Soul |
Top 10 music genres in China.
- Pop
- C-Pop
- Cantonese Songs
- Soundtracks
- 90s music
- Chinese folk music
- Singer-songwriter
- 80s music
- K-Pop
- Rock
(IFPI)
Top 10 music genres in India
- Bollywood
- Older Bollywood (the 80s, 90s)
- Retro Bollywood (the 50s, 60s, 70s)
- Punjabi
- Traditional music
- International pop
- International Hip-Hop/Rap/Trap
- International Rock
- Soundtracks
- International Dance/Electronic/House
(IFPI)
Top 10 music genres in Russia.
- Russian pop
- The 90s
- International pop
- The 80s
- Russian rock
- International rock
- Estrada/Russian old pop
- Soundtracks
- Russian chanson
- International Dance/Electronic/House
(IFPI)
The most downloaded music genres, based on country.
| Country | Most downloaded music genres |
| Brazil | Hip-Hop, Trap, House |
| Australia | Hip-Hop, Trap, EDM |
| China | Hip-Hop, Trap, R&B |
| India | Hip-Hop, Trap, EDM |
| Canada | Hip-Hop, Trap, EDM |
| Nigeria | Afrobeat, African, Hip-Hop |
| South Korea | Hip-Hop, Trap, EDM |
| UK | Hip-Hop, Trap, House |
| US | Hip-Hop, Trap, R&B |
What are Music Sales Statistics by Genre?
Pop music genre sales brought the biggest cut of the revenue, 31.1% or $6.79 billion in 2017.
That’s 3.9% more than the year before when pop sales brought in $6.53 billion.
Rock music sales also grew by 2.5%, jumping from $5.12 billion in 2016 to $5.25 billion in 2017.
R&B/Hip-Hop, while landing third in music genre sales share, doubled its sales in the last 10 years.
| Music genre | Revenue percentage |
| Pop | 31.1% |
| Rock | 24.1% |
| Hip-Hop/R&B | 11.9% |
| Dance | 5.9% |
| Country | 5.3% |
| Classical | 4.3% |
| Latin | 1.9% |
| Jazz | 1.4% |
| Other | 14.1% |
What Music Genres are Popular Among Teenagers?
Pop is the most popular music genre among US teenagers (age 16-19) in 2018.
| Music genre | Percentage of teenagers listening |
| Pop | 52% |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 48% |
| Indie/Alternative Rock | 31% |
| Rock | 28% |
| Rock & Roll | 28% |
| Classic Rock | 26% |
| R&B | 23% |
| Instrumental | 22% |
| Singer/Songwriter | 21% |
| Show music/Musicals | 20% |
| Country | 19% |
| Soundtrack | 15% |
Music genres most popular among Gen Z:
| Music genre | Popularity in 2019 | Popularity in 2021 |
| Pop | 48% | 42% |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 34% | 55% |
| Rock | 31% | 33% |
| R&B/Soul | 27% | 30% |
| Alternative | 23% | 26% |
| Country | 19% | 25% |
Music genres popular among millennials:
| Music genre | Popularity in 2019 | Popularity in 2021 |
| Pop | 66% | 38% |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 56% | 54% |
| Rock | 52% | 38% |
| Alternative | 45% | 28% |
| R&B/Soul | 38% | 36% |
| Country | 34% | 34% |
Music Genre Preferences by Age Group
With 62% of US listeners, classic rock has the most loyal fanbase in the 45-54 age group.
Here’s a table of the most popular music genres by age groups:
| Age group | Preferred music genre | Percentage of US listeners |
| 16-19 | Pop | 52% |
| 20-24 | Pop, Rap/Hip-Hop | 54% |
| 25-34 | Pop | 56% |
| 35-44 | Pop, Classic Rock | 46% |
| 45-54 | Classic Rock | 62% |
| 55-64 | Classic Rock | 60% |
| 65+ | Classic Rock | 48% |
What Genre of Music is Best for Working Out?
The best music genres for working out are those with a strong beat like garage, house, or hip-hop.
While there’s no definitive music genre for exercising, upbeat music works the best.
- Ideally, music should have anywhere between 120 to 140 beats per minute. Anything more or less starts showing adverse effects.
- Furthermore, music needs to have a constant beat. Overly long quiet passages and tempo changes again negatively affect workout endurance.
(Inverse)
Pop the overall most popular music genre among gym-goers.
Research by Fitrated surveyed 1000 gym-goers to find out their music genre of choice.
Here are the results:
| Music genre | Percentage of listeners |
| Pop | 53.4% |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 48.6% |
| Classic Rock | 46.3% |
| Alternative | 30.4% |
| Electronic/Dance | 29.2% |
| Heavy Metal | 24% |
- Weightlifters’ favorite music genres were heavy metal and pop. Pop listeners also enjoyed doing squats and Pilates.
- Interestingly, at 53 minutes, punk fans endured the longest workout sessions, whereas heavy metal fans were the quickest to run a mile (under 7 minutes).
(FitRated)
Music genres that helped gym-goers beat their personal records:
Here’s a table of music genres that motivate gym-goes to achieve personal records:
| Music genre | Percentage of listeners |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 57.4% |
| Pop | 54.9% |
| Classic Rock | 45.7% |
| EDM | 33.8% |
| Alternative | 33.1% |
| R&B/Soul | 29.3% |
| Heavy Metal | 26.8% |
| Indie Rock | 26.5% |
| Country | 24.3% |
| Jazz | 24% |
Top 10 motivational workout music genres:
Here’s a table of music genres that motive the most during a workout:
| Music genre | Percentage of listeners |
| Pop | 37% |
| Classic Rock | 33.8% |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 33.7% |
| EDM | 20.9% |
| Alternative | 20.8% |
| Heavy Metal | 17.4% |
| R&B/Soul | 16.2% |
| Indie Rock | 15.3% |
| Country | 14.7% |
| Punk | 12.3% |
Best music genres for intense workouts:
Here are the music genres that people prefer for intense workouts:
| Music genre | Percentage of listeners |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 62.1% |
| Pop | 51.1% |
| Classic Rock | 45.9% |
| EDM | 38.5% |
| Heavy Metal | 31.5% |
| Alternative | 28.7% |
| Indie Rock | 26.9% |
| R&B/Soul | 26.3% |
| Punk | 21.4% |
| Country | 21.1% |
Rap vs. Rock Statistics
Is Rap More Popular Than a Rock?
Rock music is more popular than rap music, with rock ranked the second most popular music genre.
Rap music is ranked 6th.
(IFPI)
How Many People Listen to Rap/Hip-Hop?
27.7% of US music lovers in 2021 listened to rap/hip-hop.
Here’s a percentage of US rap/hip-hop listeners from 2017 to 2021:
Here’s a table of rap & hip hop listeners in the US:
| Year | Percentage of US listeners |
| 2021 | 27.7% |
| 2020 | 28.2% |
| 2019 | 27.7% |
| 2018 | 31.2% |
| 2017 | 25.1% |
Rap/hip-hop saw a considerable increase in popularity among the Gen Z audience, jumping from 34% in 2019 to 55% in 2021.
On the other hand, popularity among millennials decreased from 56% in 2019 to 54% in 2021 yet remained relatively high.
(YPulse)
What are the Best-Selling Rap/Hip-Hop Albums of All Time?
| Ranking | Album name | Albums sold |
| 1. | “The Eminem Show” by Eminem | 27 million |
| 2. | “The Score” by Fugees | 22 million |
| 3. | “The Marshall Mathers LP” by Eminem | 21 million |
| 4. | “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” by Lauryn Hill | 20 million |
| 5. | “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” by MC Hammer | 18 million |
| 6. | “Crazy Sexy Cool” by T.L.C. | 15 million |
| 7. | “To the Extreme” by Vanilla Ice | 15 million |
| 8. | “Devil Without a Cause” by Kid Rock | 15 million |
| 9. | “Curtain Call: The Hits” by Eminem | 13 million |
| 10. | “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” by Outkast | 13 million |
| 11. | “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” by 50 Cent | 12 million |
| 12. | “Big Willie Style” by Will Smith | 12 million |
| 13. | “Encore” by Eminem | 11 million |
| 14. | “Nellyville” by Nelly | 11 million |
| 15. | “Doggystyle” by Snoop Dogg | 11 million |
| 16. | “The Massacre” by 50 Cent | 11 million |
| 17. | “2001” by Dr. Dre | 10 million |
| 18. | “Greatest Hits” by 2Pac | 10 million |
| 19. | “Life After Death” by Notorious B.I.G. | 10 million |
| 20. | “E. 1999 Eternal” by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony | 10 million |
Statistics About Why People Listen to Hip-Hop
People listen to hip-hop because it allows them to express themselves positively.
(The Daily Universe)
Other reasons why people listen to hip-hop:
- It’s inspiring
- It offers young people a way to express their personality and emotions
- Lyrics are often thought-provoking
- It reflects current events (social, political, economic)
- Boosts energy (during workout)
- Hip-hop culture is attractive and easy to practice, which attracts teens to become artists themselves in the future as well
(The Audio Dome)
Statistics About How Women Feel About Hip-Hop Music Videos
All women in rap videos are nude to some extent.
Out of 100% of nude women in rap videos, 95% were highly revealing, 10% were semi-nude, and 10% were only partially nude.
| Level of nudity | Percentage of representation |
| Highly revealing | 95% |
| Semi-nude | 10% |
| Partially-nude | 10% |
Moreover, all videos portray some kind of violence toward women, with 70% showing a high level of violence, 20% medium level, and 10% low level.
| Level of violence | Percentage of representation |
| High | 70% |
| Medium | 20% |
| Low | 10% |
Furthermore, 88% of women wore some type of bikini (one or two-piece), 9% had mini-skirts, 2% had a formal dress, and 1% had a long dress.
| Type of dress | Percentage of representation |
| Bikini | 88% |
| Mini-skirt | 9% |
| Formal | 2% |
| Long | 1% |
Race representation in rap videos:
| Race | Percentage of representation |
| African American | 100% |
| Caucasian | 95% |
| Hispanic | 80% |
| Asian | 60% |
Women’s role in rap videos:
| Role | Percentage of representation |
| Sitting in the club | 100% |
| Dancing | 95% |
| Surrounded in sexual abuse | 80% |
| Playing around | 60% |
As of late, many more women hip hop artists have emerged and become famous, making the genre much more balanced.
(Deezer)
Hip-Hop Audience Demographics
Hip-Hop is most popular among the audience aged 12-34 and men.
Listeners in this age group filled their TOP 100 playlist with 43% of hip-hop songs.
| Age group | Percentage of hip-hop songs in their playlists |
| 12-34 | 43% |
| 35-54 | 11% |
Hip-Hop/R&B popularity, based on race:
| Race | Percentage of hip-hop songs in their playlists |
| Black | 70% |
| Hispanic | 31% |
| Other | 14% |
How Many People Listen To Rock?
Rock was the second most popular music genre in the world in 2021.
(IFPI)
While classic rock is still one of the most popular genres in America, it’s losing its popularity among younger audiences under 35.
(Statista)
2022 C.B.S. News poll revealed that overall, with 32%, rock is still way ahead of other genres among the entire US population.
A table of CBS News poll on popularity of music genres in the general US population:
| Music genre | Popularity among all US listeners |
| Rock | 32% |
| Pop | 15% |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 14% |
| Country | 12% |
| Christian/Gospel | 10% |
On the other hand, the rock landed 3rd among younger audiences between the age of 18-29.
Here’s a table of the most popular music genres among US youngsters aged 18-29:
| Music genre | Popularity among US youngsters aged 18-29 |
| Hip-Hip/Rap | 32% |
| Pop | 19% |
| Rock | 17% |
| Christian/Gospel | 11% |
| Country | 8% |
40% of white U.S. listeners claim the rock music genre is their favorite.
Here’s a table of the most popular music genres among white Americans:
| Music genre | Popularity among white US listeners |
| Rock | 40% |
| Pop | 15% |
| Country | 15% |
| Christian/Gospel | 9% |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 7% |
In contrast, rock and hip-hop completely switch sides when looking at results from black listeners.
Here’s a table of the most popular music genres among black Americans:
| Music genre | Popularity among black US listeners |
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 35% |
| R&B/Soul | 30% |
| Christian/Gospel | 14% |
| Jazz | 9% |
| Rock | 6% |
What are the Most Popular Rock Genres?
Among the most popular styles of rock music are:
- Alternative rock
- Rock & roll
- Progressive rock
- Indie rock
- Punk rock
- Psychedelic rock
- Acid rock
- Glam rock
- Root rock
- Folk-rock
- Arena rock
- Soft rock
- Funk rock
- Garage rock
- Space rock
- Electronic rock
- Experimental rock
- Surf rock
- Brit-pop
- Art rock
- Stoner rock
- Instrumental rock
- Jazz-rock
- Sleaze rock
- Gothic rock
- Jam rock
- Industrial rock
- Geek rock
- Yacht rock
(Musician Wave)
Popular Music Genres in the Past
What was the Most Popular Music Genre in the 2000s?
House was the most popular music genre of the 2000s.
Based on chart-topping songs throughout the 2000s, house music was the most popular. R&B/Hip-Hop later overtook it in 2008.
(I Like Your Old Stuff)
What was the Most Popular Music Genre in the 90s?
Hip-Hop was the dominating music genre in the 90s.
While techno and alternative rock were getting big, hip-hop/rap still dominated the charts, with artists like Ice Cube, Ice T, 2Pac, De La Soul, and Geto Boys.
(PennState)
What was the Most Popular Music Genre in the 80s?
Techno pop was among the top genres in the 80s.
For the most part, techno-pop held its first position for the longest. Pop-rock overtook it in 1987.
Pop-rock only stayed in the first spot for 2 years. The house genre overtook it in 1989.
(I Like Your Old Stuff)
What was the Most Popular Music Genre in the 70s?
Disco was the biggest music genre of the 70s.
While pop-rock held the first spot at the beginning of the decade, disco quickly overtook it and maintained its position right till the end.
(Like Your Old Stuff)
What was the Most Popular Music Genre in the 60s?
Soul was the most prominent music genre of the 60s.
It has held itself as the most popular musical genre for the entire decade.
(Like Your Old Stuff)
Spotify & Kpop
Most Popular Music Genres on Spotify
Hip hop genre accounts for 38% of all streams, making it the most listened to music genre on Spotify.
27% is dedicated to pop, 18% to Latin, 9% to R&B, and rock and electronic music share 4% each.
Check the table with the most listened to music genres on Spotify:
| Music genre | Popularity on Spotify |
| Hip-Hop | 38% |
| Pop | 27% |
| Latin | 18% |
| R&B | 9% |
| Rock | 4% |
| Electronic | 4% |
On the other hand, 42% of all radio airplay consists of pop music.
(909originals)
With 575,580 followers, pop is Spotify’s most-followed music genre.
Dance-pop is second with 366,189 followers, and the third is the house with 328,939 followers.
Here’s a table with the number of Spotify followers by music genre:
| Music genre | Followers on Spotify |
| Pop | 575,580 |
| Dance-Pop | 366,189 |
| House | 328,939 |
| Teen-Pop | 328,082 |
| Electro-House | 327,309 |
K-Pop Stats
How Big is K-Pop?
K-Pop has become a $5 billion industry.
It has smashed numerous records in the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
(Spotify)
Physical sales of K-pop music reached 54.05 million in 2021.
Here’s a table of K-pop music sales per year:
| Year | K-pop items sold |
| 2021 | 54.05 million |
| 2020 | 38.88 million |
| 2019 | 24.38 million |
| 2018 | 22.52 million |
| 2017 | 16.28 million |
| 2016 | 9.76 million |
| 2015 | 7.17 million |
| 2014 | 6.29 million |
| 2013 | 6.87 million |
| 2012 | 6.04 million |
| 2011 | 5.28 million |
BTS are the best selling K-Pop artists, with 33.304.000 in physical sales.
Top 10 best selling K-Pop artists:
| Rank | K-Pop artist | Physical sales |
| 1. | BTS | 33.304.000 |
| 2. | Shin Seunghun | 10.262.000 |
| 3. | Seventeen | 10.101.000 |
| 4. | EXO | 9.843.000 |
| 5. | Seo Taiji and Boys | 8.000.000 |
| 6. | Twice | 7.605.000 |
| 7. | NCT DREAM | 7.295.000 |
| 8. | NCT 127 | 6.653.000 |
| 9. | Stray Kids | 6.303.000 |
| 10. | NCT | 5.392.000 |
K-Pop already has more than 41 billion streams worldwide on Spotify.
That’s more than 134 billion minutes of K-Pop music streamed on Spotify.
You can find K-Pop songs in more than 96 million playlists throughout the streaming service.
(Spotify)
K-Pop popularity exploded from 2014 to 2020, increasing by more than 1800%.
(Spotify)
The most popular K-Pop bands are:
- BTS
- SuperM
- Red Velvet
- Girls’ Generation
- BLACKPINK
- EXO
- NCT
- Monsta X
- Super Junior
- TWICE
Male K-Pop groups are the most popular on YouTube, based on views.
Here’s a tabled data on what K-pop groups are most popular.
| Group characteristics | Share of YouTube views |
| Male groups | 41.5% |
| Female groups | 35.1% |
| Male solo | 11.3% |
| Female solo | 9.2% |
| Coed | 2.9% |
K-Pop music already has more than 420.077.530.986 views on YouTube.
Male groups also have the most likes on YouTube:
| Group characteristics | Share of YouTube likes |
| Male groups | 49.3% |
| Female groups | 26.3% |
| Male solo | 12.2% |
| Female solo | 10.4% |
| Coed | 1.9% |
With 24.384.938.786 views, BTS are the most-watched K-pop artists on YouTube.
| Rank | K-Pop artist | Views on YouTube |
| 1. | BTS | 24.384.938.786 |
| 2. | Blackpink | 14.108.176.147 |
| 3. | Twice | 9.514.665.479 |
| 4. | PSY | 7.435.843.402 |
| 5. | BIGBANG | 3.798.825.574 |
| 6. | EXO | 3.782.841.787 |
| 7. | Girls’ Generation | 2.873.000.377 |
| 8. | GOT7 | 2.832.879.153 |
| 9. | Red Velvet | 2.826.813.531 |
| 10. | Stray Kids | 2.810.745.250 |
BTS was the first Korean band to surpass 5 billion streams in 2019.
In 2020, it had more than 8 billion streams.
(Spotify)
Modern K-Pop originates from the 90s.
The song that started it all, “I Know” by Seo Taiji and the Boys, remained the most listened-to track in Korea for 17 weeks.
(Masterclass)
How Many People Listen To K-Pop?
39% of people from 18 countries stated K-pop was very popular in their country in the 2021 survey.
Here’s a table on how popular is K-pop across the globe:
| Popularity level | Percentage |
| Very popular | 39% |
| Moderately popular | 26.5% |
| Adequately popular | 23.2% |
| Not very popular | 11.3% |
53% of K-pop listeners are aged from 18 to 24, according to Spotify.
Out of all K-pop listeners, 73% are females.
(Spotify)
K-pop is mostly popular in:
- The US
- Indonesia
- Philippines
- Japan
- Brazil
(Spotify)
The U.S. and Mexico represent the largest fan base of K-pop.
The US is a big market which automatically brings forward a large number of fans.
On the other hand, Mexico listeners represent the biggest cut of Spotify users.
| Country | Share of Spotify listeners |
| Mexico | 34% |
| Chile | 28% |
| US | 26% |
| Peru | 9% |
| Brazil | 3% |
Most K-pop followers on Instagram come from the U.S.
| Country | Share of K-Pop Instagram followers |
| US | 46% |
| Brazil | 34% |
| Chile | 10% |
| Peru | 4% |
| Mexico | 4% |
| Canada | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
Mexico has the most K-pop views on American YouTube.
| Country | Share of American YouTube views |
| Mexico | 24% |
| Peru | 21% |
| US | 14% |
| Chile | 10% |
| Brazil | 8% |
| Colombia | 6% |
| Other | 17% |
Read more:
- How many people listen to audiobooks?
Conclusion
These were the most interesting and in-depth statistics on the music industry and music genres around the world.
Pop is still a dominating music genre worldwide, while the United States has shifted from rock to hip-hop.
Do you like K-pop? Which music genre is going to shape our future? Which one deserves bigger attention? Which is your favorite genre?
Let us know in the comments.
Sources: IFPI, The Data Face, Billboard, MRC Data Report 2021, MRC Data Report 2020, Nielsen Music Report 2019, Nielsen Music Report 2018, Nielsen Data Report 2017, Music & Copyright, Music Week, TikTok, Festival Pro, Statista, YPulse, Inverse, FitRated, Audio Network, The Daily Universe, The Audio Dome, Southern Illinois University, Deezer, Coleman Insights, CBS News, Musicians Wave, Wikipedia, PennState, I Like Your Old Stuff, 909originals, JMPerezPerez, Spotify, Masterclass, Daisuki K-Pop, How Music Charts
FAQs
20+ Music Genre Statistics: Most Popular Music Genres (2023)? ›
Rock & pop are still on top
It's not so much a new trend for 2023, but creators simply can't get enough of crowd-pleasing rock and pop music. They can be used in very different ways, but they share an accessibility that viewers can easily relate to.
| Characteristic | 16-19 | 20-24 |
|---|---|---|
| Pop Music | 52% | 54% |
| Rock Music | 28% | 39% |
| Hip Hop/Rap | 48% | 54% |
| Indie/Alternative Rock | 31% | 40% |
Between 2020 and 2022, Latin music grew 55.29% in album consumption in the U.S., according to Luminate, far outstripping the overall industry's 21.61%, as well as the growth of the four biggest genres in the U.S. over that time: R&B/hip-hop (12.17%), rock (22.28%), pop (20.64%) and country (19.22%).
What is the most popular music genre for Gen Z? ›Gen Z Favorite Music Genre
There is no one favorite music genre for Generation Z. This generation is known for being open-minded and eclectic in their taste in music. They are just as likely to listen to rap as they are to country, and they are just as likely to enjoy classical music as they are to enjoy EDM.
- Hero. Alan Walker, Sasha Alex Sloan.
- The Hills of Aberfeldy. Ed Sheeran.
- No Strings. Ed Sheeran.
- Secrets. Paul Damixie.
- Sycamore. Ed Sheeran.
- Cheetah. Jackson Wang.
- Alone (with Nicki Minaj) Kim Petras, Nicki Minaj.
- golden hour - Fujii Kaze Remix. JVKE, Fujii Kaze.
The 1920s are often called the Jazz Age because Jazz music became very popular during that time. With lots of improvising and syncopated rhythms, jazz music influenced dances, fashion, and culture. The upbeat sounds of jazz became a favorite on the radio.
What are Gen Z listening to? ›Gen Z spend more time with music than the overall population. Those age 13-24 in the U.S. spend 3 hours and 43 minutes daily listening to music — an average of 40 minutes more than the rest of the population. Their top genre preferences are Hip Hop/R&B, Top 40, and Alternative Rock.
Is rap music losing popularity? ›While the popularity of hip hop has been declining steadily since 2004, the popularity of rapping as a genre of music has stayed stable over the past decades. A possible reason for this situation could be that rap music has spread out over many different subgenres and has become more niched down today.
What is the fastest growing music industry? ›Yes, the music industry is growing.
However, the Middle East and North Africa is the fastest-growing region for the global recorded music industry in 2021, with a 35% growth rate. In the future (between 2021 and 2026), the global music industry is expected to have a CAGR of 8.5%.
The next big genre in music is electronic dance music (EDM).
What age group listens to music the most? ›
Who consumes the most music? Music consumption peaks with older teens, young adults, and adults ages 45–54. At 55+, music listening tends to decline a bit. Even so, a large number of people across all age demographics consume music on a daily basis.
What genre is after Gen Z? ›The term Generation Alpha refers to the group of individuals born between 2013 and 2025. This is the generation after Gen Z.
What music are millennials listening to? ›Most millennials listen to a variety of music, but the most popular genres are hip-hop, pop, and EDM. According to a recent report, millennials are listening to music at a higher rate than other generations.
What is the #1 song right now 2023? ›Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
What is the biggest song in 2023? ›"Flowers", the 2023 single by American singer Miley Cyrus, is the year's longest reigning number-one song on the Hot 100, having spent eight weeks at the top spot. Eight artists have charted at number one in 2023 so far, with three―Morgan Wallen, Jimin and SZA―reaching the top spot for the first time.
What is a 20s flapper girl? ›Flappers of the 1920s were young women known for their energetic freedom, embracing a lifestyle viewed by many at the time as outrageous, immoral or downright dangerous. Now considered the first generation of independent American women, flappers pushed barriers to economic, political and sexual freedom for women.
What are the two new musical styles in the 20th century? ›Twentieth-century music was preceded by several late Romantic era developments, including impressionism and neoclassicism. In the 1900s, expressionism, serialism, modernism, electronic music, minimalism, experimental music, and chance music emerged and became intellectually based musical styles.
Why are the 20s called the Jazz Age? ›Overview: The novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald termed the 1920s "the Jazz Age." With its earthy rhythms, fast beat, and improvisational style, jazz symbolized the decade's spirit of liberation. At the same time, new dance styles arose, involving spontaneous bodily movements and closer physical contact between partners.
What age is Gen Z? ›CHARACTERISTICS OF THE Z OR CENTENNIAL GENERATION
Aged between eight and 23 years old, generation Z or the post-millennial generation will take the lead in a few decades.
Gen Z Terms and Definitions
Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”
Why does Gen Z speed up songs? ›
By removing pauses, intricate instrumental breaks, and slow moments within the song, sped up songs invite the listener to focus on the vibe, rather than on the song's meaning, and on the visual at hand. Musicians and record labels are leveraging the popularity of sped up songs.
What rappers do Gen Z listen to? ›Thanks to the 'end of the decade' wrap-ups, we saw that some of the most listened artists were Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, but also Drake, BTS and Stormzy. To summarise, here is a list of songs we think could define this generation: the way we live, the way we feel and what makes them who they are.
Does Gen Z listen to punk? ›While not all Gen Zers are familiar with pop-punk music of the 2000s, thanks to Gen Z-friendly musicians like Olivia Rodrigo and Yungblud, the genre's modern day resurgence appears to be alive and well.
Will rap ever end? ›So theoretically, there is not an infinite number of rap songs and there will not always be new rap music. However, we probably won't be around when all of the possible combinations will be exhausted. It will take hundreds of years before that's the case.
What's the most popular song in the world? ›...
100 most-streamed songs.
| Rank | 1 |
|---|---|
| Song | "Blinding Lights" |
| Streams (billions) | 3.573 |
| Artist(s) | The Weeknd |
| Release date | 29 November 2019 |
A lack of blockbuster releases is potentially contributing to the decline in current music consumption. Over twenty fewer albums from the first half of 2022 debuted on the Billboard 200 chart compared to the same period in 2021. The pandemic is another potential explanation.
What is becoming faster in music? ›Accelerando (accel.) Getting gradually faster Rallentando (rall.) Getting gradually slower Calando Softer and slower Ritardando (ritard., rit.)
What genre of music pays the most? ›By genre, rock artists landed the most spots, 13, down one from last year; pop acts accounted for nine entries, down from 14; country, three spots, down from eight; and Latin, two berths, up one from 2019.
What genre sells the most music? ›Since 2017, R&B/hip-hop has been the dominant music genre on the United States Billboard charts, becoming bigger than pop and rock and coming to define modern popular music.
What is the Big 3 music? ›The 3 major record labels are: Universal Music Group. Sony Music. Warner Music Group.
What is the #1 music genre right now? ›
Pop is the most popular music genre in the world.
1. 2.
In a literal sense, Future Beats is experimental instrumental music that generally borrows from Hip Hop, R&B, Trap, and occasionally Jazz to sculpt its rhythmic structure.
Which song reached 1 billion fastest? ›Pop superstar Miley Cyrus' catchy song 'Flowers' has become the fastest song to reach a billion streams on Spotify. Taking to her Instagram account, Cyrus paid tribute to her fans, sharing a video featuring the song and a caption reading: “Thanks a billion, I love you”.
What song is #1 most weeks? ›...
Most weeks at number one.
| Number of weeks | 14 |
|---|---|
| Artist(s) | The Black Eyed Peas |
| Song | "I Gotta Feeling" |
| Year(s) | 2009 |
- Rock N Roll Forever: Best of the 50's.
- No. 1 Hits of the 50's.
- Connie Francis: Gold.
- Elvis Presley: The 50 Greatest Hits.
- Everly Brothers: The Platinum Collection.
- The Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , Sammy Davis, Jr.
Out of 100%, 35% of black Americans listen to rap/hip-hop. Out of 100%, 7% of white Americans listen to rap/hip-hop.
What music do men listen to? ›- Rock.
- Hip Hop.
- House.
- Album Rock.
- Rap.
- Pop Rap.
- Indie Rock.
- Funk Rock.
Generation Alpha are defined as those born from 2010-2024.
What generation is 2026? ›That is why the generations today each span 15 years with Generation Y (Millennials) born from 1980 to 1994; Generation Z from 1995 to 2009 and Generation Alpha from 2010 to 2024. So it follows that Generation Beta will be born from 2025 to 2039.
What generation is 2040? ›Generally-speaking, the Alphas are the children of the Millennials (born 1980-1994), the siblings of Gen Z (born 1995-2009) and they'll be the parents of Generation Gamma (born 2040-2054). Generation Beta will follow the Alphas (filling in the years 2025-2039).
What songs do intelligent people listen to? ›
The result was that students who scored higher in intelligence were associated with an ear for wordless music genres like big band, classical, and ambient or chill electronica.
What generation consumes the most music? ›According to a study on music streaming in the United States in 2022, the group with the highest penetration rate was Gen Z with 90 percent of respondents stating that they listened to music within the last month in October 2022.
What was the most listened to song in 2023? ›Leading the top global songs list is Miley Cyrus' smash hit “Flowers” which has been named the most streamed song of 2023 so far with 1.16 billion global audio streams.
What music genre will be popular next? ›The next big genre in music is electronic dance music (EDM). This genre has been growing in popularity over the past few years and shows no signs of slowing down. EDM is characterized by its heavy use of synthesizers and electronic instruments, as well as its fast-paced, often danceable beats.
Who is the most popular band 2023? ›- a crowd of rebellion. ...
- iRis.EXE. ...
- In Fear. ...
- Curses (US) ...
- Blind Summit. ...
- Akkadian. ...
- El Moono. ...
- Casey.
Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
What is the #1 listened to song ever? ›“Blinding Lights” was also officially recognized as the biggest US Billboard Hot 100 single of all time. When released at the end of 2019, the song spent over 100 weeks in the charts. If you haven't already, be sure to give "Blinding Lights" a listen on Spotify.
What's the number 1 song in the world ever? ›According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.
What music is trendy now? ›- Ella Baila Sola. Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma.
- Calm Down (with Selena Gomez) Rema, Selena Gomez.
- Kill Bill. SZA.
- Chemical. Post Malone.
- Flowers. Miley Cyrus.
- Curtains. Ed Sheeran.
- Cupid - Twin Ver. FIFTY FIFTY.
- Boy's a liar Pt. PinkPantheress, Ice Spice.
Who is the #1 artist in the world? ›
...
By year.
| Artist ranking | 1 | Bad Bunny (9.1 billion) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Taylor Swift | |
| 3 | BTS | |
| 4 | Drake | |
| 5 | Justin Bieber |
| Popularity ranking | Artist | Fans tracking |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Rihanna | Fans tracking: 5,043,169 |
| 02 | Drake | Fans tracking: 5,035,185 |
| 03 | Coldplay | Fans tracking: 4,932,458 |
| 04 | Eminem | Fans tracking: 4,916,806 |
Coldplay to Stop Producing Music in 2025 -
What is the #1 most streamed song in the US? ›- 'Blinding Lights' by The Weeknd (3.52 billion streams) ...
- 'Shape of You' by Ed Sheeran (3.44 billion streams) ...
- 'Dance Monkey' by Tones And I (2.79 billion streams) ...
- 'Someone You Loved' by Lewis Capaldi (2.74 billion streams) ...
- 'Rockstar' by Post Malone feat 21 Savage (2.65 billion streams)
In 2021, Future was featured alongside Young Thug on Drake's single, "Way 2 Sexy", which became his first number-one single. That same year, he released a collaboration with Gunna, "Too Easy", which reached number 16 on the Hot 100. On April 29, 2022, Future released his ninth studio album, I Never Liked You.
Who is the number 1 artist 2023? ›Most listened to artists on Spotify in 2023 are 1. The Weeknd, 2. Ed Sheeran, 3. Taylor Swift and 17 others.