One attribute of globalization is the ubiquity of brands. From fast food to running shoes, global travelers are likely to find many of the same products wherever they go. With media digitally and seamlessly carried around the world, Hollywood stars are also notable beneficiaries of global distribution. Surprisingly then, given these global trends and the rise of streaming music services, a paper published this month by researchers at LSE found that across Europe, local artists tend to top the charts. In most countries, songs from local artists held more than a 30% share of total listens across platforms in 2022. Language also plays a key role. In Portugal, for example where local artists held only a 10% share of listens, Brazilian artists held a 31% share. Generally speaking local artists have fared well as streaming services have grown. For instance in Italy, in 2012 and 2017, only 30% of the top 10 songs were made by Italian artists, versus 70% in 2022.
Sources: London School of Economics, Luminate, Gracenote, May 2023