Sony Tops UMG In U.K. Radio Airplay

Sony Music: Dominates U.K. Radio Airplay

SONY MUSIC has upended UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP fom the top of the Top 100 Ul.K. radio airplay marketshare for the first time in five years, according to BRITISH trade MUSIC WEEK's analysis of RADIOMONITOR data. 

Since RADIOMONITOR began keeping annual records of the UK’s radio airplay by marketshare back in 2011, UMG has been the leader.

Last year, thanks in large part to RCA, SONY MUSIC secured the #1 s[pt wotj 39.66%, up more than 10 percentage points from its 2015 standing of 28.94%.

The figures only cover the Top 100 biggest airplay hits of the year, rather than the entire market, SONY also increased its sales/streaming marketshare across all major metrics in 2016.

UMG's marketshare dipped from a market-leading 38.87% in 2015 to 33.09% in 2016, while WARNER MUSIC GROUP accounted for 21.83% of the market, down from 26.43% in 2015.

In 2011 UMG's marketshare totalled 41.93% (SONY 27.26%, WMG 21.46%), before growing to 44.22% in 2012 (SONY 26.15%, WMG 24.60%). Its share increased again in 2013, as it made up 47.11% of the Top 100 (SONY 32.03%, WMG 17.22%). In 2014 the major boasted a marketshare of 40.28% (SONY 34.53%, WMG 21.06%).

For individual labels, RCA ended the year on top after more than doubling its marketshare year-on-year from 6.75% to 15.82%, while VIRGIN EMI finished close behind with 15.33%.

ATLANTIC, last year’s market-leading company, claimed the third largest share in 2016 with 11.76%, followed by ISLAND with 9.38% and COLUMBIA with 8.50%.

The remainder of the majors’ frontline imprints were: POLYDOR (8.39%), SYCO (6.37%), SONY MUSIC (5.48%), WARNER BROS. RECORDS (4.46%), PARLOPHONE (4.33%) and MINISTRY OF SOUND (2.83%).

« see more Net News