The annual report on the current state of the global electronic music industry was published yesterday (22nd April).
The global electronic music industry has reached a record valuation of $15.1 billion, according to the 2026 report from the International Music Summit (IMS).
Published by Mark Mulligan and MIDiA Research and presented during IMS Ibiza’s opening day yesterday (22nd April), the 12th edition of the annual IMS Electronic Music Business Report shows that the sector grew overall by 7% in 2025, rising from $14.2 billion in 2024.
The revenue comes from recordings, publishing, Digital Service Providers (DSPs), festivals and clubs, creator tools, merch, sponsorships and brands. Figures show that revenue from DSPs and merchandise was among the highest.
Germany is the world’s biggest consumer of electronic music on Spotify, with 604 million users, while the US and Australia are second and third with 402 million and 328 million, respectively. The report also highlighted the increasing presence of the Global South in the industry’s growth.
In Ibiza, revenues from club tickets hit an all-time high of €160 million last year, rising from €150 million in 2024. However, the report also found that the number of events has decreased, averaging 140 events per venue in 2025, compared with 144 the previous year.
Genre-wise, tech-house took the top spot for the fourth year in a row, with house and melodic house trailing at number two and three, respectively. Afro-house also leapt from 10th place in 2023 to 2nd place in Splice searches last year.
Mulligan described 2025 as “another good year for the global electronic music market”, with growth driven by “thriving scenes”.
“The fact that the business did so well against a backdrop of global uncertainty and disruptive technological change points both to the resilience of the industry and that the escapist role of the dancefloor has never been more important,” he said.
Meanwhile, IMS co-founder Ben Turner stated that the data indicates a “strong 2026 ahead” in spite of the current global climate. “As we move into one of the most testing yet creatively charged phases in electronic music’s relatively short history, AI is beginning to reshape how we work, how artists create, and how fans consume,” he said.
He called the increasing presence of AI within electronic music as “disruptive”, but “a shift” that the genre is “well placed to meet.”
He continued: “Electronic music was built on new technology and on a willingness to move with it. That instinct still runs through the culture today, reflected in the community around IMS and in those continuing to drive it forward.”
These new figures contrast sharply with the independent venue ecosystem in the UK, which is struggling to survive. 53% of UK grassroots music venues made no profit in 2025, according to a report from Music Venue Trust’s [MVT] 2025 report.
