UK Music Charts: Female Stars and Oasis Drive Record Sales

The UK music scene hit a high note in 2025, with female artists leading the charge and an unexpected resurgence from rock legends Oasis pushing overall sales to a new record. It was a year that blended global superstar power with homegrown talent and a surprising love for physical music formats. Combined music sales and streams soared by nearly 5%, reaching an impressive 201 million albums. Unsurprisingly, global phenomenon Taylor Swift dominated, with her 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl," becoming the year's biggest seller, shifting 642,000 copies since its October release. But it wasn't just international stars making waves. British female artists truly shone, with breakthroughs from talents like Olivia Dean and Lola Young. Dean achieved a historic feat, becoming the first woman in UK chart history to land a number one single and album in the same week. Her album, "The Art of Loving," was a top seller, with Dean herself describing it as an "antidote to troubling times," aiming for a "warm and intimate" feel. Lola Young also made a significant impact, securing the year's second-biggest single with "Messy." Adding a nostalgic twist to the charts, Oasis made a stunning comeback. Their blockbuster reunion tour helped them shift over a million albums, with their greatest hits compilation, "Time Flies," landing at number four, and "(What's The Story) Morning Glory" at number seven. It seems the Gallagher brothers' enduring appeal is as strong as ever. While streaming continues its reign, now accounting for 89% of the market with 210.3 billion songs streamed, the singles chart told an interesting story. The year's most-played track was Alex Warren's "Ordinary," but a significant portion of the top 10 singles were older releases, highlighting the enduring power of established hits. Meanwhile, physical music formats enjoyed a remarkable renaissance. Vinyl sales surged for the 18th consecutive year, up 13% to 7.6 million units, and are now on track to surpass CD sales for the first time since the 1990s. Taylor Swift's "Life Of A Showgirl" also topped the vinyl charts, with a limited edition live album even reaching number one on pure sales alone. Even cassettes saw a surprising 53.8% jump in sales, proving there's still a niche for every format. Beyond the domestic success, British artists continued to make their mark globally. Olivia Dean and Lola Young both broke into the US Billboard charts and earned Grammy nominations. Rock acts like Yungblud and Florence + The Machine also found international acclaim, and Ed Sheeran became the first overseas artist since 2021 to top India's Spotify charts. Dr Jo Twist, CEO of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), celebrated the UK's position as the second-largest music exporter globally, but stressed the need for continued government support in an increasingly competitive landscape. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.bbc.co.uk | Read original article