Apple Music reached 108 million subscribers in January 2026, up from 95 million in 2024, showing steady growth.
The platform earned about $10.12 billion in 2024, showing strong revenue growth and global reach.
In this article, we will look at key stats, including top artists, K‑pop streams, and user demographics, providing a clear view of Apple Music’s worldwide impact.
Apple Music Stats 2026: Key Highlights
- Apple Music has 108 million subscribers as of January 2026.
- 59% of North American users prefer premium accounts.
- The largest age segment is 25–34, making up 23% globally.
- Female listeners account for 56%, slightly higher than males.
- Taylor Swift tops streams with 82 million plays worldwide.
- K‑pop dominates with BTS and BLACKPINK, 19 million streams each.
- Apple Music revenue reached $10.12 billion in 2024.
Apple Music Subscribers
As of January 2026, Apple Music has an estimated 108 million subscribers, up from 95 million in mid-2024, marking a YoY growth of about 6 %.
This shows the platform’s ability to continue attracting new users despite tough competition in the music streaming space.
Since its 2015 launch with just 6.5 million subscribers, Apple Music has seen steady growth, reaching 60 million by 2019 and 88 million by 2022.
The table below shows Apple Music’s subscriber growth from its launch in 2015 to the latest estimate in January 2026:
| Date / Period | Apple Music Subscribers |
|---|---|
| June 2015 (launch) | 6.5 million |
| June 2016 | 15 million |
| June 2017 | 27 million |
| June 2019 | 60 million |
| June 2021 | 78 million |
| June 2022 | 88 million |
| June 2023 | 93 million |
| June 2024 | 95 million |
| January 2026 | 108 million (latest estimate) |
Source: Statista
Apple Music User Demographics
Let us look at Apple Music’s diverse listeners by region, age, and gender, and understand how their listening habits and subscription choices shape the platform worldwide.
Apple Music Users By Region
Apple Music’s user base shows strong regional differences in account types. In North America, a majority of users (59 %) subscribe to the premium model, while in Asia-Pacific and Europe, free users account for more than 60 % of the total.
These differences show how Apple Music’s popularity and subscription choices vary by region, shaped by listening habits.
The table below breaks down Apple Music users by premium and free tiers across major regions:
| Region | Premium Account Users | Free Account Users |
|---|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific | 38% | 62% |
| Europe | 36% | 64% |
| Latin America | 44% | 56% |
| Middle East and Africa | 43% | 57% |
| North America | 59% | 41% |
Source: Statista
Apple Music Age Demographics
Apple Music attracts listeners across all age groups, with the 25–34 segment making up the largest share at 23 %.
Younger users (18–24) represent a smaller but significant 17 %, showing that the platform appeals to both new listeners and the old ones.
The table below provides a full breakdown of Apple Music users by age group:
| Age Group | Share of Apple Music Users |
|---|---|
| 18–24 | 17 % |
| 25–34 | 23 % |
| 35–44 | 22 % |
| 45–54 | 15 % |
| 55+ | 23 % |
Source: Statista
Apple Music Gender Demographics
Apple Music has a slightly higher share of female users compared to male listeners. This indicates the platform resonates well across genders but leans modestly toward women.
The table below breaks down the user base by gender:
| Gender | Share of Apple Music Users |
|---|---|
| Female | 56 % |
| Male | 44 % |
Source: Statista
Most Streamed Artist on Apple Music
Taylor Swift leads Apple Music streams with an estimated 82 million plays, making her the most-streamed artist on the platform.
Ed Sheeran and Billie Eilish follow her closely with 67 million and 54 million streams, respectively.
The list highlights a mix of pop, hip-hop, and Latin artists, showing Apple Music’s diverse listening audience.
The table below presents the top 10 artists globally on Apple Music:
| Rank | Artist | Country | Total Estimated Streams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Swift | USA | 82 million |
| 2 | Ed Sheeran | UK | 67.3 million |
| 3 | Billie Eilish | USA | 54.4 million |
| 4 | Drake | Canada | 51.9 million |
| 5 | The Weeknd | Canada | 39.7 million |
| 6 | Bad Bunny | Puerto Rico | 39.3 million |
| 7 | Post Malone | USA | 39.1 million |
| 8 | Ariana Grande | USA | 36.5 million |
| 9 | Dua Lipa | UK | 36 million |
| 10 | 周杰伦 (Jay Chou) | Taiwan | 35.5 million |
Source: Kworb
K‑pop on Apple Music
K‑pop has made a big mark on Apple Music, attracting millions of streams across the globe.
The genre’s rise shows its ability to reach both casual listeners and dedicated fans in various regions.
Most Streamed K-pop artists on Apple Music
K-pop artists like BTS and BLACKPINK are leading the Apple Music charts with around 19 million streams each. TWICE and NewJeans follow with over 11 million streams, showing strong global fan engagement.
The mix of veteran and newer groups highlights the genre’s growing international appeal.
The table below presents the top 10 most-streamed K‑pop artists on Apple Music:
| Rank | Artist | Estimated Total Streams |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BTS | 19.1 million |
| 2 | BLACKPINK | 19.1 million |
| 3 | TWICE | 11.7 million |
| 4 | NewJeans | 11.5 million |
| 5 | aespa | 9.6 million |
| 6 | Stray Kids | 8.5 million |
| 7 | SEVENTEEN | 7.9 million |
| 8 | NCT | 7 million |
| 9 | ITZY | 6.5 million |
| 10 | (G)I-DLE | 6 million |
Source: Kworb
Apple Music vs Competitors
Apple Music is a major player in the global streaming market, though it trails behind Spotify and Tencent Music.
Spotify leads with over 515 million active users worldwide, while Tencent Music has roughly 300 million listeners. Apple Music has a smaller but steadily growing user base of around 150 million subscribers.
Even with fewer users, Apple Music attracts listeners through curated playlists and smooth integration with Apple devices.
The table below shows estimated subscriber shares across the top 3 music streaming platforms:
| Streaming Platform | Estimated Subscriber Share |
|---|---|
| Spotify | 31.7 % |
| Tencent Music | 14.4 % |
| Apple Music | 12.6 % |
Source: Exploding Topics
Apple Music Market Share
Apple Music is one of the top music streaming services in the US, behind Spotify and Amazon Music among paid platforms. Together, these three services hold over 90 % of the US streaming market.
Smaller services like YouTube Music, Pandora Premium, Tidal, and SoundCloud make up the rest of the market, showing how the top platforms dominate US streaming.
The table below breaks down subscriber market share:
| Streaming Platform | Subscriber Market Share |
|---|---|
| Spotify | 36 % |
| Apple Music | 30.7 % |
| Amazon Music | 23.8 % |
| YouTube Music | 6.8 % |
| Pandora Premium | 1.9 % |
| Tidal | 0.5 % |
| SoundCloud | 0.3 % |
Source: Digital Music News
Apple Music Revenue Insights
Apple Music has become a major revenue source for Apple. In 2024, it earned about $10.12 billion, up from roughly $4.4 billion in 2019, showing nearly double growth in five years.
Here is a table of Apple Music’s revenue over the years:
| Year | Annual Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 10.12 billion |
| 2023 | 9.22 billion |
| 2022 | 8.35 billion |
| 2021 | 7 billion |
| 2020 | 6.36 billion |
| 2019 | 4.4 billion |
| 2018 | 3.51 billion |
| 2017 | 2.3 billion |
| 2016 | 1.7 billion |
Its monthly plans range from $9.99 to $14.99, and it attracts over 108 million paying subscribers worldwide.
Apple Music revenue grows about 8–10 % each year. Most subscribers are in the U.S. and Europe, but it is expanding in the Asia-Pacific.
Beyond income, Apple Music supports artists with higher payouts and keeps listeners engaged with exclusive releases, helping the platform maintain its strong global presence.
Source: Business of Apps
