UK Radio Highlights Domestic Talent in 2024, Showcasing Top Artists and Key Trends

07 January 2025 - Press release

 

The UK music industry continues to make waves in 2024, with 41% of the Top 100 most played songs on UK radio featuring domestic talent. The remaining 59% comprises international artists, highlighting a healthy blend of local and global influences. This domestic success clearly demonstrates UK radio's strong commitment to promoting homegrown talent, contrasting sharply with Ireland's lagging support for its own artists only featuring 19% of its domestic talent across its Top 100 most played songs of 2024.

Key Data Points Below:

Top 5 Songs by UK Artists in 2024
According to the Radiomonitor Chart, the top-performing domestic UK songs are:

1. Myles Smith – Stargazing (RCA)
2. Coldplay – feelslikeimfallinginlove (Parlophone)
3. Calvin Harris x Rag'n'Bone Man – Lovers In A Past Life (Columbia)
4. Perrie – Forget About Us (Columbia)
5. Dua Lipa – Houdini (Warner Records)

While Myles Smith reigns as the top domestic artist (#1 on the domestic UK Artists chart and #7 overall), Lose Control by Teddy Swims claims the overall #1 spot in the Top 100 most played songs on UK radio, showcasing international dominance at the peak.

Overall Top 5 Songs on UK Radio (Domestic & International)

1. Teddy Swims – Lose Control (Atlantic)
2. Noah Kahan – Stick Season (Island)
3. Benson Boone – Beautiful Things (Warner Records)
4. Dasha – Austin (Boots Stop Workin') (Warner Records)
5. Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy) (American Dogwood)

Industry Trends: Labels and Representation
A breakdown of the label trends and artist demographics reveals:

• Label Distribution:

  • SME (Sony Music Entertainment): 34.15%
  • WMG (Warner Music Group): 31.71%
  • UMG (Universal Music Group): 26.83%
  • Independent (Ind.): 2.44%
  • UMG/WMG (Joint ownership): 2.44%

• Gender Representation:

  • Male (M): 43.90%
  • Gender Collaboration (GC): 29.27%
  • Female (F): 26.83%

• Ethnicity Representation:

  • White (W): 65.85%
  • Mixed Ethnicity (MIXED): 24.39%
  • Person of Colour (POC): 9.76%

Comment from Linda Coogan Byrne
"The UK's consistent championing of domestic talent is a model that Ireland would do well to emulate. With 41% of the Top 100 songs on UK radio attributed to local artists, the UK music industry continues to provide crucial platforms for its own creators. This not only fortifies the cultural identity of the nation but ensures that diverse voices are represented and celebrated."

"The contrast with Ireland's dismal support for domestic talent is stark and should serve as a wake-up call to Irish media and policymakers. We must push for better infrastructure and airtime that allows homegrown artists to thrive both locally and internationally."

Gender Balance Among Domestic Artists
An intriguing trend within the UK's domestic artist representation is the shift in gender balance. UK Artist Gender Collaborations (GC) now make up 29.27% of the Top UK Artists featured in the Top 100, surpassing the representation of female UK artists at 26.83%. This highlights a significant movement towards collaborative efforts within the industry, fostering diverse creative partnerships that resonate with a wider audience. However, it also highlights the need to amplify female-led projects to ensure a balanced representation in future charts.



Credit: @The Why Not Her? Collective, founded by music industry consultant Linda Coogan Byrne.  See www.whynother.eu for more information.