Canada’s Global Music Dominance The No. 3 Exporter in 2024, But Is It Slipping
Canada: A Music Powerhouse! Despite a drop in streaming share, Canadian music exports remain among the world’s best. The Weeknd, Tate McRae, and rising talents continue to dominate global charts. Is Canada’s global music influence fading or evolving?
Music data tracking company Luminate has unveiled its 2024 Year-End Report, introducing the first-ever Luminate Export Power Ranking. The findings confirm Canada’s global influence in music, securing the third spot among the world’s top music-exporting nations.
By: Rosie Long Decter
Published: January 16, 2025
Canada’s Global Music Footprint
According to Luminate’s 2024 Export Power Ranking, Canada is the third-largest exporter of music worldwide, trailing only the United States and the United Kingdom. The ranking assesses a country’s ability to export recorded music globally, reinforcing Canada’s standing as a major music powerhouse.
Canada’s top music-importing markets include the U.S., U.K., and Australia, while at the same time, Canada remains the No. 1 importer of U.S. music. This reflects the deeply connected nature of the Canadian and American music industries.
Top 10 Music-Exporting Countries in 2024:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- South Korea
- Germany
- France
- Puerto Rico
- Australia
- Sweden
- Brazil
Canadian Stream Shares Are Declining
Despite Canada’s high ranking, the report signals concerning trends for the nation’s music industry.
Canada experienced one of the biggest drops in global music streaming share, falling from 3.73% to 3.34%—a decline only surpassed by the U.S. and U.K. Meanwhile, countries like Mexico, Brazil, and India have seen significant streaming growth, emphasizing a shift in global music consumption.
The Rise of Non-English Music
The report underscores a growing global preference for non-English-language music. While English-speaking countries are seeing a decline in local music consumption, many non-English-speaking nations are experiencing a surge in domestic content popularity.
“English-speaking markets are losing local share to non-English language imports,” Luminate states.
Which Countries Gained and Lost in Streaming Share?
Biggest Streaming Share Growth:
- Mexico
- Brazil
- India
Biggest Streaming Share Decline:
- Canada
- United States
- Nigeria
Notably, Canada also experienced stream share losses in the U.K., Australia, Japan, and Brazil.
The Weeknd and Tate McRae Lead Canadian Songwriters
Despite the streaming decline, Canadian songwriters remain dominant, thanks to global pop icons like The Weeknd and Tate McRae.
Canada ranks third in songwriter representation among the 1,000 most-streamed songs of 2024, trailing only the U.S. and U.K.
The Weeknd’s Global Impact
- Ranks No. 3 among the most prolific and most-streamed songwriters in 2024
- Continues to be a major force in global streaming
Meanwhile, pop music is the fastest-growing genre in the U.S., driven by stars like Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, and Canada’s own Tate McRae. McRae secured the No. 9 spot on Luminate’s Pop Artist Rank for the U.S.
A Shift in Streaming Trends
Luminate notes an increasing share of streams occurring outside the top 10,000 tracks, signaling a more diverse and fragmented music landscape.
- In 2024, the top 10,000 tracks accounted for 31.9% of global streaming
- Down from 40.1% in 2022
This suggests that listeners are exploring more music beyond mainstream hits, a trend that could shape future music consumption.
Canadian Album Consumption and Streaming See Growth
While Canada’s global streaming share declined, domestic music consumption saw steady growth.
- Total album consumption: ⬆ 8.1% (112.9 million units vs. 104.4 million in 2023)
- Streaming growth: ⬆ 9.5%
- Physical sales: ⬆ 4.8%
- Total album sales: ⬇ 0.9% (driven by declining digital sales)
What This Means for the Future
Despite challenges in global streaming share, Canada continues to be a powerful force in the music industry, with strong exports, influential songwriters, and rising domestic consumption.
Will Canada reclaim a bigger share of global streaming?
How will non-English music continue to reshape the industry?
