More British artists than ever found streaming success in 2022 - 200 artists achieved over 200 million global streams
More British artists than ever are taking advantage of the worldwide streaming boom, a new report from the BPI suggests, with 200 UK acts achieving over 200 million global streams in 2022.
The new report, drawing on Official Charts Company data from the UK, as well as global streaming data from Luminate, reveals the Top 20 most-streamed UK artists last year.
The UK's biggest musical exports have made a big impact abroad, with Ed Sheeran topping the list and big hitters like Harry Styles and Dua Lipa also featuring - but it was also great news this year for acts who have not had their time to shine on the UK charts.
More: The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2023
This includes North Yorkshire rock band Asking Alexandria, who have yet to secure a Top 10 album in the UK but have achieved success Stateside with a trilogy of Top 10's on the Billboard 200 albums chart, while British-American singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs also claimed 200 million global streams last year, achieving a Top 3 US Alternative Rock single with River.
“Streaming has changed the face of music – enabling artists to connect with fans at home and around the world in ways never possible before, and with consumers also able to enjoy unprecedented choice and affordability" Sophie Jones, BPI Chief Strategy Officer and Interim Chief Executive comments, "it is heartening to see this new research showing so many artists achieving such huge success in streaming, encompassing many less well-known names as well as global superstars.
"With record labels delivering improvements in areas such as transparency and deal terms, as the market continues to adapt and evolve, their biggest contribution remains essential investment to develop and support artists."
Harry Styles' blockbuster single As It Was netted 180.9 million streams overall in the UK. As It Was topped the Official Singles Chart for a total of 10 weeks and was named the biggest song of 2022 in the UK, with its parent album Harry's House also being named 2022's biggest album also.
MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2022
Harry's success translated into this year's BRITs ceremony too, where he was the night's big winner - taking home four awards in total, as well as the three biggest gongs of the night, Album of the Year for Harry's House, Best British Artist and British Song of the Year for As It Was.
See the Top 20 most-streamed British artists of the year below. The Top 10 - which includes Dua Lipa, D-Block Europe and Central Cee - all reached nearly 400 million streams each.
The most-streamed British artists of 2022
POS | ARTIST |
1 | ED SHEERAN |
2 | HARRY STYLES |
3 | D-BLOCK EUROPE |
4 | ARCTIC MONKEYS |
5 | DAVE |
6 | ADELE |
7 | COLDPLAY |
8 | ELTON JOHN |
9 | DUA LIPA |
10 | QUEEN |
11 | THE BEATLES |
12 | GEORGE EZRA |
13 | OASIS |
14 | SAM FENDER |
15 | FLEETWOOD MAC* |
16 | LITTLE MIX |
17 | CENTRAL CEE |
18 | CALVIN HARRIS |
19 | SAM SMITH |
20 | BECKY HILL |
©2023 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
*Dual nationality
Article Image: Anthony Harvey/Brian J Ritchie/Hotsauce/Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
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Smith Smyth
Oh how strange. Another excuse to put that overrated pub singer in ANOTHER "news" article! Time to move on and realise there are far more interesting and talented actual artists.
Bengy
Is the Top 20 based solely on UK only streams?
🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜
dave in the top 5 most streamed brits of 2022 is amazing to see considering he only dropped two singles as a lead that year :)