New research from British trade body BPI asserts that streaming enabled more artists to have success and earn a living in 2022 when compared with 2007, a time when the CD was the leading format.

The org analyzed data from the Official Charts Company and found that the 10 leading streaming artists made up 4.9% of the audio streaming market in the U.K. last year. In 2007, the top 10 artists made up 10.9% of that year’s artist album sales.

The trend becomes even more pronounced further down the market. While the top 100 artists in 2007 claimed 45.1% of artist album sales during the year, the 100 leading streaming artists last year made up 19% of 2022’s audio streaming numbers, says the BPI.

Its research also shows that nearly 90% (87.8%) of artist album sales in 2007 were achieved by 1,000 artists. Last year, the top 1,000 streaming artists claimed 50.1% of streams.

BPI Chief Strategy Officer and Interim Chief Executive Sophie Jones said the numbers prove that the streaming market is “enabling more artists to achieve real success and earn a meaningful living by opening up huge opportunities in the recorded music market.”

“This includes a blossoming generation of talent who are developing dedicated and enthusiastic fanbases alongside artists with mainstream followings. They are generating many millions of streams, as well as significant royalties each year.”