RAP AND HIP-HOP SOAR IN THE U.K.

Rap and hip-hop accounted for more than a fifth of U.K. singles consumption in 2020, while album marketshare rose to 12.2%, representing all-time peaks for the genre, according to stats from British label trade body The BPI.

The analysis, compiled from both purchases and streams of albums and tracks, reveals the huge growth of rap and hip-hop in recent years in the U.K. Back in the late '90s, BPI say the genre’s share of the singles market was just 3.6%, or less than six times its current level of 22%, while albums share sat at 2%. The popularity of the genre has waxed and waned since, but over the last six years, consumption has been on an upward trajectory—albums market share has risen from just 2.7% in 2014 when singles counted for 8.1%.

The stats come from The BPI’s All About the Music 2021 yearbook, which reveals that music released by British talent, including Headie One, Aitch, Nines and KSI, counted for just over a third (33.6%) of that 22% singles consumption. In 2020, seven of the year’s 21 Official Charts #1 singles were classified as rap/hip-hop, including tracks by Stormzy, Eminem and Cardi B.

Last year, tracks by British breakthrough acts S1mba, AJ Tracey, Dave and Headie One all racked up more than 50m plays in the U.K. alone. All those artists—along with others such as Bugzy Malone, M Huncho and Young T & Bugsey—achieved more than 100m U.K. plays across their catalogs in 2020.