Quebec music streaming growth slows as local artist market share declines

Data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec indicates that the growth of music streaming platforms has slowed in 2025. In Quebec, streaming listens reached 31.9 billion, representing a 3% increase, a significant drop from the 12% growth seen in 2024 and 16% in 2023. This trend of decelerating growth was also observed across the rest of Canada.

While streaming remains the preferred medium, physical music sales continue to decline. CD sales in Quebec have fallen from 13 million units in 2004 to 500,000 in 2025. Conversely, vinyl sales have seen steady growth since 2008, reaching 400,000 units in 2025.

The report highlights a challenging landscape for local Quebec artists. Their share of album sales has dropped from 24% to 18% in one year, as local sales for both CDs and digital files are falling faster than those of international artists. Additionally, the growing vinyl market favors international acts, with Quebec artists accounting for only 8% of those sales. The market share of French-language music on physical formats has also seen a sharp decline, falling from 39% in 2018 to 11% in 2025.