Female pop stars celebrate a record-breaking year

In 2024, female pop stars have truly shined, with Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter leading the way. According to the British Phonographic Institute, women have made history on the British charts, dominating the singles chart for an incredible 34 weeks, the highest number ever recorded. Sabrina Carpenter was particularly impressive, as she held the top spot for 21 of those weeks with her hit singles Espresso, Taste, and Please, Please, Please, which were all major successes in the latter half of the year. Taylor Swift also had a remarkable year, with her album Tortured Poets Department becoming the best-selling album of the year. This album, which reflects on break-ups and personal experiences, sold over 783,000 copies by the end of December, making it the highest-selling album in a single year since Ed Sheeran's ÷ sold 2. 7 million copies in 2017. Swift also had three other albums that made it into the top 20 best-selling albums of the year: 1989 (Taylor's Version), Lover, and Folklore. Other notable albums that reached the year-end top 20 include Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard And Soft, Sabrina Carpenter's Short N' Sweet, Chappell Roan's The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess, and Charli XCX's Brat, all of which have been nominated for album of the year at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Charli XCX's Brat, known for its bold and energetic dance tracks, was one of 12 albums by female artists that topped the Official Albums Chart in 2024, matching a record set in 2023. This year has been a significant one for women in music, showcasing their talent and influence. The overall music consumption in the UK has seen a rise of 9. 7%, with fans purchasing or streaming a staggering 200. 5 million albums. The BPI counts 1,000 streams as equivalent to one album sale, highlighting the growing trend of streaming music. In fact, streaming reached a record high this year, with 199. 6 billion songs played, which means that if every person in the UK listened to music non-stop, they would enjoy six continuous days of music! Vinyl records have also seen a resurgence, marking the 17th consecutive year of growth, with 6. 7 million records sold. Meanwhile, the decline in CD sales is showing signs of slowing down, with a decrease of only 2. 9% to 10. 5 million units sold. Myles Smith, a musician from Luton, achieved the biggest-selling British single of the year with his song Stargazing, which came in twelfth place overall. He performed at Radio 1's Big Weekend in May 2024, captivating the audience with his energetic performance. However, the music landscape is becoming increasingly challenging for British musicians to navigate. For the first time since records began in 1970, none of the top 10 best-selling songs were by British artists. Instead, the chart was dominated by American singer-songwriters, with Noah Kahan's breakthrough hit Stick Season achieving a remarkable 1. 99 million sales, including streams, over the year. Benson Boone's Beautiful Things secured second place, while Sabrina Carpenter's summer anthem Espresso came in third. The highest-selling song by a British artist was Myles Smith's Stargazing, which ranked twelfth. Dr. Jo Twist, the chief executive of the BPI, acknowledged that it is becoming increasingly difficult for British musicians to stand out in a hyper-competitive global music market. She noted that while British artists have had strong years in the past, many talented musicians, including Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, The Last Dinner Party, Beabadoobee, and rising star Myles Smith, have had successful years. Dr. Twist emphasized that music is cyclical, and some major artists have not been active recently but are expected to return in 2025 with new material. She expressed optimism about the future but cautioned against complacency. The BPI also highlighted the emergence of music superpowers in Latin America and South Korea, which often receive government support, and urged the UK to protect and support its own music industry. In particular, there are concerns about new regulations that could allow international tech giants to use artists' work without payment or permission. Dr. Twist stressed that while the UK remains a significant player in the global music scene, this status cannot be taken for granted. She called for a supportive policy environment that prioritizes human artistry and encourages continued investment in the next generation of British talent.