UMG Revenues Show Streaming and Subscriptons Overtaking Sales

Streaming and subscriptions now account for more revenue (51 percent) for Universal Music Group (UMG) than all other digital revenue worldwide.

This shift was reported Tuesday (Nov. 10) in UMG parent company Vivendi‘s third quarter financial reports in analyzing nine-month totals.

“It is still too early to tell whether or not we have reached an inflection point,” said Herve Phillippe, Member of the Management Board, CFO.

Those year-to-date figures show UMG’s recorded music at $2.97 billion, up 1.9 percent at constant perimeter and constant currency, with digital up 5.9 percent. Physical sales have been down 7.9 percent YTD, at $937 million.

Still to come, awards boosts (Eric Church, Chris Stapleton), holiday sales (Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Maroon 5) and among new releases, that of Justin Bieber.

According to analysis from Music Business Worldwide, UMG’s specific third quarter revenue fell from the previous quarter, perhaps due to the establishment of Apple Music.