The MBW Database

US recorded music market: Average midyear monthly ARPU of paid subscriptions via RIAA

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) issues half-year and full-year reports that include multiple statistics about the US music market.

Within these reports, the RIAA publishes two key pieces of information that have each informed the below chart: (i) The total amount of revenue for ‘Paid’ subscriptions (not including ‘limited-tier’) generated in the period; and (ii) The average amount of ‘paid’ subscriptions in the period (with multi-user plans as a single subscription, and exclude limited-tier services).

From these two data points, we can calculate an average ARPU figure in each FY and HY period, by dividing the total amount of Paid subscription revenue by the total number of paid accounts.

Below are the results of that calculation in recent years in the HY (midyear) period.